A new-look week of 40-over matches was the order of the day after consultation with the younger players. Eds Copleston had the usual nightmare of late cry-offs allied to people who forgot they were playing but he managed to get out decent XIs on every day. The blistering heat of June had given way to damp and miserable weather by the time the week arrived and the last two matches fell victim to heavy rain and wind
OCCC 123 for 8 beat Eton 122 all out by 2 wickets
The week started with a two-wicket win over Eton Ramblers, albeit our visitors preferred a traditional declaration match. In the event it mattered little as the game was done and dusted by 3.45pm. Eton started well with the first pair easing them to 30 for 0 before a combination of good catching and some dreadful shot selection saw them lose all ten wickets for 92.
Chasing 123, we lost three quick wickets including Freddie Austin who had flown in for the game from Florida. He managed more wickets than he scored runs. But Harry Horstead and Chris Pyle adopted a Bazball approach and the win seemed in the bag. But then our own collapse saw four wickets fall for 12 and it needed calm heads from Adam Forrester and Sam Dickson to see us over the line.
It was wonderful to see such a large cohort of parents and siblings from the 2017 leavers – Dickson assembled his side largely from those leavers – and it is hoped this will become an annual event.
OCCC 287 for 7 (Kennedy 122*, H Stiles 70) beat Old Hurstjohnians 286 (Jago-Lewis 97, Price 4-62) by 3 wickets
Max Bell and Luke Chitty opened up and were massacred with anything short going to the boundary as Hurst got off to a flying start. Bell did take a wicket with a fine one-handed catch by Zan Copleston. Harvey Stiles and Max Richards pulled things back a but it was the introduction of two LVth bowlers that began the rot. Zan Copleston removed the Hurst danger man and then Freddie Price grabbed four wickets on debut with some well directed inswing. Runs still flowed though and a lot questions of questions were being asked of the skipper as we had three slips, a gulley and short leg still in with Hurst 250 for 6 off 32 overs. The aggression worked however as Stiles took a fine catch under the helmet at short leg and we bowled out Hurst for 286 in 35 overs.
The OCCC chase began with some aggressive hitting as we welcomed back Phil Roper. Roper and Bellak both fell to leave us 40 for 2 off 8 overs before the counter attack came from Rory Kennedy, who, having been dumped by yet another girlfriend is moving to Melbourne in August. He was determined to stick around began to find form with some sublime drives and pulls on what was a very good wicket. When Zan Copleston fell hooking we were still in trouble in at 80 for 3, but Stiles joined Kennedy and the pair combined to forge a match winning partnership. Kennedy brought up his second OCCC hundred and we were on course for a famous run chase. Stiles played some impressive ramp shots and took on the Hurst pace bowlers before falling with OCs needing 34 to win off 4 overs.
Richards, who needed to leave to attend his mothers birthday drinks party, deservedly fell immediately and was followed by Burke before a calamatous run out left us needing 10 off the last over of the day with three wickets in hand. Bell and Kennedy held their never with a bit of assistance from a wide as it came down to needing a single from the last ball to avoid a deciding super over. We scrambled home and the crowd went wild as we had chased down a huge total and set the bar high for cricket week. It is days like this that make the week so enjoyable and one can only hope the youngsters in the club take on some responsibility and keep it going. Tha k you to Hurst for playing in excellent spirit throughout and we look forward to next year’s fixture already.
OCCC 144 for 4 (22 overs) beat Lancing 172 (33 overs) D/L
To follow
OCCC 193 for 4 beat Wimbledon 192 by 6 wickets
The day belonged to the evergreen veteran Will Howard who anchored our reply with a dogged half century. Full report to follow.
Flashmen 237 (Tissiman 65, Harris 3-53, T Crump 3-55) beat OCCC 163 (P Roper 74, La Costa 51) by 74 runs
An odd game which we appeared to have in the bag before a dramatic and wholehearted collapse saw us crumble from 113 for 0 to 163 all out. Phil Roper and Luca La Costa gave us a fairly effortless start, both hitting the ball with ease, but Flashmen always field a few classy seamers and this year was no different. The end summed up the woeful last hour as Ed Henderson and Mike Roper contrived a run out from what should have been a strolled single.
Flashmen recovered well from a poor start to post a par total. Harris and Paddy Harman bowled well at the top of the innings, Ed Henderson picked up two good middle-order wickets as opposed to the usual bunnies he prefers, but the headline bowler was Tom Crump. Aside from the occasional double bouncer, he actual turned a few leggies and took a career-best 3 for 55. The watching Stuart Welch shook his head in a mix of disbelief and horror. Asked if he had let Crump bowl for the 1st XI his reply was to the point. “Not bloody likely”.