Sat 16th June Charlbury vs Brackley

Brackley 246-5 declared (48 overs)

 

Charlbury 62 (31.4 overs)

 

Charlbury won the toss and elected to field first. Matt Lyver and Jake opened the bowling for Charlbury and got them off to a reasonable start. There is quite a slope at Brackley and one bowler has to run uphill while the other downhill and this just meant it took a few deliveries to get the right length. Matt started strongly getting into a good groove and getting some movement of the ball which made the batsmen play and miss a couple of times. Jake too was bowling  a good spell, getting the ball to nip around a bit. Then disaster struck as in his third over Matt injured his side and was no longer able to bowl so Ollie had to finish the over off. Things did get batter for Charlbury in the next over though as when one batsman tried to hit Jake back over his head, he did not get all of it and the ball flew into the air long enough for Dean to run under the ball and take a great catch. After eight overs Brackley were 38-1. Ollie came out of the attack so as to bring Dean into it. Dean dropped into a good length and line and managed to get the ball to turn a bit. The outfield was quick and when the ball broke thru the inner ring in would fly quickly for four. The fielders were backing up their bowlers with some great diving stops and chased after every shot played. Then Charlbury got their second wicket when the other opening batsman tried to pull one of Jake’s deliveries, but could only hit it straight to Graham who took a good catch. Jake now left the attack and Bimalka entered it. Charlbury had the initial quick run rate down, but now they needed wickets to make sure they stayed in the game. Bimalka dropped into a great line and length from the first delivery, getting some spin and bounce. After 18 overs Brackley had reached 84-2. The two batsmen were just looking to push the ball around for ones and twos, running hard to try and keep the pressure on the fielders. The overs ticked by and the runs kept on coming, albeit at a slower rate, but Charlbury were beginning to get desperate for more wickets. Dean left the attack after his good spell and so Marcus entered it. Bimalka was bowling a lovely spell, getting the ball to spin and getting all of the batsmen to play and miss. Charlbury now changed their wicket-keeper around as Barry went into the outfield, ready to bowl later, and Ben took over the duties. Marcus started well, putting the ball in good areas and not giving the batsmen much to play at. After 32 overs Brackley had reached 125-2 and were now looking to push on to set a defendable target. Then things did get bad for Charlbury as Ben was hit on the end of his finger and it dislocated meaning he had to give up the gloves and so Graham became the third keeper of the innings. Charlbury were now trying to hide two fielders due to injuries and the batsmen sensing this began to hit out. The running became even harder and a few more boundaries were hit. Finally Charlbury got the breakthru they needed as Bimalka clean bowled one batsman. The new batsman took a few deliveries to get going then he began playing some shots and running hard for every run. Then Charlbury got a bonus when the batsman who was hitting most of the runs edged a delivery from Bimalka and Graham took a good catch. The score was still rising too quickly and Charlbury would have to keep taking wickets. Marcus then got in on the act when one batsman tried to smash him over his head, but got more height than distance and Bimalka ran round and took the catch. After 44 overs Brackley had reached 203-4 and now they just went for everything. Marcus left the attack and Barry entered it as Charlbury sought to get back in the game. The runs continued to flow as one batsman played a series of ramp shots and sweeps. After 48 overs with the score on 246-5 Brackley decided to declare.

 

Charlbury were going to need to bat well if they were to get close to their target and so they opened the batting with Tom Nash and Ajit. Tom hit a boundary four in the first over down towards third man. In the third over Tom played one along the ground and this also raced away to the third man boundary for four. Then disaster struck as Tom played out at another delivery, but could only hit the ball straight to a fielder and was caught. Graham now entered the fray. Brackley bowled one bowler for one over then they changed things around bringing a new bowler into the attack. The new bowler made an immediate impact as Graham defended a good ball, but it managed to squeeze back passed him and just rolled onto the stumps, barely hitting them, but enough to just knock the bails off and he was out bowled. Bimalka now joined Ajit at the crease. Both batsmen now decided to play a few overs out to make sure Charlbury did not loose any more quick wickets. The Brackley bowlers had dropped into a great line and length and were making run scoring very difficult and after ten overs Charlbury had only reached 13-2. Ajit was batting in his usual style, keeping the good deliveries out, but always on the lookout for the quick single. Bimalka was playing a very defensive role against some tight bowling so he too was not playing many attacking shots. Brackley then changed their bowling around again as the opening bowler left the attack and a left arm seamer entered it. The new bowler was right on the money from the first ball, if this continued then Charlbury were going to really struggle. Another change in the bowling was made when a spinner entered the attack to replace the first change bowler. The spinner made an immediate impact as Bimalka hit out at a full toss, but could only look on in horror as he hit the ball straight to fielder and was caught. Things got even worse for Charlbury in the next over when Ajit missed one and was bowled leaving Charlbury 19-4 off of 15 overs. Marcus and Ollie had now come to the wicket to try and re-build the innings. Marcus hit an early boundary four when he swept the spinner. The spinner now left the attack and another new bowler entered it. Both batsmen were still having to play very defensively against a good bowling attack and with some good fielding backing it up Charlbury were struggling to score many runs. Then one delivery kept a bit low, wrapped Ollie on the pads and he was given out adjudged LBW. Barry now joined Marcus at the crease. Yet another change in the bowling was made as the opening bowler re-entered the attack as Brackley sought to bowl Charlbury out. Marcus smashed a four thru the covers and then followed this up with a hard run two to finally get the score moving. In trying to hit out at another delivery Marcus hit the ball straight to a fielder and was caught. Dean now joined Barry at the wicket. Barry hit out at one delivery and found a boundary four  to take Charlbury to 43-6 off 27 overs. More changes in the bowling saw one new bowler come on and one bowler change ends. Barry crashed another boundary four off of the new bowler. Next over Dean missed on and was bowled meaning Jake had to come to the wicket. Barry continued to hit out and found another four as Charlbury’s score started to try and get some momentum. Another boundary from Barry in the next over took Charlbury over sixty, but then next delivery the ball cut back in and despite his best efforts Barry missed it and was bowled. Matt now came to the crease. Matt tried to stay there, but was struggling with his injury and had to retire and with last man Ben unable to bat due to his hand injury it meant that Charlbury were all out for 62.

 

Charlbury 2 points