This week’s second team report from Ollie Rabley
The second team bus threatened to reach Victory Terminus this week built ultimately pulled up short.
Jack lost the toss (as it now becoming traditional) and Oaks were asked to field on a balmy afternoon in Bramley. This gave Dave Bowers the opportunity to rouse the team with a stirring talk ahead of the game. This focussed on doing the basics right in the field and keeping up the intensity and enthusiasm for 40 overs. As Henry V almost said “Cry God for Oakley, Jackie and Saint Bob!!”
And boy did the team deliver for 30 overs. Noah and Jeff King opened the bowling with tight spells, regularly threatening the edge of the Old Basing openers’ bats. But with a partnership building, Noah showed cunning beyond his years and decide to change tack…. Line and length weren’t getting wickets so it was time to switch it up with the surprise factor of a juicy leg stump full toss. The Old Basing opener couldn’t resist and the ball sped towards a leaping Rutty who took an excellent catch.
Bowers then came on and did what he does best, slowing the scoring rate and picking up a couple of wickets, one bowled and one courtesy of a catch from Nellie. Kalum tied up things from the other end, getting himself a wicket with some cunning spin.
30 overs done; less than 100 on the board; 5 wickets down…. Oaks well and truly in this. Unfortunately the last 10 overs didn’t go so well. Fielding became a bit less intense, and a couple of dropped catches allowed Old Basing to get up to 169, with Kalum and Noah picking up another couple of wickets each. That was despite Jack bringing himself on to bowl in a clear attempt to take some glory.
Chasing the Target
That total was always going to be a challenge on a slow outfield. Rutty went early in Oaks’ reply, but Nellie and Tall Jeff put on 40 odd to create what could have been a good platform. Unfortunately neither could build on starts. Oaks’ middle order had to face accurate bowling from an experienced and wily Old Basing attack which did not offer too many scoring opportunities. Nigel got a good one and Jack was unlucky to be bowled off his pads just when he looked like he’d finally got himself into some form. In the meantime, Kalum came in, went off courtesy of cramp and then came back in a last ditch attempt to hit the quick runs that would be required.
Savage rolled back the years with few lusty blows and positive running, but nobody was able to pick up the pace sufficiently to keep Oaks truly in the hunt. All that was left was for Ollie, Jeff and Noah to grab an extra batting point and heroically deny Old Basing their final bowling point.
Some good points to build on. The trip to the winners’ enclosure will surely come.