Sat 18th Aug Charlbury 2nd vs Abingdon Vale 3rd

Charlbury 2nd 146 (44.4 overs)

Ayan Chakravartty 42

 

Abingdon Vale 3rd 127 (35.3 overs)

Emilia Bartram 3-39

Ellie Norton 3-42

 

Charlbury travelled to division 8 rivals Abingdon Vale knowing a victory would make them champions. Richard and Simon opened the batting, but it did not start well. Early on Richard edged one and was caught by the wicket-keeper meaning captain, Andy, had to make an early appearance at the crease. Both Abingdon bowlers had settled into a good line and length and Charlbury were struggling to get them away for many runs. Andy looked good at the crease from the off, pushing a few singles around before hitting one thru the leg-side to the boundary for four. Simon was playing a more cautious game, just looking to defend the good deliveries and push the odd single around. Then Simon hit out at one, but the ball flew straight tot a fielder and he was caught meaning Michael had to come to the crease. Michael started confidently pushing a couple of singles around to try and get Andy the strike. After 13 overs a change in the bowling was made and a new bowler entered the attack. Andy attacked the new bowler and hit him for a couple of early boundaries to get the score moving along. The new bowler also did not settle into a great line and length and started to bowl a few wides which helped the Charlbury score. Just as it looked like Charlbury might be getting on top Andy hit one straight to a fielder and was caught for a good 26. Ayan, making his first appearance of the season, now made his way to the wicket with Charlbury 48-3. Ayan played an attacking game from the off, running hard for every shot to make shot he scored every run he could. Michael was looking confident at the crease, stroking the ball around for a few singles and just keeping the good deliveries out. Ayan then launched a massive six out of the ground as the Charlbury score started to accelerate. The first change bowler now left the attack and a new bowler entered it. The new bowler made a quick impact as he bowled Michael when he missed one. Rob now entered the fray, but was not there long as next over he too was bowled leaving Charlbury 76-5. Neil now joined Ayan at the crease. Ayan continued to try and take the game to the bowlers and hit another boundary four. The opening bowler then finished his spell and a new bowler entered the attack as Abingdon continued to search for wickets. Neil was just looking to give Ayan the strike and to just keep all of the good deliveries out. Ayan hit the new bowler for a six as he continued to put all the pressure on the bowling side. The hundred mark was brought up as the overs began to run out quickly. Neil hit out at one and was caught meaning Martin now came to the wicket. Martin was not there too long as he tried to hit out at one early on, but was caught near the boundary. Emilia now joined Ayan at the crease. Ayan smashed a third six of the innings as he raced towards fifty. Emilia edged one delivery and it flew to the boundary. Then disaster struck as first as Ayan took a big swing at one, but edged the ball to the wicket-keeper who caught him for a great 42. Then before the over was out Emilia edged one and she too was caught by the keeper. Mark and Ellie now had to try and bat out the last few overs. Mark smashed two deliveries in one over thru the covers and to the boundary for four. Ellie just looked to push a few singles around to get Mark on strike. Mark was looking confident at the crease as he stroked the ball around, finding singles and another boundary four. In the last over Ellie looked to hit out at one, missed the ball and was bowled as Charlbury were all out for 146.

 

Charlbury were going to need to bowl well if they were to win. Emilia and Ellie opened the bowling and got Charlbury off to a brilliant start. A boundary was hit in the first over. Next over though Ellie found the edge of the bat and wicket-keeper Rob did the rest with a good low catch. Next over Emilia wrapped one batsman on the pads and he was given out adjudged LBW. Things continued to go well for Charlbury as in Ellie’s second over she again found the edge of the bat and wicket-keeper Rob took his second catch. Emilia bowled the fifth over and grabbed another wicket as one batsman tried to hit out, skied the ball and Martin took a great catch leaving Abingdon 7-4 off of 5 overs. Charlbury were now in complete control and the batsmen decided to bat out a few overs just to make sure they did not lose any more quick wickets. A couple of boundaries were hit as Abingdon started to try and get back in the game. Ellie was bowling a great spell, getting some movement off of the pitch and causing problems for all the batsmen. Emilia too was bowling really well, also getting movement off of the pitch and constantly beating the bat. One batsman then hit Ellie for a couple of boundaries, but she soon had her revenge when he tried to repeat the dose, the batsman hit the ball straight to Michael and he took the catch. A change in the bowling was then made as Mark came into the attack in place of Emilia. Mark dropped straight into a good line and length and managed to extract some turn from the wicket. Charlbury were going to need to bowl Abingdon out if they were to win, but one batsman was getting in their way as he pushed the ball around for ones and twos with the odd boundary thrown in. the outfield was quick, but Charlbury were backing their bowlers up by chasing down everything. Ellie then left the attack and Ayan entered it. Ayan dropped into a reasonable length and line, but with no luck. Then Charlbury got a bonus when a quick run was attempted, but quick fielding saw the ball quickly into Rob’s hands and he whipped the bails off to execute the run out. Things got even better next over when a mix up in the calling saw the new batsman stranded and run out leaving Abingdon 79-7, but with plenty of overs left. The two batsmen now contented themselves with pushing a few singles around and with some hard running they started to get closer to the hundred mark. Ayan came out of the attack and Ellie re-entered it, but to no avail. With the batsmen growing in confidence and hitting a couple of boundaries the game was starting to get close. The hundred had been passed and Abingdon only needed to score just over two runs an over to win the game. Andy then brought himself into the attack to try and make the breakthrough. It worked as Andy bowled the batsman who was scoring the bulk of the runs leaving Abingdon 122-8. Emilia now re-entered the attack as Charlbury went for the kill. In Andy’s next over he clean bowled the new batsman to leave Abingdon nine wickets down. Next over and the game was won as the set batsman skied one and Emilia took a great caught and bowled to leave Abingdon 127 all out and Charlbury champions.

 

A great win for the seconds built on Ayan’s innings and then some phenomenal bowling by Ellie and Emilia saw the top order blown away – well played lads and lasses and congratulation on winning Division 8.

 

Charlbury 2nd 25 points