Return of the Match Report
Mutterings from legendary colts correspondent, Steve Poulter.
It’s been a long time since I knocked up a match report, but in an effort to bring hope, glory, and outlandish embellishment to Oakley CC Colts, I picked up my digital quill again to give an account of the proceedings from Tuesday night, where Odiham 2nds hosted Paddy Saine’s Under 11s Oaks.
The Under 11s have been doing pretty nicely in recent games — a few wins and a few close losses — but there’s been an obvious trajectory of improvement over the course of the season. Paddy and Mike’s focused coaching is clearly paying off. Kids occasionally do listen, it seems.
Strong Beginnings
Long Sutton Junior School’s field was the venue — multiple sports day lines criss-crossing the ground, Chinooks flying overhead, and the smallest boundary this side of Hobbiton. If only the clubhouse had blown up in slow motion at one point, it could have been a Michael Bay film production. Alas, the pyrotechnics were purely on the field.
Oakley were up to bat first, with Finn P and Ben S taking on some inconsistent bowling from Odiham. They ticked along nicely with good calling for quick singles and a few boundaries, before Ben (5) got one that sprang up at him, looped high off the bat, and was taken well by the keeper. 19-1, and in came Skipper Dan S.
Skipper Dan was up for it — probably his default mode — and he set about striking the ball to all parts of the ground as if it had personally offended him. Boundaries flowed, with both lads ignoring easy wides in favour of chasing down balls and crashing home big fours.
The score roared to 63-1 as Big Finn (19) retired after six overs and Finn M came in to replace him. He was, sadly, out shortly after to one of the best deliveries of the day, and Roo N (4) made a brief cameo before also being bowled.
Keep ’Em Coming
The score was looking tasty at 93-3 after just 10 overs. Skipper Dan had retired with a classy 33, so Daniel C and Zac C picked up the baton and kept the scoreboard ticking. Both retired after six overs with matching 10s, leaving Hrishant J and Vihaan U to see out the innings.
They did so with comfortable ease, both hitting some lovely fours — Hrishant ending on 14 and Vihaan on 5 — steering Oakley to a commanding 164. Paddy was super pleased with the calling and aggressive running between the wickets, reminding the lads that only half the job was done.
Go Finish the Job
So, to the field they went, with Dan S taking the ball. Dan enjoys a long run-up — nearly from the boundary rope — and after the opening batter dared to push the second ball for four, Dan struck back. Reaching Usain Bolt-like speeds, he delivered not one, not two, but three perfect deliveries in a row, blowing out the stumps each time to complete a first-over hat trick.
Odiham looked shell-shocked and possibly started scanning the skies for nearby RAF air support.
The other lads came in and bowled well — albeit slower, much to Odiham’s relief, no doubt. It was in the field where the pressure really stayed on. Excellent work from all — with Vihaan proving to be an unbreakable boundary blocker, Ben sharp with the gloves, and Finn P and Hrishant both making fantastic sliding saves to stop fours. Paddy’s message had clearly sunk in: the lads were keen to secure the win.
The score limped along until Skipper Dan returned and took a fourth wicket — four wickets in four balls — reducing Odiham to 54-4.
Closing In
Finn M and Hrishant both bowled excellent follow-up overs to keep the run rate down. Vihaan chipped in with a wicket, and Daniel C delivered a fantastic over, taking two wickets in three balls, leaving Oakley just one wicket from victory. Skipper Dan jokingly asked Daniel to calm down, worried he might miss out on his five-for. Daniel, being a good teammate, obliged — leaving the final task to the skipper.
The Odiham batter facing showed admirable resolve, seeing off five straight dot balls with solid defence. But like death and taxes, Dan wickets seem inevitable. With his last delivery, the stumps splayed, the game ended: Odiham all out for 86 in 15 overs — every wicket bowled.
Final Thoughts
A fantastic result with Skipper Dan taking an outstanding 5 wickets for 13 runs. Most pleasing, though, was the excellent overall team performance across both innings. Everyone played their part — sharp, keen, supportive.
The future is bright. The future is green.