A sun-drenched Lucy Pygott Centre set the stage for the Oakley Third XI as they looked to build on last week’s win over Cove and carry that momentum into Week 3’s clash against Hartley Wintney. The pitch was flat, the outfield shaved short, and the boundary set long — all the ingredients for a fast-paced afternoon. But with a side spanning generations and sprinkled with debutants, could Oakley rise to the challenge?
Oaks Lose the Toss and Are Sent Out to Set the Mark
Jeff Triner and Dan Beckell strode out to the middle aiming to build a solid opening stand for the first time this season. Hartley Wintney opened the bowling with their seasoned veterans, so both sides had the chance to lay down an early marker. Unfortunately, it was the hosts who struck first — a peach of an in-swinger whistled past Dan’s bat and clipped the off stump. A duck, and straight back to the pavilion.
Next up: young Adam Triner, hoping to partner with his dad and steady the ship. Sadly, another superb delivery from the same bowler saw Adam dismissed for three. Two down early, and the pressure was on. Noah joined Jeff at the crease — could they mount a recovery?
Jeff decided it was time to counterattack, sending one delivery sailing back over the bowler’s head and most of the way to Basingstoke. A thunderous six that got the clubhouse up in applause and settled some nerves. The Jeff-Noah partnership began to tick, with well-judged singles and a flurry of boundaries, before the young Hartley Wintney leg spinner struck again — Noah bowled for a gritty 26.
Old Mr Reliable to the Rescue
Having looked imperious in the golden sunshine, Jeff was seven short of a deserved 50 when the same spinner struck once more — his off stump disturbed for a well-crafted 43.
Enter Steve Savage: calm, composed, and every bit the seasoned campaigner. As Will Hodgetts fell for eight, debutant George Oliphant for a duck, and returning veteran Avi Thakur sent a catch straight down the throat of mid-wicket for eleven, it was left to the elder statesman to shepherd the innings towards respectability.
Savage found the leg-side boundary with ease, exploiting a static field. Young Tom McCarthy chipped in with some clean strikes of his own, and Deano James brought brute force, providing his best impression of a wrecking ball to knock over the opposition keeper. But it was Steve who anchored things, his experience proving priceless.
Keep Him on Strike and Let Him Work
With just a few overs left and nine wickets down, debutant Ollie Gibbons joined Savage at the crease. His job: survive and rotate the strike. Steve’s booming “NO!” and “TWO!” shouts could probably be heard in nearby Hook, guiding the rookie through the final stretch.
Some nervy missed chances behind the stumps kept things lively, but thanks to clever running and more boundaries from Savage, Oakley posted a strong total of 200 — with Steve unbeaten on 54, a masterclass in measured hitting.
Young Guns Spark with the Ball
Captain Beckell, working with his thinnest bowling line-up yet, rolled the dice and gave young George Oliphant the ball alongside the ever-fiery Avi Thakur. And it paid off — George struck in his second over, skittling the opener with a delivery too good to touch.
Dan’s halftime message was clear: bowl straight, attack the stumps. And the team delivered. After eight overs, the hosts had crawled to just 13-1, thanks in no small part to a buzzing fielding effort.
George was given a rest, and Tom McCarthy entered the fray. Though he didn’t pick up a wicket, his eight-over spell went for just 24 — brilliant economy for the youngster. George returned to grab a second scalp (LBW), with a beaming grin to match.
Avi, having had a couple of catches go down off his bowling, finally got his reward — a caught-and-bowled chance snatched with a smile of relief.
Dan’s Back Pocket Draws Another Ace
The hosts were still in with a shout, needing just 6.5 an over with wickets in hand. With Avi out of overs and puff, Dan turned to Noah for variety. He grabbed one breakthrough but went for a few too many, prompting a desperate call to Jeff Triner for a couple of overs of disciplined seam.
Jeff agreed “begrudgingly” — although his wry smile told another story — and immediately changed the game. His second ball sent stumps flying, and three balls later, he was at it again. By the end of his third over, he had a third wicket. But after four overs, the knee said “no more,” and Jeff bowed out a hero.
Scraping the Barrel… and Getting the Job Done
With nine overs to go and the match still in the balance, Dan had to turn to himself to see the game out. He kept things straight and tight, leaving the batters frustrated. The real wildcard came from the other end — Will Hodgetts, handed the ball for his first bowl in over 20 years.
Dan kept things calm, Will kept it mostly below head height, and together they shut the door on any late comeback. Hartley Wintney ran out of overs, falling 24 runs short.
True Team Cricket and a Winning Habit
With players ranging nearly 60 years in age, this Oakley side showed exactly what makes village cricket so brilliant. The youthful fire of the bowlers and the old-school grit of the batsmen combined perfectly to deliver a second win on the bounce.
With two from three, Dan will be hoping to keep the streak alive next week at Newfound against Overton. And if they do? Who knows what this season could bring for the ever-rising Oaks…