Super Sumner Sends Oakley Up!
Another virtuoso display by Dan Sumner in a great team performance, propelled The First XI to promotion yesterday as the rain set in over Hampshire.
Batting first, Gerry Dique and Nellie Warner put on a fine 50 partnership before Gerry departed on 37. Nellie went on to make a deserved half-century, leaving it up to Dan Sumner to take centre stage after Mick Wood had departed for a well constructed duck.
Clive Welsman, who has been rolling back the years with bat in hand lately, made an excellent 40 but it was once again the lad Sumner who was in dominant form.
As the Overs ran out Dan couldn’t quite get to a ton but finished on a commendable 93 not out; it was a masterclass of jug avoidance in a total of 256.
The Silchester reply carried all the hallmarks of a mid table side, lacking any real conviction against an Oakley team hungry for victory as the skies darkened and the heavens eased open.
Wickets tumbled with no fewer than seven ducks in the Silchester line-up. The damage was done by Clive Welsman (2) Tom Barnes (2) Dave Pistorious (1) and of course the man they call ‘Mr Jug Avoidance’, Dan Sumner, who walked away with yet another 4 wicket haul.
So, unless The Oaks decide to forfeit their last two matches, promotion is secured to CN3 next season. There are still targets though and mathematically, the league title is not secured just yet.
This means The Oaks must utilise a host of sporting cliches by focussing only on the next game, taking each ball as it comes, controlling the controllables and executing the executables.
However, to use a couple of Gordon Scott metaphors, when under pressure, this side are as calm as mustard and the best thing Oakley CC has seen since sliced milk.
A Maiden Century? – It Was Bown to Happen!
The Seconds travelled to Crown Taverners yesterday knowing that only a win would keep them in with a chance of promotion to the County system for the first time in their history.
Batting first, The Oaks looked well set with Mark ‘Potts’ Potter (46) looking in great nick in a partnership of 50 with Steve Savage.
However, a cluster of wickets left Oakley reeling at 67-4 and in danger of a heavy defeat. What the game needed was a record partnership of 193 between Rob Wood and Steve Bown and by golly, it got one.
With Rob careful and Bownie belligerent, this was arguably the best partnership seen by an Oakley pair since Bob Lethaby and Deano James put on 11 against Hartley Wintney last week.
Rob finally departed on the penultimate delivery of the innings for 54 with Bownie, standing firm, unbeaten on 110 in what was a marvellous, game changing innings.
100 Club: Steve Bown acknowledges the applause.
Defending the the 250+ total as the rain clouds gathered, The Oaks had to bowl and field well. They didn’t, they were a bit shit, and the Taverners cruised to 110 for nought.
The rain become more persistent and off the players came. This meant using the Duckworth Lewis method of multiplying the amount of raindrops that have fallen by the minutes off the pitch and dividing it by the unfinished sandwiches in the clubhouse.
This meant Oakley won the game but perhaps not how they hoped and 19 points was a slightly disappointing return after a big batting display.
In simple terms, if Oakley win their remaining two games against Old Basing and Holybourne, they go up to County 4.
In not so simple terms, they play Holybourne next week who are absolutely flying, battering all and sundry. The Oaks will have to beat Them with a squad severely dented by holidays and the return of football.
Thank the Lord Bob Lethaby will be back!