Saturday saw the Mighty Oaks travel to Ashford Hill with a side made up of 2s and 3s players, looking to make the most of their final opportunity to shake off the rust and find some form ahead of the season opener next week.
After discussion between the two captains, it was decided that Oakley would bowl first.
First Innings: Strong Start with the Ball
Rogan took the new ball and was immediately on the money. He looked dangerous from the outset and consistently troubled the batsmen. From the other end, Zak opened the bowling aiming to show why he was last year’s leading wicket-taker in the 2s. However, early season rust proved harder to shake off, with a few loose deliveries mixed in with some very good ones.
Rogan followed up a tight opening over by taking a wicket with the first ball of his second, nipping one back to remove off stump. He then added another in his third over. After four overs, skipper Tiley made a change, bringing on Will Mac and Goughy. Both bowled well and maintained pressure on the batsmen.
After three overs, Goughy switched ends, replacing Will Mac, while Noah joined the attack. The batsmen progressed steadily to drinks, reaching around 100 after 20 overs without further loss.
Wickets Fall Late On
In the second 20 overs, Tiley reintroduced Rogan, who broke the growing partnership with his third wicket. Noah soon joined in, picking up a wicket that read bowled Beckall, caught Beckell, as the batsman clipped him to midwicket where Dan took a one-handed catch above his head. A moment that will no doubt grow in the retelling.
Will Mac bowled an excellent spell without reward, completing a strong eight overs that promise a good season ahead. Goughy picked up his first wicket when a cut shot was taken by the young S. Savage at point. He followed this with another, caught behind by Tiley. Rogan then wrapped things up with his fourth wicket, again caught by Savage.
Overall, it was a strong bowling performance, with only a few difficult moments in the field.
Oaks Chase: Bright Start, Missed Opportunities
Chasing 223, Savage and Dan opened the batting and started well with a flurry of boundaries. Savage was first to fall, attempting to clear point but finding a fielder instead.
Tiley joined Dan and got off the mark with a boundary from his first ball. Ashford Hill responded with bowling changes, and Dan was dismissed for a steady 17, caught at square leg off a short delivery. Noah joined Tiley, but Tiley soon fell for 28.
Ben unfortunately came and went without troubling the scorers, though better now than in the league season. Tom and Adam both fell for single figures, with Tom unlucky as many felt his catch at slip did not carry.
Middle Order Fightback
Noah continued to bat well and was joined by Goughy. Both played some excellent shots, but Noah eventually fell trying to go over the top, only to find mid-off after the fielder had dropped back.
Rogan added just 2 before edging to point. This brought Will Mac to the crease, and he made an immediate impact, launching a huge six straight back over the bowler’s head to get off the mark.
Will Mac and Goughy combined aggressive hitting with good running, putting on a partnership of 69. As Ashford Hill grew nervous, they brought back their opening bowlers, who eventually broke the stand. Not before Will struck another massive six over midwicket, nearly reaching the football pitch. He was eventually bowled for 30 after an excellent innings.
Zak joined Goughy, who was nearing a deserved half-century. Unfortunately, he fell just short, caught at cover for 48. Zak finished unbeaten on 1 as Oaks ended around 40 runs short.
Summary and Standout Performances
It was a tough but valuable day, with plenty learned. The bowlers got good overs under their belts against strong opposition, and there were several promising starts with the bat, even if none were converted into a big score.
Special mention goes to:
- Rogan: 8-2-37-4
- Goughy: 8-0-30-2
With the bat:
- Goughy (48)
- Will Mac (30)
- Tiley (28)
- Noah (23)
A good outing overall, with plenty of positives to take into the league fixtures next week.
Up the Oaks!