Ladies Off To A Winning Start
The first match of the ladies season saw a match-up against Hartley Wintney. Having beaten them home and away last season, and having come off the back of a good indoor season in the winter, the team were confident. But anything can happen at this level and matches can turn in an instant.
Hartley Wintney came into bat first, and looked to set the tone early with a 4 off the very first ball, the opening pair ultimately putting on a competitive 24 between them. As the second pair came in, pressure was building but Oakley couldn’t find those crucial wickets and the opposition were starting to ride their luck – catch chances were falling short of fielders, throws in to wicket were wayward enough to give the batters time to get home. But the bowling was miserly and runs were nonetheless hard to come by.
The away team’s luck finally ran out though as the third pair came to the crease. In the 10th over Jude took three excellent wickets, knocking the stumps out the ground twice in 3 balls, with the very next delivery offering a well taken catch to Gemma on debut. Not content with having claiming those wickets, Jude then took a catch off the bowling of Lori-Ann in the next over. The screw was well and truly turned when Bex took a smart catch off the first ball of Sels’ bowling in the 12th over, leaving the unfortunate pair having lost 5 wickets in 11 balls and with a net score of minus 10 from their four overs.
Any hope of the fourth pair dragging them back into the game was dampened as Gemma’s consistent deliveries offered up a run out chance that was duly taken, all of which left the scoreboard at the same score after 14 overs as it had been after 7! The 5th pair did though try and keep things competitive, hitting 13 off the first over. Lori-Ann though sought to keep the momentum in Oakley’s favour by allowing just a single from the next. Jude then continued her one-woman campaign for POM by effecting a run-out in the 19th over, with Hartley Wintney finally amassing 264-7 from their 20.
Huddle over and out to the middle, Oakley knew the task in hand – nothing silly, take the runs when they come. Sels had other ideas and hit 10 from the first over to take a big chunk out of the target. Oakley then rode their luck as an easy catch went begging and the opening pair finished on 23, leaving Oakley requiring just 42 from the 16 remaining overs.
Jude and Jess came to the middle to continue the good work, but Jude was unlucky to find a fielder off the fourth delivery to temporarily halt the progress. Things then turned a little bit comical in the 10th over. Off the first ball, Jude found another well-placed fielder. The second ball then saw Jude set off for a single, only to be turned back, saved only by a piece of nonchalant fielding at the bowlers end that failed to remove the bails! Determined not to miss out on the action, Jess then knocked her own bails off on the very next ball to keep things interesting.
Gemma and Lucy were next to the crease, briefed with doing everything by the book, Lucy in particular showing that cricket really is a simple game – know the ball to where the fielder isn’t and take the single. This was followed by more of the same from Bex and Jo, all of which culminated with the scores being level at the end of 16.
Lori-Ann and Jenny came to the crease for the final four, knowing only the loss of some wickets would derail their course to victory. The first two overs saw a handful of runs amongst some textbook blocking, but in the final couple of overs Jenny had seen enough and let loose, finding the boundary rope with ease and guiding the team home to a well deserved victory.
Hartley Wintney – 264 for 7
Oakley – 282 for 3
Oakley win by 18 runs
POM – Jude