Match report by Neil Megson
Dear dear dear me, Division 4B really is the gift that keeps on giving.. Every game we have played this season could have gone either way, everyone is beating eveyone else every week,its just a brilliant league to play in..
On to the action against top of the table Cropredy 2nds who beat us closely earlier in the season..
As you were for me, toss lost, Crop put us in.. U15 Joe Sparks excellent with the new ball as we crawl to 14-2 from 13 overs,this soon became 86-4 from 30 as Crop bowled and fielded well.. As so many times over the years Craig Haupt held the innings together,Haupt was just superb, he reached a fine 50 but at 100-5 with 16 overs to go 200 looked a way off, Craig was ably assisted by Mike Bristow 20 on debut,Josh Megson on his seasons debut and very sensible innings by Andy Prior 15 as we finished on a level par 215-8..Craig finally out for a superb 103,14 fours and 1 six in a brilliant innings…
James Crosby and young Ben Miiler bowled nicely up top,a wicket for Miller..but the introduction of Mikey Brown bought instant rewards, 2 wickets in his first over,a one handed catch by Haupty at slip reminded me of the glory days when we had a behind the wicket cordon where catches like that were the normal, just sensational..at 40 for 3 we are very well placed, but Crop then put on a 100 for the 4th wicket, we spilled a couple of chances which didnt help the cause but two good ones by Prior and Crosby did… We were now right up against it at 138-3 with 20 overs to go.. So what do you do in times of strife, i call on my 12 year old opening bowler to get us back into the game and Ben Miller did just that.. He bowled 5 overs 2-9 in a brilliant 2nd spell, Ben finished with 10 1 34 3…a truly outstanding spell from a boy of his age..
As if Haupty hadn’t done enough a brilliant run out by him to shift the excellent Mike Amos Simpson, hell fire he then got two wickets too including Josh Tustian who played well,unbelievable match by the old fella.. ..Another wicket for Brown as Crop finished 205-9..top work in the field by us, Fred Crook and Kieren Churchill to the fore and a draw a very fair result in a stupendous game of cricket infront of our best crowd of the season..
Many thanks to our first team who after spanking Henley(not said that for a while) came on block and supported us throughout the 2nd innings #oneclub.. Top support…
A massive ???????? to my team today …all committed to the cause..something the club needs from all of our players as the season gets to the buisness end…..Bicester 2nds away next week then on Sunday the Airey Cup Semi Final at Hook Norton.. What a weekend awaits us.. Onwards i say onwards..