Match report by Neil Megson
Two competitive games this weekend for the thirds and two defeats, some good performances in the matches but ultimately we were short of runs in both games.
Didcot 2nds in the league on sat,toss lost and we are asked to bat,Craig Haupt and James Mokler returning after giving cancer the flick put on 35 for the 1st wicket when Craig sadly pulled a calf muscle and retired hurt on 21,Mokler was soon out for 23 and we just couldnt quite get going.. Only Will Marland with 15 contributing .. at 100-7 things looked bleak but an excellent innings by Gary Crook of 39 and some clumping by me 18 got us to 156-8.We were a tad unlucky with Craig’s injury also two direct hits from the boundary rarely happen at this grade of cricket and it happened twice to us in 4 overs.. .40 short in my view and so it proved.. A brilliant spell by Rob Wilson Fry, his 15 overs yielded 3-46..we took wickets regularly but an excellent 66 by Connor Morrison proved a match winning innings…Five excellent overs from U12 Ben Miller were a highlight in the innings but as I said we were 40 short as Didcot won by 4 wickets..Thanks to Darren Churchill for fielding for Craig,much appreciated Dazzer…
On to Sunday, our first ever game in the Airey Cup ended in a 4 wicket defeat by an excellent Witney Swifts side, Swifts put us into bat and bowled well up top but Richard West held the innings together with a composed 47..only Chris Phillips with 18 offered him any real support,we finished on 143.
Swifts found the going tough as they crashed to 60-6..West,Phillips and another superb spell by U15 Freddie Crook all with wickets squeezed Swifts.. But an excellent partnership by Josh Grant and Craig Wood saw Swifts home in an excellent match.. Many thanks from me to many players from all our teams who came up to cheer us on, thanks to all who played too,a top day.. Good luck to Swifts in the semi final they were all in the bar well after the game was done.. Proper old school… They are a fine side and a top bunch of fellas too…