Sat 7th Sept Charlbury vs Abingdon Vale 2nd

Charlbury 294-8 (50 overs)

Ben Sinton 51

Ajit Shah 70

Ben Geeson-Brown 31

Charlie SInton 52

 

Abingdon Vale 2nd 195 (47.2 overs)

Ben Geeson-Brown 3-20

 

Abingdon Vale won the toss and elected to field first. Tom Nash and Ben Sinton opened the batting and got Charlbury off to a reasonable start. The Abingdon bowlers settled into a reasonable length and line in the first few overs, although they did bowl a few wides. Tom hit the first boundary when he top edged one over the slips for four. Then disaster struck as the next ball swung in late and just clipped the top of off stump. Thushara now came to the crease and was quickly off the mark with a hard run two. In the next over Ben drove one delivery to the boundary as Charlbury reached 25-1 off of six overs. A couple of overs later Thushara flicked one off of his legs and the ball flew away for four. It was a warm day and the outfield was quick and so a big score was going to be needed if Charlbury were to win. Next over and Thushara was wrapped on the pads and given out adjudged LBW meaning Ajit had to come to the crease. Ajit was quickly off the mark, late cutting one delivery to the boundary for four. Ben was looking in top form, defending the good deliveries whilst always on the lookout for quick singles. Ajit looked in good form from the off as he defended a few deliveries, but pushed many singles around. Ben crashed another delivery to the boundary before Abingdon changed the bowling around from one end. A couple of overs later the other opening bowler left the attack and another new one entered it. Both batsmen took a couple of overs to take a look at the new bowlers just to see what they did with the ball. After 18 overs Charlbury had reached 58-2. Ben the smashed a couple of deliveries to the boundary in the next over and with Ajit hitting a boundary in each of the next two overs from the other end the Charlbury score started to move along a bit quicker. After 24 overs Abingdon made another double change in the bowling with two new bowlers entering the attack. Ajit was looking in good form, running hard for every run, but also finding a few boundaries with his deft touches. Ben too was looking really good, pushing the ball around for ones and twos, but also making sure Charlbury did not lose too many early wickets. Both batsmen set about working the new bowlers around for ones and twos, keeping the scoreboard constantly ticking over. After thirty overs Charlbury had reached 120-2 and now they had to start pushing hard for home. Both batsmen were running hard for every shot and several twos and threes were being run. In the 34th over the hundred partnership was reached when a quick single was run. In the next over another single was run and Ben reached a well deserved maiden fifty. The 37th over was a big one as Ajit crashed consecutive boundaries thru the off side before running a quick two and he too brought up his fifty. A change in the bowling was made as one bowler made way for one of the opening bowlers. Ajit hit him for four and then a single. With the overs running out both players were now playing a shot a ball, but Ben edged one and was out caught by the wicket keeper finishing a record third wicket partnership of 131. Ben Geeson-Brown now entered the fray. Ben started quickly, pushing early ones and twos around. After 40 overs Charlbury had reached 179-3. Ajit called for a quick single, but a direct hit at the bowlers end saw Ajit run out for a magnificent 70. A change in the bowling was now made as the other opening bowler returned to the attack. Charlie now came to the crease and was off the mark with a four first ball. Ben then launched into the opening bowler, hitting him for three consecutive fours.  Charlbury then began to push on really hard with Charlie hitting one bowler for consecutive fours in one over before Ben did the same in the next. Ben was going really well, but then disaster struck as he played one shot too many and was bowled for a quickfire 31. Matt Doran now came to the crease with Abingdon forced to changed their bowling with their first change re-entering the attack. The score was now rising very quickly as both players ran for everything and also found a couple of boundaries. Abingdon changed their bowling around again as they desperately searched for a way of slowing the scoring down. Charlie was in top form, stroking the ball all around the ground and finding several boundaries. Charlie called for a quick run, but a mix-up saw Matt run out. Matt Lyver now came to the crease. Charlbury were now finding at least one boundary every over. Charlie then launched the first change bowler for six to bring up his fifty in only 25 balls. The last over and Matt hit a boundary four and a single. Then disaster struck as Charlie missed one, was wrapped on the pads and given out adjudged LBW. Richard now came to the wicket, but suffered the same fate leaving Bimalka to face the last ball. Bimalka crashed the ball back passed the bowler and to the boundary for four to take Charlbury to an impressive 294-8. off their allotted 50 overs. 

 

The two Matts, Lyver and Doran opened the bowling and got Charlbury off to a great start. Last ball of the first over and Matt Doran clean bowled one batsman. Matt Lyver started well and it was obvious from his first ball he had got over the trauma of the previous week as he dropped straight into a great line and length. Matt Doran was also bowling well, getting the ball to nip around and also some bounce off the hard wicket. After eight overs Abingdon had reached 21-1. Charlbury were bowling really well and were backing it up with some great fielding. Slowly the batsmen grew in confidence and started to play a few more shots, finding a couple of boundaries. Just as it looked like Abingdon might be getting back into the game Matt Lyver got the breakthru when one batsman skied the ball and Jake got underneath it to take a great catch. A double change in the bowling was made after fourteen overs as Bimalka and Jake entered the attack. In Bimalka’s second over he grabbed the third wicket as he had the other opening batsman given out LBW, leaving Abingdon 58-3 off of 17 overs. The two new batsmen now took a couple of overs just to get their eye in on a good pitch before they began to play a few shots. The outfield was still quick and so a couple of shots that broke thru the inner ring raced to the boundary for four. Another change in the bowling was made as Charlie came on for Jake, but only for an over and then Ajit replaced him whilst Charlie moved to the other end to replace Bimalka. Abingdon were now starting to come back into the game slightly as they were ahead of where Charlbury were at the same time and with it being a good batting track it would be difficult to take wickets. After thirty overs Abingdon had reached 140-3 and were well set to make a serious attempt at chasing their mammoth target. Both batsmen were running well and finding the odd boundary and Charlbury would have to break this partnership if they were to fully take control of the game. Ajit left the attack and Ben Geeson-Brown entered it. Next over and Charlbury finally got a wicket. One batsmen tried to smash Charlie for six, but could only find Matt Doran on the boundary and he gratefully took the catch. Charlie then left the attack and Matt Doran re-entered it. Ben had started well, bowling a good length and line and keeping the run scoring. Ben then clean bowled the new batsman to leave Abingdon 164-5 off of 36 overs. A couple of overs later Matt got in on the act when he clean bowled the new batsman. Next over Ben clean bowled the new batsman as Charlbury took complete control of the game. One set batsman was still there, but was running out of partners as they tried to keep up with the ever increasing required rate. After 40 overs Abingdon had reached 176-7. Matt finished his allotted ten over spell and so Bimalka returned to the attack. Then Charlbury got the wicket they needed. The set batsman smashed one back at Ben and for all the world it looked like it would fly passed him and to the boundary for four, but somehow Ben managed to dive to his right and snaffle a fantastic catch to leave the Abingdon innings all but over. Jake the returned to replace Ben in the attack. Bimalka clean bowled one batsman to leave the last pair at the wicket. Charlbury surrounded the bat and when one player tried to hit out at Jake Ben Sinton took a good catch and Charlbury had won by 99 runs.

 

A great win to finish off the season as the first team hit their highest ever score in the Cherwell League. It was built on the record-breaking partnership by Ben Sinton and Ajit, then Ben Geeson-Brown and Charlie finished the innings off, then all the bowlers bowled really well to secure victory – well played lads.

 

I hope you have all enjoyed reading these match reports and will comeback next season to see how well we do, but in the meantime keep a lookout for Charlbury playing in the Banbury Indoor League.

 

Charlbury 25 points