So, off we go again, with the Hampshire Cricket League moving into its second half. This also means cricket clubs have to deal with pre-season football fixtures. You have to love football; it finishes at the end of the first month of the cricket season and starts again halfway through it. When there is no World Cup or Euros, cricket is lucky enough to get the month of June all to itself.
A Stumping that Grabbed the Headlines
At least cricket has managed to grab the headlines this week, albeit for reasons that Dick Dastardly from the Wacky Racers would be ashamed of. Fortunately, we English chaps would never get involved in the underhand behavior the Aussies got up to. One chap on Radio 5 the other day, claimed in 40 years of playing local league cricket, he has never seen someone get stumped for wandering out of his crease.
Dick Dastardly: Nicer than Aussies
Really? I make that about a thousand matches involving around 10 thousand players of varying personalities and daily moods. If he has not seen one act of stumping skullduggery in that period, I feel quite privileged. It happened to me twice last season alone. Now, either I am a serious quirk in the statistics, or this chap was prepared to go live on National Radio 5 and lie his arse off in a bid to make himself and his cricket club look like bastions of decency. I have a suspicion he was lying his arse off.
The Fixtures
The Oakley squad of around 50 members features more changes than a Tory Party cabinet reshuffle this week, so I am not sure I have the time, energy, or inclination to go through them all. All that I know for certain is that with the level of unavailability the skippers are dealing with, we must be weakened in some areas.
First XI
In a quirk of fixtures, the First XI appear to be away again, with Old Basing 2s our hosts. I thought Old Basing were a team in a battle for mid-table obscurity but a glance at their recent results suggests otherwise. I am presuming the five ‘W’s next to their name means a hot streak of form.
Contrary to what I have already written, the First XI doesn’t seem to have changed much. I think it’s as simple as this. Gerry Dique and Brad Compton-Bearne are unavailable meaning that Michael Wood and James Lancaster come in. Woody showed why he should be in the team with a classy knock for the Two’s last week, whilst James Lancaster is the bowling option skipper has been dreaming of. Dreaming may be a slight exaggeration but he will be pleased.
Bouncebackability
The Oaks need to demonstrate a bit of bouncebackability after last week’s defeat that exposed a few areas that need to be better if they are to maintain a promotion challenge. Twyford is the best team we have played by some distance but the concern (if concern is the right word) is that despite a valiant effort, we were never in danger of winning. Striving for bowling accuracy would appear to be the key objective but it might take a while to get there. James ‘Bomber’ Lancaster could be the answer.
That said, I still believe we are one of the best teams in the league, and with only two defeats, we are still very much in the shake-up. The need to quickly regain momentum is critical and a big performance from the lads on Saturday will go a long way to putting the pressure back on those above us.
The Second XI
The Twos lineup for the clash with St Mary Bourne has been changing like this week’s weather. I am still not sure what it is. I note with nervous interest that Billy Turner is in the mix which would indicate, (with absolutely no due respect to Billy) options are limited.
However, the stalwarts are all in there, and despite losing last week’s batting match winners, Bowny and Woody, it looks like a reasonable side to me. It certainly looks good on p…no Bob, do not go there, for goodness sake. Apparently, the big problem is not having enough bowling options but this is County North 5 so someone must be able to chuck it somewhere near the stumps.
St Mary Bourne have had a hard season with availability and squad depth being their issues. However, seeing them in the nets yesterday (that’s right, I have been spying!) they appear to have plenty of players who can bowl straight and give the old red leather a bit of a whack! Most teams at this level have one or two players who can have a good day and win games on their own, so underestimating ‘The boys from the Bourne’ will result in defeat.
A win and The Oaks can start looking upwards at the table again rather than glancing over their shoulder. A good run of form and a strong second half to the season has to be the aim. I still think a top 4 place is achievable and I’m a glass-half-empty kind of guy!
Third XI
The Three’s welcome Ashford Hill to Newfound as they look for another stirring victory in what is becoming an exciting campaign. Whilst the pre-season focus was on promotion bids for the higher teams, it is the 3s leading the way on the ‘current form’ charts.
Despite a bit of a blow losing Dan Beckell to the Twos, Jeff has Kris Tucknott back in the fray and Matt Neal making his Oaks debut. I have seen Matt in the nets and he looks like a good batsman who will be a great asset in a team that appears, on paper, to be a little light in that department.
Hill, as they are known by their fans, are one place below The Oaks and are also on a decent run, their latest victory being against Basingstoke V’s which rumour has it, there were some ugly scenes. This game would indicate a stiff test but it is one we must come through to keep the top teams in a state of blind panic as we creep up behind them.
This one promises to be hot stuff and an encounter that may well grab the attention of the roaming chairman and his granddaughter. I was going to quote 1980’s popsters, Starship, and say, “Nothing’s gonna stop us now”. Then I looked at the weather forecast and thought, “Actually the rain might stop us now, so I won’t bother”.
One thing is certain. The season the Third XI are having has all the ingredients for a Hollywood Blockbuster.
On we travel!
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