The Oaks double header with Ramsdell went to form yesterday, with the First’s losing out in the away fixture and the Two’s maintaining their 100% start at Oakley Park.
First XI Not Quite Good Enough for Rampant Rams
The First XI went to Ramsdell with a strong looking line up with the Rams batting first on an afternoon of improving weather conditions.
Brad Compton-Bearne was unlucky to have their opener dropped on 4 but he then moved through the gears as the Rams began to accelerate at a good rate.
Clive Welsman came on and applied pressure with some slow stuff that led to a wicket and a catch in the deep which put the Oaks in a decent position but the Rams were still batting well and going at a decent rate.
Dan Sumner held up an end really well, picking up a wicket in the process and Steve Bown joined in on the action, grabbing two wickets but the scoreboard was still ticking along for the Rams.
Alex Brundle also chipped in with a late wicket as the Rams amassed 250, a very competitive, if perhaps not formidable, score.
In reply, the Oaks got off to an unwanted start with Gerry Dique taking the first delivery full on his big toe, hampering his movement for the rest of his innings. However, Gerry battled gamely on with the excellent Dan Sumner (40) putting on a partnership of 70 odd.
However, Oaks old boy, Tommy Holbrook, removed both in quick succession and the pendulum swung back to the Rams. Jimmy Bright had other ideas, playing beautifully but just missing out on a 50, falling on 48.
Bright Spark: Jimmy batted well for 48
With potential big hitters, Alan North and Brad Compton-Bearne both back in the hutch cheaply, the game lost momentum and it was left to Alex Brundle, with something to prove, to provide an entertaining and well crafted unbeaten 31 with Tom Barnes also remaining unbeaten as Oakley found some consolation in passing 200.
Ultimately, the word back at the club was that Ramsdell were the best side the Oaks had played this season, with their fielding particularly impressive and well drilled. It is a standard that the Oaks need to try to get to as a challenge for the rest of the season, whilst the Rams maintain a tilt at the title, looking for the Oaks to do them a favour or two on the way.
Captain, Gerry Dique, was pleased with the all round effort of the team and the spirit the game was played in, with all the Oaks players joining Ramsdell for a pint good old chinwag after as old team mates came together.
Seventh Heaven for Excellent Two’s
In a bizarre twist of the fixture calendar, the Two’s also faced Ramsdell yesterday on an afternoon where the skies cleared then darkened again late on.
The Oaks were put into bat with both Steve Savage and Jack Brundle remaining calm despite lots of early appealing and sledging at batsmen and umpires, which comes with the territory of being near the top, is fair game, and has to be dealt with accordingly.
Steve eventually chipped one to mid off for 23 and was replaced by Dan Jones, who took plenty of lively but not nasty stick as Ramsdell tried to coerce him and Jack into a run-out as they pushed hard, turning ones into twos against a subdued field with their best days behind them.
However, you will not find a cooler head on younger shoulders and Dan rose to challenge, thoroughly enjoying his knock of 34 before getting caught in the deep.
This set up the game for quick scorers, George Lethaby, Mike Tiley and Ian Bennett, but the Rams found renewed vigour and 24 runs later, the Oaks were in a less commanding position of 135-5 as all three departed, along with Jack Brundle who made a vital 38.
Enter from stage right, Alex Ogden, who ripped into the the Rams attack with gusto, smashing six sixes whilst receiving valuable support from Kalum Sappumannage as the scoreboard rattled past 200.
When Kalum was run-out for an excellent 25, Nathan Rabley joined in the action, supporting Alex who seemed to pass 50 in the blink of an eye, knocking the stuffing out of any hope that the Rams had of victory. The Oaks finished on a commanding 247.
The Oaks opened with Ollie Rabley and George Lethaby and whilst Ollie was still a bit rusty after a recent hamstring tear, George was giving nothing away at the other end, going for just 14 off an excellent but wicketless 10 over spell.
This was mainly down to the obdurate batting of Rams veteran John Munday who, with decades batting experience behind him, patiently built a more or less chanceless innings, bringing memories of traditional hard nut cricketers such as Brian Close.
There was some success, with Ravi Kancharla picking up a wicket courtesy of a tumbling, stumbling, fumbling catch by debut boy, Mike Tiley. Another came from Kalum Sappumannage and Mike Tiley got one from a ball that stayed low and was followed by much cursing about the Oakley track.
However, once the target went past 8 an over, the Rams lost any ambition of victory, with their only target left being to reach 175 and deny the Oaks the bonus point another wicket would have gained them.
Captain, George Lethaby, tried everything to get the extra wicket, including a rare bowl for Jack Brundle in the hope his ‘octopus falling out of a tree’ action would pick up the wicket of a bamboozled batsman.
However, John Munday is a wise old fox who has been round the track more times than a greyhound and he was going nowhere, finishing on 70 and carrying the demeanour of a man who fancied being 107 not out on Tuesday lunchtime. Fair play to him, I say.
So, a turgid end to the game but a win all the same, with maximum batting points helping to take the points tally to 20 and maintaining the Oaks pursuit of St Mary’s.
The game ended with hearty hugs and handshakes all round, with one of the Rams players joining the Oaks for a few high drinks and a chat after the game.