Makeshift Side Faces Tough Challenge
Saturday saw the Oaks travel to high-flying Chawton with a bit of a makeshift feel about the team, with both usual openers away and no recognised keeper. Chawton won the toss and elected to field on what was a very warm afternoon – which, with the Oaks finding themselves 18-3, looked like a very good decision by their skipper.
Channon, the Chawton opener, bowled three very good deliveries, seeing the back of DJ, Tiley, and – the one I’m sure he’s most pleased about – Will Cheyney. However, Brundle remained, and Stef went out to join him with one job in mind: see off the third and fourth bowlers. Credit to them both – they dug in and formed a 108-run partnership, which was broken when Stef eventually fell for a well-made 37 (57).
A Platform Built, Then Attacked
Sensing an opportunity to strike, Chawton returned to their opening bowler, who greeted George with a leg stump yorker, seeing the back of him for 1. That left the Oaks at 127-5 and saw Channon finish with figures of 4-11 off his 9 overs.
However, this left the Oaks about 15 overs with five wickets in hand – a very good platform. Around this point, Brundle, who had been quietly going about his business, passed his 50 and began frustrating the Chawton fielders, flat-batting the ball all around the ground.
The Oaks knew they needed 15 overs of relative carnage to post what they felt would be a competitive score, as they knew how Chawton would set about the chase – looking to have it done before drinks! A run-a-ball 16 from Harry, a quickfire 29 from Mozza, and a belligerent 4 and out from Will Rabley, along with Brundle finally falling for a very well-made 73 (123) and some suspect running from Bowers and Rogan, saw the Oaks finish on 206 all out in the final over.
Early Breakthroughs Needed
A good score, but not massive – the Oaks knew they would have to make early inroads and bowl the Chawton batsmen out quickly to win the game.
The Oaks took to the field for the second half with Stef and Bowers opening the bowling – both usually metronomic and tight with their lines. So when Charlton launched Stef towards the Chawton clubhouse for a fair-sized maximum, the afternoon looked like it could be a short one. However, Stef responded, wrapping the other opener on the pads for what can only be described as a tight LBW decision that didn’t go his way – and then saw Charlton pull him to Will the farmer at mid-wicket, inadvertently picking out the only fielder on the leg side, for 10. Game on!
DJ Strikes and the Game Turns
Chawton’s number 3, White, came out to join Wadey at the crease, and both – either fed up with the heat or trying to make dinner reservations – decided to put their foot down, taking Chawton to 127 before Wadey holed out off the bowling of DJ to Will Rabley in the deep for a quickfire 81 (44).
Then – bang, bang – the Oaks also saw the back of White, who hit DJ straight to mid-wicket and saw Rogan take the most nonchalant catch, sticking out a single hand to a well-struck ball and plucking it from the air. 128-3, with two new batsmen at the crease. 79 runs, 7 wickets… surely not?
Wickets in Clusters
Channon and Charlton, the two new batsmen, looked to continue where their teammates had left off – Channon cutting his first ball for 4 before launching a straight drive down the throat of George “I dropped everything in the warm-up” Lethaby at long-off… never in doubt! Channon gone for 4 off DJ’s bowling.
At this point, the Oaks got together and acknowledged a sniff of a chance. They knew everything would have to go their way, and they’d need a bit of fortune. But as Dave pointed out, the team was much better when they looked to have fun and enjoy their cricket – what would be, would be.
Brundle’s Day Out
For the first time, the Oaks had a Chawton batsman who wasn’t solely looking to launch the ball into another postcode. Mayes set about supporting Charlton and formed a small partnership – but again, the Oaks had a habit of taking wickets in clusters.
The main man of the day, Brundle, took two in quick succession, seeing the back of Charlton LBW for 25 and Mayes bowled for 5, leaving Chawton 164-6.
Catches, Drama, and Last-Gasp Heroics
With the pitch offering good bounce and carry all day, Newens looked to pull Will Cheyney’s leg spin, but it bounced a bit higher than expected and top-edged into the air over Tiley. With all the grace of Bambi, Tiley managed to spin round, avoid Bowers at short third man, and somehow cling on – seeing the back of Newens for 7.
A partnership began to form before Cheyney had Chawton’s Aussie – as Dave called him – Wheatcroft caught by Mozza for 18. 194-8… 12 runs, 2 wickets. Safe to say we were entering thriller territory.
Stef returned to the attack and tore one through Fuller’s defences, clean bowling him for 4. 197-9, with 10 and 11 at the crease. One ball left of Stef’s spell – could he be the hero?
Well, in his last delivery, Stef took the outside edge – unfortunately wide of Tiley and short of Rabley – and it snuck through for 4. The next couple of overs saw Will and DJ taken for a single or two each.
Then the batsman played a rash shot to Cheyney, slicing one up into the covers. Brundle running round – he had to take it – capping off what had been a fantastic day for him. Diving, stretching, reaching… only for it to bounce out as he landed. A fantastic effort, but one which felt like it just wasn’t our day.
Final Twist – Absolute Scenes!
Not impacted by this, DJ followed up with a fantastic maiden and passed the pressure back to Cheyney. With Chawton 205-9 needing only 2 to win, a few dots, a bit of pressure and… whoosh! The batsman had seen his name in lights and tried to launch Will towards the clubhouse to seal victory. However, he hadn’t quite got enough of it – only to find it falling into the waiting hands of Mozza! Absolute scenes as the Oaks had snuck home by 1 run!
A Memorable Win
It was a fantastic game and one the Oaks can hopefully use to kickstart their season. The team mentality was brilliant, and when they sensed a chance, they forced the opportunity.
Could fielding have been better? Absolutely. Could they have batted better? Of course. However, the efforts from the team were amazing – they stuck together and played right up until the last.
A great game to be a part of – and one that really Oakley had no right to win. Led by AB with his 73 with the bat (and two wickets), Stef with 37 (and two wickets also), and both DJ and Will bowling so tightly in a high-pressure situation at the end. One drag-down from either, and the game was over – but they stuck to their guns and both picked up three vital wickets each!
Credit to Chawton, who were great opponents and played hard-hitting, fair cricket right up until the end. You can see why they are flying high in the league and will beat many teams with their style of cricket.
It was emotional, it was tiring, it was brilliant!