The Oaks rolled into a drizzly St Mary Bourne for what was billed as the Chairman’s own personal derby. Now a resident of the Bourne Valley, The Chair remains firmly an Oak in his loyalties — though this fixture promised a slightly confusing afternoon, as friends became foes… for a few hours at least.
SMB Bat First – and Mean Business
With the rain drifting off, SMB were invited to bat first, and The Oaks made a bright start. Joby Beatty, who’s fast becoming the destroyer of opening partnerships, removed Ben White for just 5. A wicket that caused some emotional conflict — Bob, having discussed Ben’s recent batting crisis over a pint at the local, had to suppress any hint of sympathy. Now wasn’t the time for sentiment.
Was this the start of an early collapse? Erm… no. Not even slightly.
What followed was a brutal lesson in how to punish anything loose. Aided by some generous bowling, creaky fielding, and a pitch that offered all the bounce and pace of a marble staircase, Mark Lancaster and the ever-fiery Alfie Smith sent the scoreboard into orbit. Frankly, there was a lot on offer — and they helped themselves.
Despite early promise, The Oaks’ attack took a hammering. Joby, Zak and Will bore the brunt, with only Kalum Sappumanage slowing things down a little. In a moment of optimism, skipper Kris turned to Bob for some gentle spin. What he got instead was Bob pulling a knee ligament and, moments later, a shattering his finger in the slips. Pie-chucking was off the menu.
Lancaster’s Ton and a Deluge of Runs
Smith eventually fell for 58 to a Will McCarthy ‘jaffa’ — one that jagged, bounced and did the job. But Lancaster carried on, marching steadily toward what looked like an inevitable century. He was joined by Dan Hammond, who gave the innings a final shove with a barrage of boundaries — aided, it must be said, by a couple of drops and some increasingly weary fielding.
Lancaster reached three figures — nearly clattering his own stumps on 96 — and was rightly applauded for a fine knock. It wasn’t chance-free, but at this level, what is? Hammond made a swashbuckling 76, and SMB closed on a mighty 302. Job done? Not quite.
The Oaks Reply: A Rocky Start and a Counterpunch
Chasing 300+ under gloomy skies was never going to be easy, and The Oaks stumbled early. Kris gloved one and walked (perhaps too honestly?), while Rutty found Jamie King’s pace a little too hot to handle. At 30 for 2, an early finish loomed large.
Enter Joby Beatty and Will Rabley — two young bucks with no interest in meek submission. They counter-attacked in style, matching SMB’s early run rate and swinging the momentum back The Oaks’ way. Suddenly, the outfield was a friend again, the batters were in charge, and whispers of “game on” started to flutter across the boundary.
Will was eventually dismissed after a flamboyant and chaotic 38, and Joby was unlucky to fall short of a well-earned 50. But the real twist came next.
Parry and Gough Light the Fuse
Dave Parry and Alex Gough picked up the baton and proceeded to give SMB a taste of their own medicine. Drives, cuts, pulls — you name it, they played it. Both flew past 50, the scoreboard galloping along with them. The Oaks — having looked dead and buried — were back from the brink and eyeing up an outrageous win.
Then… the twist. Parry, looking set, was bowled by Ben White — revenge, perhaps, for his early dismissal.
With 90 still needed, Jack strode in. Normally a stoic presence, Jack decided this was not the time for defence. Bang, bang, bang — three consecutive boundaries. The crowd (and the Chairman) started to believe.
Alex Gough, still there, eyed the hero’s crown. A century to win it? Why not?
The Final Act – So Near, Yet So Far
Sensing danger, SMB did what any team would do — every fielder to the rope. Suddenly 4s turned into singles. The run rate slowed. Alex, tiring, finally fell for a heroic 88.
And with that, the dream slipped away.
The Oaks closed on 293 — nine runs short of an extraordinary chase. A third defeat while scoring over 250. Win those, and there’s no talk of relegation battles. But the table doesn’t lie.
Reflections and the Road Ahead
Another valiant effort, another “what if”. There were moments of brilliance — the counter-attacks, the partnerships, the belief. But truthfully? We need to bowl straighter. We need to field better. And we need to start turning high-scoring heartbreak into high-scoring victories.
The battle against the drop begins now.