The originals won their ‘cup final’ against fellow league strugglers Watlington, with a tight win on Saturday.
Having thankfully won the toss after last weeks rain, Gibbon were delighted to be bowling first on a very slow low wicket. Gibbon made steady progress, keeping the runs down reasonably well in the opening exchanges. Carlos bowled excellently in his opening spell to return 3-37 as Gibbon steadily made in-roads, with some stubborn resistance from Watlingtons opener. Crouchy who hadn’t bowled a great deal in recent weeks entered the fray and what a bowling change it proved to be, as he put his recent marital problems with Abby Clancy behind him to record fine figures of 5-12 from his 12. Great performance by the ‘slender seamer’, showing his potential to be a regular first team wicket taker in years to come. Also worth a mention was Crossy’s economical spell which assisted our aim of keeping runs down tremendously. It was an eventful day for ‘the crab’ as he took a wicket with a ball which hit a worm and nipped back, tripped over a pile of sawdust and then hurt his knee. Luckily the injury wasn’t as bad as first feared and he was suitably fined for crying like a girl and going off the field……Stu style! Watlington finished on 123 and although that doesn’t sound much, given the conditions it wasn’t a bad effort.
Tea was had and Gibbon set about the total with Joe and Olly providing their now renowned solid platform. All was good, as Alex exclaimed “i’m not going to even get my pads out of my bag” as Gibbon went along well early on. Those of us knowing our susceptibility at times of struggling with such totals were more tentative and having lost a similar type of game there last year, we would settle for getting over the line however it came! Our instinct proved right as Olly went for a well constructed 33, along with Will (first-baller), Stu (8) and Mathers (1), putting the Gibbon bench on edge.
Alex came in and put on what proved to be a match winning partnership with Joe, but when he went along with Carlos and Crouchy, Gibbon were staring down the barrel of a terrible defeat! When Joe (33) went we Fear not…..in came Nick, who for the second time this season clubbed a cracking boundary (a maximum this time) to win us the game in the last over, easing our relegation fears hugely!
This victory was huge for our season and now we go into the final two games with a whole new goal to aim for. With victories in our final two games, we can still finish fourth which will be our highest ever OCA finish, so there’s still plenty to play for!
We look forward to Saturdays home encounter with Faringdon and then Charlbury will visit us on the last day of the season, followed the annual ‘pig night’!! Be there ladies.
Stu
домейнWith four wins on the spin the relegation worry we had endured for most of the season seemed to have passed with the real possibility of achieving a respectable mid table finish or even higher. With visitors Ducklington sitting third in the table we knew it was going to be a difficult game but one we felt we had the capability to win if the performances of the last few weeks were anything to go by.
With the introduction of new fines pot Mr T it looked like it could overflow before the match had even begun with Boz asking as we pulled in the gate whether we were playing at home today. This was followed by Shippo putting his pads on after the skipper had won the toss and elected to bowl and was in mid speech about tight bowling and good fielding. The first 15 were exactly what the skipper had ordered with the run rate not rising above 2 runs an over the only thing missing was a breakthrough. This followed soon after through the ever reliable Nicky T and Lewi who picked up 2 wickets a piece to leave Ducklington struggling 37-4 at the 20 over mark. With the big hitting Walker coming to the crease we knew that we had to dismiss him quickly before he added to many on the scoreboard, after crashing a few fours he skied one over the top of Lewi who managed to catch it over his shoulder running backwards to claim probably the catch of the season. After a tight first 30 in both bowling and fielding we started to let things slip with many slack bits of fielding conceding vital runs that would prove crucial at the death. With Ollie collecting 3 wickets and Timmo 1 Ducklington finished on 162-8 at least 25 more than they should have done.
After another splendid tea this week by Mrs Lewis, Lucy and Shippo set about chasing the target that could make it 5 wins on the spin whilst other team members embarked on a new game of throwing food into Charlie’s mouth across the pavilion. With Shippo not hanging around long Lucy was joined by Paul with both batting very positively against both bowlers to leave us just shy of 50 before the rain came down after 15 overs. Half an hour later on a considerably wetter wicket play resumed with the change of bowling (pie chucking) causing problems for both batsmen especially from the pavilion end with the sun making it difficult to see. With Lewis being given out for a dubious stumping decision and Paul trapped LBW. Jordan and Nick tried to build on the good start but found runs hard to come by both dismissed in the 20’s. With the overs running out Scotty was sent in to get quick runs returning with a handy 21 including a huge 6 to leave us needing 30 runs off the last 3 over’s. With 13 needed off the last over hopes were still high and were boosted even more with Arron top edging the first ball for 3 to leave 10 required off 5 with the skipper on strike. However it was not to be as we fell 9 runs short.
After the previous game against the same opposition earlier in the season to come so close shows how much we have improved as a team but had we fielded better in the last 15 overs we should have comfortably won. However with other results going our way we’re only a few points away from being mathematically safe which considering the start to the season we had is an achievement in itself.
After last week’s vital win against fellow relegation rivals Westbury the seconds travelled to Stonesfield for another “60 pointer.” With the sun out and the toss won Lucy and Paul set about setting a formidable total hoping to capitalise on the two missing fielders that had not yet turned up.
A steady start followed with both openers being watchful of the swing that the blustery wind aided. Lewis was first to depart guiding the ball to gully, he was quickly followed by Paul who had decided to copy exactly the same shot with the same result. Jules and Jordan then set about boosting the scoring rate with a good mix of boundaries and quick running to move the score near three figures. Jules then returned a catch to the bowler to leave for a jug avoidance of 47. With a good platform in place the 200 mark was the target that the skipper was setting from the sideline once he had decided to concentrate on the match and not what formation his footie team would be playing. With a hungover Nick T looking like he wanted to be in bed and ducks from the captain and vice, once again our good start looked like it could be in danger of disappearing. However we needn’t have feared as Scotty carried on his good batting form of the last few weeks dispatching the ball around the park whilst Jordan at the other end was looking more and more confident until he hauled out to the long off boundary but not before scoring a fine 49. Scotty finished on 43 leaving Tommy Leonard 2 balls to charge the bowler for what could turn out to be a vital 4 runs to leave us on a respectable 191-9.
With Boz stocked up on mini rolls and Scott with his ham, crisp and grape sandwich we set about trying to defend the total that we felt was enough against the home teams 10 men. Timmo and Nick T bowled a tight first 15, each taking a wicket a piece to leave the home team struggling in the forties. With two good batsmen still in we felt Stonesfield had the chance of scoring quick runs like they had done in the previous game. They were both back in the hutch soon after with new double team Tom/Tom teaming up to run out their number four then Boz taking a catch behind the stumps of Lewi leaving us in a very strong position. With Nick T bowling economically (12 overs for 12 runs) and Lewi at the other end taking out the usual rabbits although their seemed to be a few more than usual. Stonesfield collapsed to less than 70 all out leaving us with another vital and all but securing our safety for another season.
Marsh turned up to grey skies and a wet outfield hoping to build on two previous wins with another today against relegation rivals Westbury having the potential to push us up the league away from the relegation zone.
With Lewi winning an all important toss Westbury were put into bat with us hoping for quick wickets with the rain looking more and more imminent. With tight bowling from both Timmo and Mason, Westbury struggled to 30-1 off the first 15 with Andy making the breakthrough with Boz taking the catch behind the stumps for two in as many weeks. The introduction of Nick T once again paid off with him finding the edge of their opener who had just began to open up with a sharp catch by Lewi at first slip. Excellent fielding once again runs were hard to come by. With the pressure mounting a good pick up and throw from Jules got the first of his 2 run outs of the day. Leaving us in a commanding position with the rain once again starting to fall. After his heroics of the previous week Deano left his mark on the game with a top draw one handed diving catch at gully off the bowling of Mase with him finishing with figures of (2-26) With loud rumbles being heard it was asked by some of the first team contingent whether it was Deano’s landing or thunder that had caused the noise. Lewis then completed the good fielding display with the best catch of the day leaving Westbury to struggle to 115-6.
With another top notch Marsh tea this week done by Mrs Shipperley, Lewis and Pete set about chasing the required score with hopefully not as many nerves as the previous week. Shippo departed soon after caught behind to leave us wondering whether we were to be in for another tight match. However with steady batting from Lewis at one end and Jules playing his normal game the score moved past the 50 mark before Jules skied one to depart for a useful 23. With Jordan coming and going quickly is was left to Mase to bring us home for a well played 39 with Tef in his first game of the season finishing unbeaten on 10.
Three wins on the trot now have lifted us out of the relegation zone leaving us needing a couple of wins from the last four games in the season to ensure our Division 7 status for another season.
After a disappointing loss to Hook Norton last week the firsts were hoping to get back to winning ways at home to Oxford Caribbean on a humid day with rain threatening and a massive 45 minute warm up session enforced by the skipper the Gibbon were well prepared.
On a greenish wicket Marsh took the field with Carlos and the “new look” Stevie T opening up the attack, with some good tight bowling the Caribbean openners got fustrated and started to look to take chances with little success. Carlos firstly trapped Burton LBW and proceded to get Caribbean’s other openner Palmer out caught in close by Sat, once he’d turned up late…obviously. Unfortunately there was another wicket keeping injury for big dave behind the stumps with the ball striking him excatly where it had a few weeks back in which we used some choice language to describe the pain at the time! With wickets falling at regular intervals Caribbean never really looked like producing a big total, however with a late flurry of boundaries and some interesting running between the wickets with at one point four batsmen in the middle Caribbean finished on 165 all out in the last over with Carlos finishing on (12-3-40-4).
After feasting on the tea from Mrs Callow for which she was eventally paid for! Marsh went out to bat with a strong line up confident of knocking off the total set. With Joe and Ollie sent out to set a base for the chase, Joe was back far too early for his liking for (9) however was quite proud of a cheeky shot over the slips for four. With Will, Stu, Sat and Carl all coming and going for less than double figures through mainly good bowling for the Caribbean seamers it was down to Tacky with his wise shoulders and Ollie to rebuild the innnings. They did so very effectively with some very nice shots from Ollie looking nearly back to his best along with his hairstyle! After Tacky had settled the ship with (16) it was time for T Diddy to stay out in the middle and help Ollie along to tick off the runs. But in normal Gibbon fashion we didn’t make it easy for ourselves losing Stevie “the convict” Turner for a useful (14) and Ollie for (70) who was the only person who looked at home in the middle against a very good bowling unit from the Caribbean. It was down to Nick Kaim and Crossy to get us home in the dusk light, with needing 2 off the last over and Nathan shaking in his boots on the sidelines along with Stu and Joe pasing infront of the pavilion Nick finished it off with a fine boundary through the covers to send the Gibbon home with two balls to spare and one wicket.
After the cricketing was completed most of the players headed off to the skippers household for a lovely garden party from what I hear, where some robot dancing has been reported from T Diddy and Big Dave a sight I’m sure which was worth seeing.
The Originals head off to Witney Swifts to try and get a winning run together just in time before the season starts coming to an end!
After last week’s top class performance against bottom of the league we were looking to carry on where we had left off against a much stronger team in Kidlington. With memories of the reverse fixture still in the minds of some people (especially mine) where they had scored in excess of 350 revenge was defiantly wanted and needed.
Having lost the toss again (your losing your touch skip) we were asked to have a bowl. With the team boosted by the return of Deano for the first time in over a year we got off to a steady start. After the previous game we knew that we had to keep their opener quiet as he had the ability to score fast runs. We were successful in this to some extent with Kidlington reaching 50-1 off 12 overs, with Timmo taking the wicket that his tight bowling deserved. With the opener having a charmed life with many air shots just falling short we were all beginning to wonder if luck would not be on our side yet again. However the introduction of Nick T changed this taking out not only the opener but also the middle order finishing with figures of (12-5-17-5) backed up by good catches from Jordan, Lewis and Timmo. With other wickets falling to Chris, Lewi, Timmo and Scott who found the batsman’s edge that was well taken by Boz for his first catch in a Marsh shirt, Kidlington were restricted to 144 a target that we felt was well within our grasps.
With some noticeable absentees from the batting line up everyone knew that they had to do there bit if we were to reach the target. However we were soon on the back foot with both Lewis and Jordan back in the pavilion with the score just into double figures. With batsmen getting in and then out again Chris (10), Nick (11), Timmo (17) and Lewi (16) things weren’t looking good in us achieving the score with Boz and Aaron both getting ducks we slumped to 103-9 still 42 runs short of what we required. With Deano taking to the crease for the first time since his injury bets were being placed on the sideline (mostly by Boz) on how many balls our new number 11 would last.
With the thought of more tea and drink back in the pavilion we were resigned to another defeat just wondering when the inevitable would happen. How wrong we could be!!! With Scotty at the other end playing a very cultured innings with the occasionally lusty blow and Deano punishing anything short the target quickly came into sight with all spectators’ even players from the game on the next pitch stopping to watch. With boundaries flying all over the place and two huge sixes one from each man over the leg side boundary the required runs ticked into single figures. With the increasing nerves on the boundary we got to within 1 run to win before Deano dispatched his second six of the innings to secure the most remarkable comeback seen in many a year. With him finishing unbeaten on 33 and Scott hitting 24 the pitch invasion was well deserved for both players.
After more than a year out it was a most deserved comeback of which we hope there will be many more to come.
With Westbury being beaten we find ourselves outside the relegation zone for the first time in a long while. With them visiting on Saturday never has a win been more important on building on the last two matches to ensure that we stay outside of the drop zone.
Marsh put together a good performance to record a convincing win over bottom of the league West Ilsley. After the disappointment of last week we were looking to get back to winning ways in a game we felt was a must win if we are to avoid the drop.
With the skipper returning from his week of camping and many other key players back we were confident of getting revenge for defeat earlier in the season. Having been put into bat Lucy and Shippo set about reaching the 200 target that the skipper had set. With some way wood bowling from the West Ilsley openers and some good play by both batsmen we stormed to 51-0 off the first 10 overs with Shippo gaining the first of his many fines of the day having been outscored by Lewis. With the partnership reaching the century point Shippo hauled out on the leg side boundary for 44. After the best start of the season the momentum began to subside with the runs drying up and the wickets beginning to tumble.
Paul was next to go having gloved it behind or not as he told us continuously for the next 10 overs. He was followed quickly by Lewis for a well played (39), star batsman of the last few weeks Jules for (6) and Nick T (0) who both got out to probably the oldest bowler/thrower in the league leaving us struggling at 112-5. With many of the team wondering after such a good start whether we would get anywhere near our target of 200 and Paul wondering when the OCA were going to introduce the referral system things were looking bleak.
The innings started to rebuild howver with good knocks from Mase (20) Nick Kiam (16) and Timmo (32) pushing the score just shy of 200. With Boz departing first ball we just about scraped past it with Scotty glancing a shot off his legs to the boundary before being caught behind leaving us 202 all out giving Lewi another not out (and he says he doesn’t bat for his average)
After another top quality tea from Marcelle which included cheesecakes, éclairs, apple pie, squirty cream and to the delight of half the team cream slices we took to the field hoping of quick wickets. This came from Mason who took the first two wickets quickly dismissing the prised wicket of their keeper LBW and bowling their number 3. Timmo was getting a lot of bounce from the other end with not much return until a fuller length delivery took the off stump, Nick Kiam then produced a fine bit of fielding with a direct hit to run out (Godfrey as Scott christened him) for 0. Leaving West Ilsley in trouble at 45-4 off 12 which could have been even worse had we held all of our catches. Lewi then joined the attack taking 3 wickets in his first 4 balls all but securing the win and vital 30 points that we so desperately needed. Eventually finishing with figures of (4.4-1-12-5)
With Boz collecting the duck off the day and the pussy well fed (even though we haven’t seen it in about 3 weeks now) we set about eating the rest of the tea of which there was plenty with even Lewis turning cakes down towards the end.
Arriving with only 10 men with some noticable players missing including the captain we still felt that after already beating them this season a good start could well bring our second victory in three weeks. However after an early breakthrough with Lewis just about clutching to a catch in the covers off nick t a big second wicket stand broken by another fine catch by Timmo on the long off boundary off Westy was followed by an even bigger third partnership left Marsh chasing the mammoth score of 323. Some positives were taken from the innings though especially the good bowling spell by little Tommy Leonard who then put an even better display in eating more tea than the rest of the team put together.
The Marsh innings got off to a steady but solid start with both openers Lucy and Jules reaching 20′s before being dismissed. Jules a dubious looking LBW shout and Lewis nicking behinddown the leg side. The innings then began to collapse with only Nick T (32) making any real contribution to the scoreboard. With wickets falling regularly including some dodgy run outs (naming no names. Scott and Matt) marsh finished on 119 a long way short of what we required and what we were aiming for with 15 overs of the innings gone.
With bottom of the league West Illsley coming to Marsh on Saturday a much better performance in all 3 areas of the game is needed to keep our survival hopes alive.
After the heat wave of the last few weeks it was back to the normal cricket weather of cloudy skys and the threat of rain. With last weeks victory still at the front of everyones minds and the chance to get one over on Toftsy we all went into the match looking to build on the success of the previous week.
With Lewi’ magic 50p not working this week we were put into bat on what looked like a bowler friendly wicket. The opening partnership of Jeacock Snr and Jnr were sent it to see off the new ball whilst building a solid base to build from. However after four overs this was not going to plan with both Lewis and Paul back in the pavilion with the score not even into double figures. Jules then joined Derek in the middle to give Marsh two vastly experienced players to play us out of the situation we found ourselves in. With Toftsy already saying he wanted to change in the home team dressing room the whole team was left wondering if he wanted to play for us as well as he dropped no fewer than four catches in the next few overs giving Jules, Derek and Chris big let offs.
After last weeks innings Chris was looking full of confidence and with JC going along nicely the Marsh faithful were looking forward to seeing a big partnership forming. With the score pushing three figures Toftsy finally took one behind the stumps to dismiss Chris for 24. After cameos from Mason (11) and Nick Kiam (13) Timmo joined JC in the middle for the last few overs. With some lusty blows and quick running including a run four Marsh finished on 168-7, Timmo on 20 and Jules finishing on a well deserved 75.
After another good Marsh tea, by Mrs Wyatt this week which included donuts, eclairs and to the skippers delight sandwiches with no crusts we took to the pitch confident of defending the score we had posted and discussing who would get the prized wicket of Wolvercotes number 2. We didnt have to wait long to find out with Mason doing the honours of clean bowling him sending him packing for 14 and some well deserved banter. Timmo then joined the party getting their number 3 out LBW with the longest appeal village cricket has ever seen with the batsmen nearly running two by the time the umpire raised his finger leaving Wolvercote 37-2.
With the score at drinks reaching 100-4 which included two more Mason wickets the match was finally balanced with both teams thinking they could win the game. A quick wicket followed for Marsh soon after with Ollie Selway in his shiny new boots claiming the wicket of their wayne look alike. With still 60 odd runs to get we felt that the game was there for the taking, however soon after this diminished with Paul dropping their number 6 on 0 who eventually went on to top score with 41 and win them the match. The only noticable moment in the match after this point was the first wicket for Jules in 5 years he tells us.
Having been in a strong position a few times throughout the innings it was a disappointing loss, however after earlier performances this season it was defintly an improvement against one of the strongest teams in the league. With the pussy well fed again including a fine for the first time to an opposition player we set about drinking and eating the platefuls of watermelon, cheesy balls and cake that was left over.
With the skipper on holiday next week (convienent as its the long trip to hooky) its down to us to put in another good performance with Hook Norton being one of the teams we need to aim to beat if we are going to avoid the drop!
