Charlbury 2nd 214-9 dec (44.3 overs)
Tom Harris 45
Charlie Sinton 40
Abingdon Vale 3rd 140 (35.3 overs)
Matt Doran 3-33
Ellie Norton 4-41
Abingdon Vale won the toss and so Charlbury were asked to bat first. Tom Harris and Andy opened the batting and got Charlbury off to a good start. Tom started well, hitting a couple of early boundaries and kept on making sure the scoreboard moving ticking over. Andy started off more defensively, keeping out the good deliveries whilst also looking to push a few singles around. The Abingdon bowlers took a couple of overs to find their lengths and lines, but slowly they managed to settle down. Tom was by far the more aggressive batsman as he played his shots on both sides of the wicket, finding another boundary. The runs were coming at a good rate and Charlbury needed to maintain the pressure on the fielding side. The fifty mark was reached without either batsman looking in too many problems so Abingdon decided to make a double change in the bowling as they began to get desperate for the breakthrough wicket. Tom attacked one of the new bowlers from the off and with Andy also finding a boundary the score started to move along. Then disaster struck as Andy hit out at one delivery, but the ball flew straight to a fielder and he was caught. Charlie now entered the fray. One bowler had settled well, but the other not so much. Charlie started well, pushing a few quick singles around to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Another change in the bowling was made as a new bowler entered the attack as Abingdon looked to stem the flow of runs. Then disaster struck as Tom missed one delivery and he was bowled for a great 45. Robert now joined his captain at the crease. Robert was quickly off the mark with a boundary four, but then next over he too missed one and was bowled leaving Charlbury 89-3. Neil now strode to the crease. Abingdon were changing their bowling around as they kept searching for wickets and so one of the opening bowlers now re-entered the attack. Charlie was looking in good form as he stroked the ball around, pushing a few ones and twos and also the odd boundary. Neil was just looking to stay there and give Charlie the strike. Then just after the hundred mark had been reached Neil was wrapped on the pads and given out adjudged LBW. Rob now came to the wicket and was quickly off the mark with a single. As the overs now began to run out another change of bowling was made as the other opening bowler re-entered the attack. Charlbury were pushing on hard now for runs, running hard for every single to see if they could turn it into a two. Rob hit a couple of boundary fours thru the covers. Charlie then hit one in the air and was caught for a great 40. Matt now came to the crease. Both batsmen now threw the bat at just about everything as they tried to push Charlbury to a defendable score. The score raced passed 150, but then Rob played one shot too many and he was caught. Paul now joined Matt at the crease. Paul started quickly with a boundary four. Matt was looking good as he pushed the ball around for a few singles and with a few extras as well the score started to rise quickly towards 200. Another change in the bowling was made as the second change bowler replaced one of the opening bowlers. Paul was then wrapped on the pads and given out adjudged LBW and Charlbury had lost their seventh wicket. Ian came to the crease. Next over Matt hit out at one, but skied the ball and was caught and so Mark joined Ian at the wicket. Both batsmen now ran hard for every run in the closing couple of overs. Mark managed to launch one shot over the infield and it flew away to the boundary for four. Shortly afterwards Ian called for a two, but Mark was not quite quick enough to make his ground and so was run out and Charlbury declared on 214-9.
Charlbury opened the bowling with Paul and Matt and they got Charlbury off to a great start. In only his second over Paul found the edge of the bat and Andy took the catch in the slips. The new batsman decided to play a defensive innings, defending the many good deliveries being bowled and just looking for the odd single. The other opening batsman began to try and attack the bowling and he found a couple of early boundaries to get the Abingdon score moving along. A change in the bowling was then made as Paul left the attack and Ellie entered it. Matt was bowling a good line and length, getting the batsmen to play and miss at several deliveries. Ellie dropped straight into a great line and length from the off and with a little bit of movement off the pitch she was starting to cause some problems. The run rate started to slow a bit as both bowlers started to bowl well and with some great fielding backing up the bowlers Charlbury were in control. Then Ellie got the breakthrough as she clean bowled one batsman. Things got even better for Charlbury a couple of overs later when Ellie again clean bowled the new batsman to leave Abingdon 48-3. Matt had now finished his great spell and so Mark entered the attack. Mark quickly dropped into his usual line and length and continued to put all of the pressure onto the batsmen. Then Charlbury got a bonus as Ellie clean bowled the opening batsman, who had scored most of the runs. A few overs ticked by and Abingdon were now falling behind the required rate, but Charlbury were desperate for more wickets to secure a victory. Mark came out of the attack and Paul re-entered it as Charlbury continued to put pressure on the batsmen. Ellie was bowling a magnificent spell, causing problems for all of the batsmen with her guile and swing. Paul was hit for a boundary, but got his revenge later in the over when the batsman tried to hit him again, missed the ball and was bowled. The batsmen now tried to get back in the game and hit a couple of boundaries and started to run harder for every run. The hundred mark was reached and still only five wickets down and the overs were beginning to run out. Paul left the attack and Andy entered it. Then Ellie got the breakthrough when the set batsman tried to hit out, but could only find Robert and he gratefully took the catch, Charlbury were once again in control. Ellie now left the attack and Charlie came on for a bowl. Andy then got amongst the wickets when he clean bowled one batsman leaving Abingdon 116-7. Matt then came on to replace Charlie as Charlbury looked to finish off the innings. Ellie then re-entered the attack. Charlbury were in total control and even more so when one batsman tried to hit out at Matt, but hit the ball into the air and Mark took the catch. In his next over Matt clean bowled the new batsman as Charlbury raced towards victory. One wicket left and still plenty of overs to bat. The last two batsmen put on a few runs, but when Matt clean bowled him the game was over leaving Abingdon all out for 140 and Charlbury the victors.
A great win for the seconds built on two great innings from Tom and Charlie and then some excellent bowling from Ellie and Matt to finish the game off – well played lads and lasses.
Charlbury 2nd 25 points
