Sat 27th July Charlbury vs Kimble

Kimble 109 (35.2 overs)

Jake Godfrey 4-24

 

Charlbury 112-8 (35.5 overs)

Tom Nash 32 not out

 

Charlbury won the toss and elected to bowl first. On a rainy day the game was delayed until 2.05pm when it became a 38 over for the team batting first and 34 overs for the second team. Ben Geeson-Brown and Matt opened the bowling and got Charlbury off to a reasonable start. Both bowlers struggled with their line in the first couple of overs and a few wides were bowled. Ben found his line and length first and when he did he wrapped one batsman on the pads and he was given out adjudged LBW. Matt then found his length and line and suddenly Kimble found the going a bit harder. After eight overs Kimble had scored 18-1. Next over and Matt grabbed his first wicket when he clean bowled the other opening batsman. The number three batsman then went on the offensive, playing a couple of expansive shots which flew to the boundary for four. The other batsman just contented himself with rotating the strike whenever he could  so that the other batsman could flay away at the bowling. A couple more fours were hit and Charlbury had to put a couple of fielders back on the boundary to try and cut off the supply of runs. Then in the last over of his spell Matt got his man. The hard hitting number three tried to launch Matt back over his head for six, but did not get all of it and Jake on the boundary took a great catch. A double change in the bowling was now made as Jake and Bimalka now entered the attack. In his first over Jake grabbed a wicket when one batsman played the ball onto the stumps and was bowled leaving Kimble 57-4 off of 15 overs. The batsmen now played a few overs out, just looking for the odd single and trying to make sure Charlbury did not get any more quick, cheap wickets. Jake had dropped into a great spell of bowling, getting some movement from the pitch and settling in to a great length and line, making all the batsmen play a miss multiple times. Bimalka too had settled into a great line and length and all the batsmen were finding it tough to score off him. Charlbury were also fielding really well, diving around to stop the ball and quickly fielding it to stop the quick single. Then Bimalka got in on the wickets when the new batsman skied the ball and Ashley gratefully took the catch. Next over things got even better for Charlbury as Jake clean bowled the new batsman. In the next over Charlbury got another wicket. The new batsman just looked like a hitter as he smashed a big six, but Bimalka quickly did for him as he got one to turn and he clean bowled him leaving Kimble 84-7 off of 24 overs. With the overs now running out and not many wickets left the batsmen had to try to do something to set a defendable total. A few more overs ticked by with the odd single and two scored. Then Jake grabbed his third wicket of the innings when he bowled the new batsman. A double change in the bowling was now made as Jake swapped ends and Matt re-entered the attack. The number four batsman was still there accumulating runs and Charlbury needed him out if they were to keep the score down. In Matt’s first over back they got what they needed. The new batsman played a shot thru the gully area, called for a single and ran. The ball did not beat Bimalka who quickly fielded it and with only one stump to aim at hit the wicket and ran out the set batsman. The last two batsman now just tried to bat the overs out, pushing the odd single on the way. With only a couple of overs left Jake found a way thru one batsman’s defences and bowled him to leave Kimble all out for 109.

 

Charlie and Ajit opened the batting for Charlbury. The drizzle that had been falling at the end of the Kimble innings had now stopped. Charlie attacked the  bowling from the off, crashing a couple of boundaries off of the first over, then dancing down the wicket to straight drive another off of the third over. Then disaster struck as Ajit chased a wide one, edged it and was caught by the wicket-keeper. Richard now entered the fray. After six overs an early change in the bowling was made as Kimble brought on their spinner who quickly settled into a good line and length. The other opening bowler had also settled into a good line and length and Charlbury were now starting to find runs harder to come by. After eight overs Charlbury were 27-1. Then in the tenth over disaster struck. First Charlie missed one and was bowled. Next ball new batsman Ben Geeson-Brown was wrapped on the pads and given out adjudged LBW. Ashley now came to the crease and started off hitting a four thru the off side and then a two next ball. A couple of balls later one delivery just nipped away off the pitch, caught the top of off stump and Ashley was also out. Ben Sinton now joined Richard at the wicket. Charlbury now defend a couple of over to make sure no more quick wickets fell, but this did not last long. In the 13th over the spinner managed to drag Ben forward, he missed the ball and quick as a flash the keeper whipped the bails off and he was stumped. Next ball one kept a bit low, wrapped new batsman Adam on the pads and he was out adjudged LBW. 37-6 as captain Tom walked out to join his brother. Both batsmen now just looked to push a few singles and twos around. Richard was batting well, playing many defensive shots, but also on the lookout for the quick single. Tom started slowly, looking for the odd two and single , but mainly playing defensively. The outfield was still slow after all the rain that had been around so both batsmen had to run hard to get value for every shot. Richard then played one thru the covers and it just managed to get over the boundary for a four. After twenty overs Charlbury were 59-6 and a double change in the bowling was made. In the first over a wicket fell. A quick two was called for, but a good throw right over the stumps saw Richard fall just short of his ground and run out. Matt now entered the fray. Another quick change in the bowling was made as one of the bowlers injured his ankle and so made way for one of the opening bowlers. First ball from the opening bowler and a two was attempted and a wild throw saw a the ball fly away to the boundary for overthrows and a five to Tom. Matt then played a straight drive and the ball flew to the boundary for four as Charlbury started to get back into the game a bit. After 26 overs Charlbury were 76-7. A double change in the bowling was now made as the spinner re-entered the attack and anew bowler came on. Matt caught hold of the new bowler and hit him for a boundary four in each of his first two overs. Tom was still batting very cautiously, just looking to push the odd single around. Matt was batting really well, keeping out the many good deliveries whilst also always on the lookout for a quick single, running hard to try and turn them into twos. Tom then hit the spinner for a four to take Charlbury to 95-7 off of 31 overs. Not many overs left, but also not many runs required. After an expensive over the fourth change bowler made way for one of the opening bowlers as Kimble desperately tried to take a wicket to get right back in the game. Charlbury edged closer and closer. Only two overs left, but only three runs needed for victory. Tom tried to pull a ball off of the spinner, but it was not quite as short as he thought and he missed the ball and was bowled for a great 32. Bimalka now entered the fray and played the rest of the over out. Last over and Matt picked up a single and left Bimalka with two deliveries. First ball was down the leg-side, hit Bimalka on the pads and flew to the boundary for four and Charlbury had won by two wickets.

 

A great win for the lads built on a great bowling performance, with Jake picking up the wickets. Then a spirited rear guard built on a two great innings from Tom and Matt saw Charlbury home – well played lads.

 

Charlbury 25 points