The Oaks First XI managed to turn around a dire situation v Basingstoke on Saturday to record a vital win.
Perhaps it was the state of the pitch after all the rain or maybe some rustiness after barely any games or practice of late, but the Oaks batted poorly. Only Josh Carpenter (47) and Paddy Saines (29) showed real resilience but some short-lived cameos from others (notably Bayliss and Stef) did prove to be vital.
Small Total Leaves Little Choice
A total of 150 left The Oaks with two choices. Bowl Basingstoke out cheaply or forget having any further impact on the 4 teams above them. So, full marks to the bowlers and fielders for going on the attack with guile and accuracy.
Stefan Kaltner was excellent once again but this time he was backed up well. AB, James Lancaster and Graeme Ridler all bowled very well and youngster, Harry Tucknott changed the game when taking two wickets in an over, including the Basingstoke opener.
Rescue Job
The excellent bowling and committed fielding rescued the Oaks from what would have been a crushing defeat. In fact, remarkably, the 150 they posted, proved enough for handsome victory as Basingstoke were left reeling at 95 all out. An excellent fightback in a game that looked lost.
Unfortunately, the win did nothing to enhance their league standing. All the teams above The Oaks won handsomely meaning that promotion to County 2 looks unlikely. Sadly, the appalling weather has left the team in a position where they couldn’t gain ground in previous weeks. Bad weather suits the teams with a healthy average.
Appalling Forecast Leaves Little Hope
The forecast is utterly appalling again this weekend, so it looks like County 3 again next season. However, it also looks like no one below us will challenge our fifth place position, so we are guaranteed a year on year improvement. The challenge is took keep those above under pressure and finish with a strong average points tally.
On we travel…