It only seems like four months ago that I was writing the first preview of the 2018 season…probably because it was.
And what a season it has been, with the First XI racing to the title and the Second XI missing out on what would have been a remarkable double promotion but still finishing in their highest ever league position.
After the incredible success of the Two’s last year, the shift of our attention was to get the First XI promoted up to County 3 for the first time since 2000, so to do that (potentially unbeaten) whilst easily maintaining the status of The Second XI in RNE1, is testimony to the spirit at the club right now.
The fact that since returning to the County structure in 2014 the First XI has finished 11th, then 7th, then 6th and now as Champions, demonstrates the trajectory of the club.
The next challenge has to be to get The First XI in County 2 for the first time ever and to get the Second XI into the county structure. Can it be done? Why not?
For now, the two teams have to try and maintain focus for the last weekend where, in effect, they are both involved in dead rubbers with all the pre-season goals achieved. The new goal now has to be a 100% finish for the First XI and a top 5 finish for the Two’s.
The players seem to be up for it, with good numbers available.
The First XI entertain struggling AWE Tadley at Oakley Park with, captain, Gerry Dique apart, arguably one of their strongest line-ups of the season.
Micky Wood, Dave Pistorious and Ronnie McEwan are all back in the starting XI replacing Will Montgomery who is on holiday and Brett King and Ian Bennett who are back down in the Two’s after helping out last week.
Otherwise it is as you were and it will be interesting to see if the ones can blow away the cobwebs of a poor performance (albeit a victory) last week, where only a fine partnership from Alex Brundle and James Bayliss saw them avoid a batting collapse and a humiliating defeat at Ashford Hill.
AWE Tadley have been in a worrying cycle in recent years but they will, like Ashford Hill last week, have the chance to avoid relegation to spur them on. What they won’t want to see is the line up The Oaks have just when they would have hoped for holiday absentees.
On paper, it looks like an Oakley victory all the way, but if The Oaks are caught out by promotion complacency, don’t be surprised to see AWE smacking a custard pie into the face of a championship party.
First XI: Sumner, Warner, M Wood, R Wood, Welsman, Bayliss, Brundle, Compton-Bearne, McEwan, Barnes, Pistorious
The Second XI travel to Bramley, but not to play Bramley, it is promotion hunting Old Basing III’s who are hosting them.
Captain, George Lethaby, boasts a team that he would have liked to have had all season and one that could have been promoted if the availability was more consistent.
However, this is amateur cricket and players are allowed to have holidays, so as a Second XI captain, George has learnt to appreciate a strong line-up when he gets it.
Mike Tiley, Alan (Alan) North and Steve Bown are all back in the line-up along with Brett King and Ian Bennett who are back from first team duty. Away this weekend are Jeff King (holiday) Nathan Rabley (Reading festival) and Bob Lethaby (shit).
The Oaks will face a team that is well up for a promotion tilt and in normal circumstances, a promotion contender versus a side with nothing much to play for would only end one way.
However, with Alan (Alan) North back from holiday, Mike Tiley looking for a good end to the season and George Lethaby and Steve Bown in good nick, there is no reason why The Oaks can’t finish the season in style.
It is also the game where our wicket keeper and opening batsman, Steve Savage, will be behind the stumps for the last time before handing his keeping gloves over to Nathan Rabley. Steve aims to continue as a guide to Nathan and as a batsman for the Second XI, with his target being 1000 Oakley appearances in what will be his 70th year.
The best way to go out would be a winning wicket with ‘Caught Savage’ next to it.
Second XI: Savage, Jones, Tiley, North, Bown, Lethaby, Brundle, Bennett, B King, O Rabley, Kancharla
Could all players try to hang around at the club for a while after the games have finished for an end of season photograph please?
So, one last time then; play well, respect your opponents, and enjoy your day.
Let the wagons roll folks, let the wagons roll.