Sat 11th May Charlbury 2nd vs Minster Lovell 2nd

Charlbury 2nd 157-7 (45 overs)

Simon Smith 46

 

Minster Lovell 2nd 101 (37 overs)

Emilia Bartram 5-22

 

Minster Lovell won the toss and elected to field first. Richard and Simon opened the batting for Charlbury and got them off to a good start. The opening bowlers for Minster dropped into a great line and length from the off and made run scoring difficult, as both batsmen struggled at the start. Simon got the first boundary of the innings when he played one shot thru the off-side. Both batsmen early on were content to just push a few singles whilst making sure they did not get out. Richard was playing in his usual style, keeping out the many good deliveries whilst also looking for the quick single. Simon too was playing well and having to play defensively against some good bowling. Eventually Minster took off both opening bowlers and brought on two new ones, who also settled quickly into good lines. Richard then hit a boundary four to get the score moving along. Charlbury seemed to have weathered the early bowling and it seemed to be getting slightly easier to bat on, but then Richard missed one and was bowled for a good 24. Barry now strode to the crease and was quickly on his way with a boundary four. Another change in the bowling was then made as the first change bowler made way for a new bowler. Barry decided to try and take the new bowler on, but missed one and was bowled meaning the captain, Andy now joined Simon at the wicket. Simon was batting well, stroking the ball around and finding the odd boundary to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Slowly the runs came and with a few extras as well the score started to rise. Then Andy decided to try and hit out at one of the bowlers, he took a step down the wicket, missed the ball and was bowled. Hasula now came to the crease, but was not there long as he got caught leaving Charlbury 96-4. Rob now entered the fray. Simon played a delivery thru the leg-side for four as he neared his fifty. Then just after Charlbury reached the hundred mark Simon hit one in the air and was caught for a great 46. Mark then joined Rob at the crease. The overs were now running out and so Charlbury would have to push on hard if they were to set a defendable total. Both batsmen ran hard for every run. Rob hit a couple of  boundary fours to get things moving. Minster now started to change their bowling around as they sought to keep the Charlbury score down. Mark then launched one out of the ground for six and then followed it up with a boundary four. The score started to race along as both players looked for the quick single. With only a couple of overs left Mark was run out after going for a quick single. Miyuru now came to the crease, but was bowled trying to play a big shot. Abi came in for the last few balls as Rob finished with a good 28 not out and Charlbury ended on 157-7.

 

Charlbury would have to bowl well if they were to defend their total. Ellie and Emilia opened the bowling and got Charlbury off to a great start. In only her second over Emilia found an edge and Mark did the rest taking a good low catch. Then a couple of deliveries later She again found the edge and wicket-keeper Abi did the rest as the new batsman was caught. Minster 8-2 early on and this gave Charlbury the chance to squeeze the game. Ellie had dropped into a good line and length and was getting some movement off of the pitch. Emilia too was bowling well, getting the ball to nip around whilst also using her pace to give all the batsmen some problems. The two Minster batsmen now took a few overs to just get themselves into the game and to make sure no more early wickets fell. Slowly Minster started to get back into it and the batsmen hit a couple of boundaries to keep the score ticking over. The opening batsman was looking solid at the crease and was playing some good shots, Charlbury were going to need to get him out quickly if they were to win. Then Charlbury had a big over as first Emilia clean bowled the opening batsman, then last ball of the over she clean bowled the other set batsman and Minster were four wickets down. Things got even better for Charlbury in the next over as Ellie then got amongst the wickets as one batsman hit out at her, but hit the ball straight to Rob who gratefully took the catch. In the next over Emilia grabbed her fifth wicket of the game as Miyuru took a great catch, leaving Minster 40-6 and in trouble. A couple of overs later both girls finished their magnificent spells and so Andy and Hasula entered the fray. Both new bowlers quickly dropped into a great line and length to keep all the pressure on the batting side. The required rate was going up as the batsmen struggled to hit more than the odd single or two off of an over. Charlbury were fielding really well, diving all over the place, stopping many shots going for any runs at all. A couple of boundaries were hit, but then Hasula got a wicket when one batsman skied the ball and Simon took a good catch. The overs were by now beginning to run out and Minster were going to have to go some if they were to win the game. Andy grabbed the eighth wicket when the batsman tried to smash him for six, but could only find Barry on the boundary and his big hands smothered the ball for a good catch. In his next over Andy bowled one batsman leaving Minster nine wickets down. The game did not go on much longer as soon afterwards a mix up in the running saw Emilia swoop on the ball, throw it in quickly and the run out was made leaving Minster 101 all out.

 

A great win for the seconds built on some good innings from Simon, Rob and Mark and then the exceptional bowling of both Emilia and Ellie destroyed the Minster top order – well played lads and ladies.

 

Charlbury 2nd 25 points