The second 11, depleted by injury, holidays, illness and the loss of their players by the first team, carried on regardless and maintained their healthy position at the top of the table against a spirited St Cross VI yesterday.
Bowling first, Oakley were faced with stiff resistance from the experienced St Cross openers and despite some tight stuff from Tom Barnes and Rob Gerrard, it took a bit of luck in the form of a dodgy LBW for Perry King, taking his first senior wicket.
Perry has waited a long time to get a chance with the ball and he grabbed with both hands, bowling full and straight to take a further two wickets and make inroads into the St Cross line-up.
Perry’s brother, Brett, then joined in the action with an excellent spell, taking a valuable wicket, with Rob Gerrard and Brad Compton-Bearne also taking one apiece as St Cross were restricted to 117, a fair target on a stodgy pitch.
The Oaks got off to the worst possible start with Steve Savage going first ball, leaving it to Bob Lethaby to come in and do what he does best by holding up an end in a 30 partnership with Dan Beckall.
Bob’s batting style is about as glamorous as dinner date at the Harvester with Anne Widdicome and in a run chase he would be as much use as a barber shop at the steps of the guillotine. However, on a low scoring pitch with an inexperienced batting line-up, his stubborn resistance and turgid refusal to be drawn into flamboyance is the perfect foil for an aggressive partner.
That man was Brad Compton-Bearne and it turned out to be a partnership made in heaven as Brad smashed his way to a brilliant 71 in a partnership of 88, that ripped the game away from St Cross in the space of half an hour.
Six Machine: Brad-Compton Bearne
Brad and Bob left the field unbeaten in what was, on paper, a comfortable victory, but at 0-1 and 30-2, with an inexperienced tail-end, it could have easily gone badly wrong and stand-in captain, Dan Beckall, who was receiving frantic texts from captain, Michael Wood, who is in Cyprus, was relieved to report another successful day as the second team bandwagon rolls on.
Great credit goes to the whole team for sticking with the game plan and a special well done to the King boys who took their chance and did the damage with the ball.
Up the Oaks!