A feisty Oaks 3rds rocked up to face Crown Taverners (CT) on a, finally, glorious sunny Saturday. Feeling belligerent about no tea being laid on and having been pent up all night, after Skipper Dan enforced a midnight curfew, the lads seemed fired up from the off. CT batted first, but it was obvious that Dan’s timely reminder of social responsibilities (take note Mr Stokes) had delivered clear heads and everyone looked very sharp with Ollie Rabley and George Bird on the money from the off, offering very little to the batters, while the fielders were cleaning up nicely.
CT were finding runs hard to come by, but a wicket felt inevitable for Oakley. Finaly, in the 9th over, George made the breakthrough, clean bowling the batter leaving CT at miserly 22-1.
Savage Soars
1 became 2, as the Spice Girls once sung incorrectly, when Zac Poulter replacing George, got the new batter to nick a wider delivery and wicky Steve Savage rolled back 60 odd years, flew through the air, and took the catch inches from the ground. An outstanding moment from Steve, who looked as shocked as anyone by his audacity. Ravi Kancharla then came into the attack and took a plumb lbw first ball. Not feeling content with just that, he picked up a 2nd wicket with his last ball of the over, Jack Cousens taking the catch.
Oaks were flying high, although not to the same heights as Steve had reached earlier, and when Ravi picked up two more quick wickets to leave CT 64-6, everyone may have begun to eye the beautiful pub nestled in the grounds corner with a swift finish on the cards.
CT Fight Back
Alas, alcohol, the bane of all elite sportsmen, may or may not have been a distraction, but CT finally began to find some runs and stop the wicket bleeding. Oakley toiled away in the hot sun, but it took George B, returning, to prise out the next wicket and by which point CT had made the score a much more respectable 141-7. With the only meaningful partnership broken though, Skipper Dan called for a last push, which was duly delivered. Alex Gough taking out the dangerous opposition skipper, George B and Zac P mopping up the last couple of wickets.
CT all out for 151 after 36 overs. A total which at least gave their bowlers something to work with.
Oaks Open in style
Skipper Dan and Steve took to the crease to kick off the quest for victory. A ‘nothing silly’ mindset saw them take their time, but punish anything accordingly, Dan playing some nice strokes, with a particularly lovely 6 back over the bowlers head, while Steve tickled anything on his legs away like a vintage Mark Waugh.
Dan reached a very nicely played 50 in the 17th over, before falling a few balls later for 52. An excellent knock by the Skipper to give Oakley a great platform to push on at 88-1.With Noah Beckell replacing Beckell senior, runs continued before Steve (38) fell, clean bowled leaving Oakley 111-2 from 23 overs.
The only certainties are death, taxes and Oakley wrapping this one up
With 40 needed from 16 overs, victory seemed inevitable, and despite Noah (15) falling to their only real pacey bowler, who surprisingly had hardly been used up to this point, it only seemed to spur Alex Gough (4) and David Parry to finish the job in brutal fashion. Dave P indeed, clearly had had enough, as he smashed 16 from the last 3 balls, giving himself 32 from 19 balls and Oakley the victory with 10+ overs to spare.
An excellent all-round performance then and one which clearly shows sobriety is the way forward and which no one heeded as they headed off for a well-deserved pint or two.