Sat 23rd July Charlbury vs Faringdon

Charlbury 185 (40.3 overs)

Graham Atkins 53

 

Faringdon 189-3 (32.2 overs)

 

Faringdon won the toss and elected to field first. On a very hot day Charlbury travelled to league leaders Faringdon and batted first. Tom Nash and Graham opened the batting and got Charlbury off to a good start. Graham got off to a quick start, pulling the last two balls of the first over for four. The wicket was solid like concrete and the outfield very fast and anything that beat the infield was going to be hard to stop going for a boundary. In the third over Graham pulled another delivery over the boundary for six as Charlbury raced to 18-0. Tom was batting in his usual style, keeping the good deliveries out while looking to push ones and twos whenever possible. Graham continued to attack the bowling, plundering a couple more early fours. Tom then got in on the act as he guided the ball over the slips and to the boundary for four. After seven overs Charlbury had reached 45-0, but with a quick outfield and hard wicket they would have to keep scoring heavily if they were to set a defendable score. Then next over disaster struck as Tom edged one to the keeper and was caught. Rob now entered the fray. A change in the bowling was now made from one end. The new bowler started off with a couple of short deliveries one of which Rob hammered to the boundary for four. Graham continued to attack the bowling hammering a couple of boundaries off of the new bowler as he continued to bowl short. Rob then played the shot of the day when he punched the ball back passed the opening bowler and it flew to the boundary for four. A double change in the bowling was now made and two spinners now came into the attack to see if they could stem the flow of runs. Rob welcomed one spinner to the wicket by driving him for four. Then Rob got out as he chipped one into the outfield, but caught it just too well and the ball flew to a fielder in the deep and he was caught. Alex now entered the fray. After 16 overs Charlbury were 97-2. Alex brought up the hundred with a four as Charlbury continued to press hard. Graham hammered another boundary four and to a raucous round of applause reached a well deserved fifty. Then disaster struck as Graham went to pull another delivery, but it kept slightly low and he got a bottom edge onto his stumps an was bowled. Ben now joined Alex at the wicket. Both batsmen now just pushed a few singles and twos around as Faringdon started to come back into the game. Ben clattered one through the off-side and to the boundary for four to get things moving again. Next over a mix-up in the calling saw Ben stranded and run out as Charlbury lost their fourth wicket. Josh now came to the crease. Charlbury needed to see off a few overs and not lose any more wickets so that they could go for it in the last few overs. Alex hammered two boundaries in three balls to keep things moving along. Josh then went to hit one, but didn’t quite catch it right and the ball just lobbed to a fielder who took the catch. After 28 overs Charlbury were still well placed at 141-5 as Bimalka joined Alex at the wicket. Alex was batting well, pushing singles around to keep the scoreboard ticking over while hitting the bad ball to the boundary. The overs were now starting to run out so Charlbury had to try and keep attacking the spinners. Alex then chipped one into the outfield, but to his horror the ball flew straight to a fielder and he was caught for a well made 28. Rob now entered the fray. Rob just looked to score off of every ball he faced and he was managing it with a variety of cuts and chips. Rob the smashed one spinner to the boundary for four. The runs were coming as both batsmen looked for quick singles, running hard for every run. Bimalka then threw everything at one delivery, but hit it too straight and the bowler took a fine caught and bowled leaving Charlbury 167-7 off 34 overs. Hasula now came to the wicket. Rob continued to thrash at everything and was frustrating bowlers and fielders alike with his shot play. Hasula just looked to give Rob the strike and the runs started to come. Both spinners then finished their allotted 12 over spells and so the opening bowlers came back into the attack. Hasula hammered one for a four, but next over disaster struck. First Rob hit out at one and this time the ball flew to a fielder who took the catch. Barry then came to the crease, but first ball had one that swung back in and just clipped the stumps to bowl him. Jake now entered the fray. A few more runs were added, but then Jake hit out at one and a fielder in the deep too the catch and Charlbury were all out for 185.

 

Charlbury were going to need to bowl well if they were to defend their score. Jake and Barry opened the bowling. The pitch was still firm and the outfield still lightning quick. The batsmen had a look at the first couple of overs before starting to hit out. A couple of boundaries were hit as the ball was coming on to the bat nicely. After six overs Faringdon had reached 28-0 and Charlbury were going to need to take wickets if they were to stay in the game. Both batsmen were playing their shots and with a hard ball and quick outfield the ball flew to the boundary, despite some great diving stops and spirited chasing. A change in the bowling was made as Barry came out of the attack and Hasula entered it. This change made the first breakthrough and the batsman missed one delivery and was bowled. Jake then bowled the first maiden of the match as Charlbury started to slow things down a bit. The new batsman then just decided to go for it, throwing the bat at anything he considered to be even slightly loose. Jake then came out of the attack after a good seven over spell and was replaced by Bimalka. First over and Bimalka made took the second wicket of the afternoon when the newer batsman tried to hit out at one, it turned sharply and all he could do was lob the ball to Josh stood at mid-on leaving Faringdon 88-2 off 15 overs. The opening batsman was still there and Charlbury would need to get him out if they were to win as he has been in tremendous form this season. A few quiet overs then came along as Charlbury pushed the field back a bit to try and stop the boundaries. The batsmen were content to just push the ball around picking up singles and the odd two. Bimalka was bowling a great spell, but just could not get the wickets his bowling deserved. The hundred mark was passed and still only two wickets down, Charlbury were starting to get desperate for another wicket. Hasula came out of the attack and Ben entered it. Ben quickly dropped into a good line and length and made run scoring difficult, but wickets were what was needed and none were forthcoming. The opening batsman now started to play more aggressively as the score started to rise. After 24 overs Faringdon were 125-2. Try as Charlbury might the wickets would just not come. Ben came out of the attack and Rob entered it as Charlbury sought to use all their bowling options. Both batsmen were now playing more shots and the boundaries were starting to come too quickly for Charlbury. The game was nearly over after a flurry of boundaries and so Bimalka came out of the attack after a good eight over spell and Jake re-entered it. First over back and Jake grabbed the wicket when he clean bowled one batsman. The game was nearly done as only a few runs were needed and they were brought up a couple of overs later as Charlbury lost by seven wickets.

 

Charlbury five points