Match report by Neil Megson
Another third team game with more different angles and turns than a bog standard game of naked twister…
Pitch inspection at 8am,we watch rain fall for half and hour, but playable… just..
Its the first time we have played Chipping Norton in a league match, I win my 5th toss from 5 and buck a trend County wide and bat..We get off to a fine start Lee Marland and Ian Bryan putting on 91 for the first wicket.. Lee with and excellent 58 and Ian a controlled 21.. with Chippy taking the pace off the ball we found it difficult mind innings but we didn’t chuck our wickets away and dogged it out.. Craig Haupt with 20 and big Andy Prior 17 contributing.. Good impitus by Rory Mcwade with a quick 30 including 3 big 6s got us to 188 in our 50..A score we were happy with..
An early wicket for Alex Badger gave us the perfect start but a great stand putting Chippy in the pound seats at 101-1.Our spinners then changed the course of the game as Chippy crashed to 115-7…I can’t remember two spinners bowling so well in tandem in this side ever…Chris Phillips with 3-18 and U15 Freddie Crook 2-16 from their 10 overs simply magnificent… Wonderful control from both.. But once their spells had finished the wicket warranted pace off, I called on Ian who’s spell sadly lasted only 1 ball and for the first time in nearly 20 years I had the joy of keeping to Craig..
Chippy batted nicely to stay in the game, we shelled 3 chances which didn’t help the cause,2 wickets for Haupt.
We then get to the last over, 7 to win with 2 needed off the last ball,last pair at the wicket.. Lee Marland kept his nerve and a nick behind giving us a 2 run win… Smashing game of cricket,good bunch Chippy were too… Onwards