A blistering Mark Potter century (the third Oakley ton of the weekend) set the Oaks up for victory against local rivals Farleigh at a sunny and muggy Oakley Park yesterday.
Batting first, Potter and Alex Stewart soon got on top of the Farleigh bowling with a mixture of finesse and belligerence as they compiled a 100 partnership to put the Oaks in the box seat.
When Alex departed just short of a half-century, the stage was set for Bob Lethaby to cut a dash and continue his excellent early season form that had so far plundered 2 runs in 3 outings.
Always one to play to a larger crowd (courtesy of a St Michael’s Hospice Charity Day) Bob smashed his way to his highest score (2) of what is turning out to be quite an exquisite season, before going for one shot too many and falling to a close LBW appeal that may have just been hitting the base of middle stump.
As Potter reached his ton, Farleigh were getting some rewards, with Isaac Reeves, Brett King and Dan Jones going cheaply, but some late cameos from Perry King (10) Raj (19) Tom Barnes (23) and Brad Compton-Bearne (24) aided the Oaks to an impressive total of 247.
When Farleigh lost the openers early, it looked like the game could be wrapped up prematurely, with wickets coming for Tom Barnes, Brett King and Dan Jones. However, when a middle order partnership started growing and growing, things started to look much more interesting.
With Gavin Scallon and Darrel Dimond upping the pace for Farleigh, they actually got to the point where the run rate had dipped to less than 10 an over but when Dimond skied one that was well caught by debutant Jack Barnes off the bowling of Mark Potter, the game swung back in favour of the Oaks.
As the tension grew, Oakley skipper, Brad Compton-Bearne, was faced with a dilemma; who could he turn to with the Farleigh number 10 needing just 6 sixes off the last Over to win the game?
Brad needed a hero and found one in Bob ‘The Oakley Express’ Lethaby, who, with just his second delivery of a pulsating climax, came up with a ripsnorter that sent leg stump cartwheeling to the boundary before doing an extra flip and clearing the fence, sailing into the farmers field and spearing an ISIS terrorist.
Of course, Bob got all the plaudits, and rightly so, but he will do well to remember, without Potter’s century, his heroics would not have been possible.
The ‘Oakley Express’ in action yesterday
The game was supported by former Oakley Colts footballer’s who had played in the Rich Wood Memorial game in the morning and hosted all the after match events at Oakley Park.
There was an impressive turn-out with supporters and players of both the cricket and football teams digging deep for raffle tickets and the charity auction with well over £2,000 raised for the St Michaels Hospice.
Big Rich Day: There was a great turn out for the St Michaels Charity Day
Well done to all those who organised the event and special thanks to Clive and Martine Welsman and Peter Holcroft who helped to run the bar all afternoon.
Up the Oaks!