Sat 21st July Charlbury vs Witney Mills

Charlbury 205 (52 overs)

Charlie Sinton 69

 

Witney Mills 132 (39.3 overs)

Matt Lyver 4-13

Charlie Sinton 3-14

 

Charlbury won the toss and on a warm day elected to bat first. Graham and Ajit opened the batting, but things did not start off well. Graham faced the first over and got things going with a two before flicking a delivery off of his legs for four. Next ball Graham missed and it brushed his pads before going onto the stumps and he was bowled. Bimalka now came to the crease. Ajit played a late cut to the boundary for four. The outfield was quick due to all of the hot weather recently and most of the shots that beat the infield raced away from the fielders. Ajit played another late cut and found another boundary as Charlbury reached 25-1 off of five overs. Bimalka started off slowly, just looking to pick up the odd single here and there whilst also defending the many good deliveries. Ajit was playing a slightly more attacking role, but he too was leaving many good deliveries. The pitch had quite a bit of bounce in it due to being baked in the hot weather. Both Mills bowlers had by now settled into a good line and length and were starting to cause a few problems. After 13 overs Charlbury had reached 52-1 and were now looking to set a good base from which to build from. Ajit then lofted one over the bowler’s head and it raced away for four. Next over Bimalka smashed one thru the covers and that too flew off to the boundary. A change in the bowling was now made and a left arm seamer entered the attack. The new bowler made an immediate impact. Early in the over Ajit was wrapped on the pads and given out adjudged LBW. Ben now came to the crease. In the new bowler’s next over things got even worse for Charlbury as he bowled Bimalka to leave Charlbury 68-3 off of 17 overs. Stuart now joined Ben at the crease. Mills were bowling really well and both batsmen just tried to stay there and pick up the odd single to keep the scoreboard turning over. Another change in the bowling was made as a new bowler replaced the other opening bowler. The new bowler dropped straight into a great line and length and made run scoring virtually impossible. The overs ticked by with hardly a run being scored as both batsmen played very defensively against some tough bowling. The one thing that was helping the Charlbury score was the plethora of extras being given away. Then disaster struck as Stuart was wrapped on the pads and given out adjudged LBW. Charlie now entered the fray. Charlie was quickly off and going with a boundary four thru the covers. Next over he played a slog-sweep which flew out of the ground for a six to take Charlbury to 96-4 off of 30 overs. Then disaster struck for both sides. First Ben edged the ball and the wicket-keeper took the catch. The bowler bowled one more ball, but in doing so he pulled his hamstring and could no longer bowl so a new bowler came on to finish the over off. Matt had joined Charlie at the crease, but was not there too long as when he tried to hit out at one as he skied the ball and the catch was taken. Steve now entered the fray. Charlie was still looking good, playing many defensive shots at good deliveries, but always on the lookout for runs if there was a loose delivery. Steve started well smashing a delivery to the boundary for four and then followed it up with another one in the next over. Steve was looking in good shape as he stroked another boundary. Then disaster struck as Charlie called for a quick single, but the fielder quickly grabbed the ball and got it into the wicket-keeper who ran Steve out. Paul now came to the crease. A couple of overs now ticked by with very few runs scored. Charlie hit a four in the 40th over to take Charlbury to 125-7 and with the overs now running out Charlbury had to get a move on if they were going to set a defendable target. Mills were informed that they were slow bowling their overs and needed to get a move on and this started to benefit Charlbury. As the bowlers tried to get thru their overs quicker it meant they did not concentrate as hard where the ball was going and so started to give away a few more loose deliveries. Charlie took advantage hitting a couple of boundaries. A change in the bowling was made as a spinner entered the attack. Charlbury continued to attack hard with Charlie hitting the spinner for four. The extras were still coming at a good rate. Charlie hit a four and then Paul followed it up with another. Another four for Charlie saw him reach a well deserved fifty as Charlbury raced to 179-7 off of 47 overs. Next over a quick run was attempted, but Paul was just short of his ground and run out. Ollie came to the crease, but was not there too long as he edged one and the wicket-keeper took the catch. Last man Jake now joined Charlie at the crease. Charlie picked up a couple of twos before launching the spinner out of the ground for six, bringing up the 200 mark. Next over Charlie hit a four, but last ball of the over he was given out adjudged LBW for a great 69 and Charlbury were all out for 205.

 

Charlbury would have to bowl well if they were to win the game. Jake and Bimalka opened the bowling. The first couple of overs were tight, but then one batsman decided to play a few shots and with the outfield still being very fast the ball sped away for four. After six overs Mills had reached 31-0 and Charlbury were going to need wickets if they were to win the game. After eight overs a change in the bowling was made as Stuart replaced Jake in the attack, but one batsman continued to attack. Then Charlbury got their man as one shot too many against Bimalka saw him miss the ball and get bowled. Bimalka was bowling in his usual way, giving little away and making the batsmen play at everything. Stuart now started to find a better length and line with the ball and with the extra bounce in the pitch he started to become a handful. The run rate started to slow slightly as Charlbury started to settle. After 15 overs Mills had reached 64-1 and it looked like it might be a close game. Charlbury were fielding well, diving everywhere and chasing everything in order to stop the runs. The new batsman now played a couple of shots as Mills started to try and up the run rate. Stuart then got a wicket when he bowled one and it reared up on the batsman who tried to get his bat out of the way, but he could only hit the ball onto his stumps and was bowled. Matt now replaced Bimalka in the attack and this change had a massive impact on the game. In his first over one batsman miss-hit one off of Matt and Bimalka took a great catch low down at mid-off. Then last ball of the over Matt clean bowled the new batsman, Charlbury were right back in the game. Matt had dropped into a great line and length and none of the batsman could do anything but pad up to him. In his third over Matt grabbed another wicket when the new batsman skied the ball and Paul got under it to take a great catch, leaving Mills 99-5 off of 26 overs. Charlie now came on in place of Stuart and dropped into his usual great line and length from the off. Charlbury were really tying the Mills batsmen up as Matt bowled his fourth maiden in a row. In his fifth over Matt grabbed his fourth victim as the Mills captain drove the ball, low down at Paul who took another great catch leaving Matt with figures of 4-0. The number four batsman was still there and decided he had to play a few shots to try and get Mills back into the game. A few runs came as the batsman hit a couple of fours. The new batsman tried to hit out at Charlie, but hit the ball high into the air for Charlie’s son Ben to take a good catch. Matt now left the attack and Bimalka re-entered. Charlie then bowled a great over. First the number four batsman tried to hit Charlie for six, but could only find Ollie on the boundary who took a good catch. The new batsman was the bowler who had pulled his hamstring and so he had a runner, but the runner wasn’t required as three balls later the batsman tried to smash Charlie,  but skied the ball and Paul had his third catch of the day. One wicket left and eleven overs to get it. The last man hit a couple of boundaries, but when the other batsman played a tame shot at one of Bimalka’s deliveries, Matt took the catch and Charlbury had won by 73 runs.

 

A great win for the lads built on a fabulous knock from Charlie and then a great spells of bowling from Matt and Charlie won the game – well played lads.

 

Charlbury 25 points