Sat 28th July Charlbury 2nd vs Cublington 2nd

Cublington 2nd 164 (35.3 overs)

Ellie Norton 6-50

Andy Glass 3-18

 

Charlbury 2nd 164-3 (31.1 overs)

Andy Glass 55 not out

 

Cublington won the toss and elected to bat first. With rain forecast for later in the day Cublington decided to bat first so Emilia and Matt opened the bowling for Charlbury. Emilia settled into a great line and length from ball one, getting the ball to nip around off of the pitch and causing problems for both batsmen. The outfield was very quick with all the dry weather around and when the ball broke thru the infield it sped to the boundary. Charlbury started fielding well from the off, diving all over the place and chasing every shot in order to keep the runs down. A few extras started to come and this lead to the score starting to mount. Matt was bowling a good line and length, but was getting less out of the wicket and with his extra pace a couple of edges flew for four. After eight overs a change in the bowling was made as Paul entered the attack in place of Emilia. The batsmen were growing in confidence and now started to play a few more shots as the fifty mark was passed. Paul started well, putting the ball in good places and causing some problems for the batsmen. Matt finished his spell of five overs and so Ellie entered the attack. The Cublington batsmen continued to attack hard as they sought to set a big score. Charlbury were starting to get desperate for the breakthrough wicket with every over that went by. The runs were coming quicker than Charlbury would have wanted and they needed wickets to slow things down. The hundred partnership was brought up and still no wickets down. Paul finished his six over spell and so the captain, Andy brought himself on. Finally the first wicket fell when one batsman tried to hit out at Ellie, but did not catch it right and Dean took a good, high catch. Next over things got even better for Charlbury as Andy clean bowled the new batsman. In Ellie’s next over she clean bowled the new batsman and Charlbury were right back in the game with Cublington 130-3. One of the opening batsmen was still there and Charlbury would need him out if they were to keep the score down. Ellie was bowling an immaculate line and length and causing all sorts of problems for the batsmen, who were really struggling to get her away. Andy too had settled into a great line and length and with a bit of movement off of the pitch they could hardly lay a bat on him. Then Charlbury got the wicket they wanted when the opening batsman hit the ball straight to Andy who made no mistake in taking a great catch. Charlbury were now starting to take control as the new batsmen really struggled to get the ball away for much more than the odd single here and there. Ellie clean bowled the new batsman to take her fourth victim of the innings. Next over Andy grabbed his second wicket when the new batsman hit the ball straight to Robert and he gratefully took the catch. Charlbury were now in total command and it was now about how quickly they would bowl Cublington out. The new batsman hit a boundary four, but that was all as in trying to repeat the feat Andy clean bowled him leaving Cublington 156-7. Ellie then wrought havoc in the Cublington innings. First she picked up her fifth wicket when one batsman skied the ball and Paul got under it to take a good catch. The next batsman hit the ball straight back at Elli, but she stuck her hands out and took a good catch off her own bowling. Last ball of the over a mix up in the calling saw the ball thrown to Nathan behind the stumps and the last man was run out leaving Cublington 164 all out.

 

Charlbury needed to bat well to reach their target so Simon and Michael opened the batting for Charlbury. One bowler for Cublington dropped straight into a great line and length and made run scoring quite difficult. The other bowler was slightly more loose and this gave both batsmen the opportunity to play some attacking shots and get scoreboard moving. Simon crashed one shot thru the covers for the first boundary of the innings before Michael followed it up with one in the following over. Slowly the score started to move along, aided by a few extras and Cublington knew they needed early wickets if they were to put Charlbury under pressure. Then disaster struck as Simon edged one and was caught. Robert now entered the fray. Michael was looking good, stroking the ball around and looking for the single when ever it was on offer. Robert started slowly, just looking to get himself in, but also looking to defend the many good deliveries. After 14 overs the bowling was changed around and a new bowler entered the attack. Then disaster struck as Michael hit out at the opening bowler, but miss-hit the ball and was caught meaning Andy had to come to the crease. Robert began attacking the new bowler and hit him for a couple of boundaries. Andy started slowly, just looking to make sure no more quick wickets fell. Robert continued to attack, pushing ones and twos around and making sure all the pressure stayed on the fielding side. Cublington now realised that their only chance of victory was to bowl Charlbury out. The fifty mark had been passed and Charlbury were racing on towards the hundred mark. The opening bowler finished his spell and so a new bowler entered the attack. Andy was by now playing a few more shots and running hard for every run. The outfield was still quick and Cublington were having to chase hard to stop the boundaries. Robert missed one and was bowled for a good 21. Paul now entered the fray. Another change in the bowling was made as the first change bowler left the attack and a new one entered it. The new bowler made little difference to the scoring rate as Andy went after him from the off. Charlbury were well on top of the required rate and as long as they did not lose wickets they would surely win the game. Paul started off slowly, but was always on the lookout for the quick single to get Andy on strike. Andy hit a couple of boundaries as Charlbury began to race towards their target. The extras were still coming at a quick rate and this was helping Charlbury out. Andy hit a four and brought up a well deserved fifty. The game was all but over and was when Paul pushed another single to take Charlbury to 165-3.

 

A great win for the seconds built on some great bowling by Ellie and Andy and then an all round batting display capped off by a captain’s fifty saw Charlbury home – well played lads and lasses.

 

Charlbury 2nd 25 points