A poor batting display saw Banbury only set a total of 100 which Abingdon Vale 2nd’s chase down for 3 at Ermot way.
Winning the toss and batting first Banbury were again in the hunt for bonus points to try and stay 3rd bottom and hope the situations in the leagues above would help them come the seasons end. Unfortunatley not, Banbury only managed 4 points while relegation rivals Horsepath picked up 25 beating Brackley.
Banbury started slowly, reaching 30 for 2 from 20, but 2 quick wickets saw them 40-4. There was a small resurgance were Basit (23) and Phillips(23) looked like they might put a partnership together reaching 72-4 but when the fomer ‘went after’ the wrong bowl and was caught it sparked a mini coalapse (during the big coalapse) and banury lost 3 wickets for 10 runs. Phillips, the last ‘recognised’ batsmen tried to take charge of the innings but in a moment where he either though himself quick or forgot he had about 1/2 a good knee ran himslef out coming back for a suicidal 2 (97-8). Banbury then crept to 100 to earn a solitary batting point.
Banbury’s bowlers struggled to make any in roads and defending a low total had very littel time to hit their straps. Iffy bowled some lovelly deliveries that let the batsmen wanting, as he has done so many times this year, but too infrequently to get Banbury in the game. Dan Bartlet bowled with his ussual control and shaped the ball well. It was Bartlet that took an early-ish wicket, shaping the ball back in to the right hander and hitting the top of middle.
Iffy produced an unplayable yorker to bowl the number 3 neck and crop. Vale were 45-2 and another couple of quick wickets could have seen Banbury pick up some more points. the 3rd and final wicket came from Sam Manning, the more experience Vale batsmen tried to end the inning in 1 over but Sam kept his nerve, didnt allow any room to free his arms and eventually bowled him leg stump. a lovely line and length as the batsmen advanced down the wickets.
Captain Grant was asked his feelings on the game;
"well we got ourselves out, all of us! the cheese and coleslaw sandwiches were nice though!"
Banbury 4 Abingdon 25
1 game left and 8 piont behind Horsepath, Banbury have it all to do away to Kimble. Also will need something to happen in the leagues above as it is looking like 3 down from div 1.