Report from 15’s correspondent, Steve Poulter
Oakley U15s were back at Oakley Park on Thursday night, the scene of their rampant win just a week ago.
Winning always gives a team a boost and the young Oaks seemed positively buoyant, relishing the game ahead like a starving man waiting for the all-you-can-eat buffet to open.
Will McCarthy was skipper for the game against the opposition Rowledge, who in keeping with the food theme, were led by a young man called Nacho.
Would the Oaks feast again on the bowlers like last week? Could they taste that juiciest of morsels ‘a win’ or would they be left sucking on the bitter lemon of defeat? Serious questions that only time and 20 players could answer!
An unusual Toss
Mobile phones are everywhere and of course, have many many uses nowadays. They now are encroaching even into the world of cricket, contributing to a bizarre stumping at the men’s 3rds last weekend and being deployed last night for the coin toss.
Now many would assume a mobile phone coin toss would involve some fancy app that replicates the coin spinning in ultra HD glory against some sophisticated background setting, but no the Rowledge coach simply asked Will to call front or back and tossed his phone in the air. Luckily, for both, Will called correctly and the phone survived the cavalier attitude of its owner. Oakley would bat first.
Opening up were Olly T and Dylan. Olly has been in fine form the last few weeks and he cut the first ball over 3rd man for a 4 and proceeded to plunder 7 for the 1st over. The game crept along with Rowledge bowling nicely, but fielding like they’d be trained by Stevie Wonder. Shots crept through legs, catches went begging and even a possible run out where Dylan and Olly crossed at the edge of the batters crease wasn’t even close to being taken. Oakley reached 23 for 0 after 4 overs.
Finally, Rowledge got a bit of luck, when Dylan (1) was clean bowled at the start of the 5th, by what some dubious spectators (me) thought looked suspiciously like a no-ball.
Joby was next up and he and Olly continued to pick up runs and pick up anything bowled poorly. Olly beautifully hooked a fierce short-pitched ball for 4 and Joby drove one through cover to the boundary being the pick of some fantastic shots.
Olly (28) retired after his calm and serene 8 overs, leaving Oakley 49 for 1, and in came Zac to chip his first ball down leg for 4. More runs followed boundaries and good running, coming in equal measure.
Joby (30) retired on 13, and Oakley is now on 89 for 1. Skipper Will (4) came and went when he got caught by a straight one for LBW, which also did for Harrison (1). However smart running by them both with Zac (29) and some extras saw the scoreboard reflecting 131 for 17 when Zac retired.
George (10) and Owen (5) saw out the remaining overs, excellent running and George hitting two glorious 4s in the last over to bring home with a tasty 154 for 3. Would it be enough?
Oakley Take to the Field
155 was the target for Rowledge and straight away it was apparent that what they might have lacked this evening in the field they certainly made up for with the bat. Joby and Zac both bowled very well, 5 dot balls a piece in their first overs, but anything short was spanked to the boundary.
After 4 overs Rowledge was at 31 for 0. Harrison and Will likewise were tidy for most of their first spells, but the Rowledge openers were quickly on to anything loose.
Their openers retired 58 for 0 after 8 overs, 9 runs ahead of where Oakley had been at the same stage, though Oakley certainly looked sharper in the field than their opposition had, with only one real chance going begging and the odd miss field. Olly was next up and he noticeably kept Rowledge to singles during his spell, bar a huge overthrow that left Harrison looking at his own arm in horror.
Nacho, the Rowledge skipper and excellent snack dipper, then managed to strand himself in no man’s land for no apparent reason and was promptly run out smartly by George. 78 for 1 off of 10.
Despite some indifferent bowling at times, excellent fielding by the Oaks, 2 catches dropping just short of Joby and Olly, and a flying leap attempt by Zac that he just couldn’t cling on to, slowed Rowledge’s scoring down and they reached 137 after 18 overs needing 25 to win off of the next two overs.
Harrison, making amends for the overthrow, proceeded to run out the next batter with a simply amazing effort from the deep cover point. Gary Pratt was watching and he simply shook his head and walked away speechless. 145 for 2 off of 19. 10 to win.
Last Over Drama
And so we come finally to the last over drama. Shakespeare couldn’t have written this one better.
9 runs for a draw or 10 to win off of 6 balls.
Oakley member Avi is preaching that ‘a dot ball, is a good ball’…. incessantly
Skipper Will takes the ball and fires his first one down. Rowledge grab a single. 8 to draw, 9 to win.
A dot ball follows, and Avi dances a little ‘dot ball’ jig whilst updating the scoreboard. Still 9 to win.
Another dot ball. 3 balls to go 9 to win.
A single. 8 to win off of 2.
Calamity for Rowledge, a quick single that was never on and a run-out.
7 to win off 1 ball.
The crowd, who have collectively been holding their breath for the past 5 minutes, sigh or groan, depending on their viewpoint. Surely Oakley are home?
The last ball. It’s a wide! Their coach says that’s 2 runs and an extra ball. Avi and Nigel, scoring, disagree, but concede and we carry on.
5 to win 1 ball.
Another wide and then an overthrow.
It’s all going to pieces.
Rowledge now need 2 for the draw and 3 for the win.
The whole ground is now tenser than a trapeze artist on a tight rope 400 feet up suffering from IBS.
Rowledge players by the boundary rope are going nuts. Will is being calmed by Zac. Parents have bitten through their fingers and are now up to their wrists.
Will comes in to bowl, it’s struck solidly, but straight to Ellis at deep Midwicket. Rowledge grab a single and then…stop.
The ball comes in. They probably wouldn’t have made it, but they never tried and the game is finally over. Rowledge finish on 153, the Oaks have won it by 1 run.
Phhewwwwwwww.