The second eleven took a sound beating at Overton yesterday after a poor batting display on a deteriorating pitch followed a sporadic performance in the field that yielded more than 20 extras in an Overton total of 200. The Oaks wickets were shared between Dan Jones, Brad Compton-Bearne and George Lethaby.
With Steve Savage ill, the Oaks opened with the two Dan’s, Beckell and Jones and a 50 partnership put them on top until the pitch started misbehaving and wickets tumbled, leaving George to dwell on hindsight, realising he should have batted first.
Still, as difficult as the task became, with chin chasers being followed by pea shooters, the Oaks didn’t show much fight down the order with only Kalum Sappumannage and some late defiance by Deano James, showing the commitment required against the odds.
The Oaks total of 110 was a meek response; sometimes in cricket, as a player and as a team, the sign of quality is defiance in adversity and it wasn’t really on show here.
This is something this team will need to learn to start getting positive results without pinning all their hopes on Brad, as the way plays means he will have good and bad weeks and should not have to carry that responsibility.
Up the Oaks!