The Oaks are back in action this weekend and, mercifully, the weather has cooled off a touch. After last Saturday’s heatwave, dehydration, sunstroke and existential collapse should all be slightly less likely.
Last weekend’s results will not be entering club folklore any time soon, unless somebody is putting together a documentary titled Cricketing Afternoons We’d Rather Forget. Thankfully, the game gives you another chance almost immediately, which is either wonderfully forgiving or deeply reckless depending on your outlook. The important thing now is how The Oaks respond.
First XI v Odiham III
The First XI welcome Odiham 3s to Oakley Park looking to get an encouraging start to the season back on track after last week’s disappointing trip to Herriard, where very little went right from start to finish.
There is some welcome news on the team sheet. Michael Wood and Will Cheyney both return to strengthen the batting, while Alex Brundle drops to number five after being one of the few players last week to emerge with his batting average enhanced rather than a wee bit singed. Otherwise, it is much the same group, albeit hopefully with fewer collapses and a bit more composure with bat and ball.
Odiham arrive with a near-identical record and sit just one place above The Oaks heading into the final weekend of May, so there is already a feeling that this is a useful opportunity for both sides to climb the table before anyone starts nervously checking how many relegation places there are.
It should be a competitive game, but Oakley do need to raise the bar. Last week felt like one of those afternoons where every mistake was punished, every good shot found a fielder, and the sun itself appeared personally offended by our existence. Bowling first in a heatwave is never ideal. Anyway, there is more than enough quality in this side to put that right and the lads are busting to show it.
Hook III v Second XI
The Second XI travel to the picturesque surrounds of Rotherwick to face Hook IIIs, still searching for a first win but also not particularly far away from one.
Mike Tiley returns after being badly missed with both bat and ball last week, while experienced middle-order man Chris Morris also comes back into the side. Will McCarthy and Alex Holman strengthen the bowling attack, which is still adapting to life after Ben Weller-Evans’ promotion to the First XI. Ben is said to be handling the step up well, although his former teammates felt the loss deeply last week. Time to get over it.
In truth, even a bowler short, Oakley probably should still have chased 199 last weekend. George Lethaby was the only batter to properly get going, and when your next-highest score is 14, you are generally relying on either divine intervention or administrative penalties to win games of cricket. A few contributions in the 20s and 30s would make an enormous difference.
That said, this is a decent opportunity to put things right, even if Hook remain slightly mysterious opponents. Former First XI skipper Matt Love’s recent double century (a one off appearance apparently) serves as a useful reminder that they possess players capable of causing serious damage, while Ollie May is another quality cricketer with bat and ball. Hook also continue their long-standing tradition of casually producing talented youngsters at a rate that feels statistically suspicious.
From Oakley’s perspective, the aim is fairly simple: turn up properly switched on, compete hard, and leave knowing the performance reflected the side’s actual ability rather than playing games in patches and letting them slip away.
Hartley Wintney 4s v Third XI
The Third XI head to Hartley Wintney 4s looking to bounce back after a difficult afternoon last week. Dan takes a decent side with him, and it is particularly pleasing to see emerging youngsters Ed Tucknott and Tom McCarthy involved in a squad whose age range stretches from 14 to approximately “still remembers uncovered wickets”. Which, to be fair, is exactly what village cricket should look like.
Dan had hopes of being more competitive this season, but neither he nor, if we are being honest, much of the side has really found rhythm yet. That can change quickly. If the top order can put some runs on the board, it should create the platform for a much stronger afternoon.
For this slightly wobbly start to become something more positive, the negativity has to disappear. A bit more energy, a bit more confidence, and suddenly edges stop flying between slips, half-chances start sticking, and everyone remembers cricket is considerably more enjoyable when not spending six hours muttering darkly at passing clouds or turning the clubhouse into the Mary Celeste.
Summary
So here we are again: another weekend, another set of opportunities, and another reminder of why we all keep turning up for recreational cricket despite overwhelming evidence that it occasionally damages both body and spirit.
Of course we want to win, but nobody is collecting a pay cheque at tea. Quite the opposite, in fact. Most of us are actively paying for the privilege of getting lbw to something that pitched on a different postcode or seeing an edge not given, that’s cricket. So let’s enjoy it, ignore any perceived injustice and make sure we are still smiling at the end of the day. It’s so much better that way.
If that happens, there is every chance the honours board looks a bit healthier by Sunday evening.
On we go.