Charlbury 267-8 (50 overs)
Stuart Atkins 86
Charlie Sinton 60
Abingdon Vale 2nd 145 (35.1 overs)
Jake Godfrey 3-18
Charlie Sinton 4-17
Abingdon Vale won the toss and elected to field first. The two Toms, Nash and Harris, opened the batting for Charlbury and got them off to a reasonable start. Tom Harris got things moving when he stroked a couple of deliveries to the boundary for four. The outfield was fairly quick and the ball would fly off towards the boundary if it beat the infield. A no-ball was bowled and Tom Nash made the most of a free hit by hammering the ball back passed the bowler for four. After eight overs Charlbury were 25-0. Both batsmen were playing a cautious game against some tight bowling, both playing defensively when needed, but also looking for the quick single. After ten overs a change in the bowling was made and this had an instant impact as Tom Nash missed the first delivery and was bowled. Graham now strode to the crease. Graham was quickly off the mark, hitting one shot over the top for a one bounce four. Another change in the bowling was made as the other opening bowler left the attack and a new one entered it. Graham hammered an early boundary off of the new bowler to try and put some pressure onto the fielding side. Then disaster struck as first Graham miss-timed one and hit the ball high into the air and was caught. Then two balls later Tom edged one to the keeper and was caught leaving Charlbury 43-3 off of 16 overs. Ben and Ashley had now entered the fray. Ben was quickly off of the mark when he drove the ball for four. Ashley got off the mark next over when he pushed the ball to the boundary before Ben finished the over with another four. Both batsmen were playing well and it looked like Charlbury were getting back into the game. In the 20th over Ashley launched one back over the bowler’s head and the ball hit the middle of the side-screen for a six. Then disaster struck as Ben edged one and was caught by the keeper. Bimalka now came to the crease. The two bowlers slowly settled into a better length and line and started to make run scoring slightly harder so both batsmen contented themselves with pushing a few singles around. Then Ashley edged one and he too was caught by the wicket-keeper leaving Charlbury 77-5 off of 24 overs. Stuart now came to the crease. Stuart was quickly off of the mark with a couple of fours. Bimalka was batting cautiously, trying to make sure Charlbury did not lose any more wickets. A change in the bowling was then made. Bimalka edged one off of the new bowler to slip and was caught meaning Charlie had to come to the crease. Charlbury still had many more overs to bat and were still some way off a defendable target. Charlie was quickly away with a boundary four. Stuart was looking good at the crease, always on the lookout for a single, but also punishing anything loose. Another change in the bowling was made as a new bowler entered the attack. Charlbury attacked the new bowler from the off hitting him for several fours and so after two overs he left the attack and a new bowler came on. Charlie was busy at the wicket, constantly on the lookout for the single, but also playing defensively when needed. Charlie hit a couple of fours prompting another change in the bowling as one of the opening bowlers returned to the attack. Stuart attacked the returning opening bowler, hitting him for a couple of fours before Charlie finished the over off with another boundary. Charlbury were now flying along as they reached 183-7 off of 41 overs. Stuart then launched a massive six out of the ground before pushing a single to take him to a well deserved fifty. Next over Charlie pushed a single and he too reached a well deserved fifty. The overs were now running out fast and so Charlbury had to start attacking harder. The hundred partnership was brought up as both batsmen continued to press hard. Stuart then hit back to back fours as Charlbury started to really push on. Next over and the partnership was broken as Charlie missed one and was bowled for a great 60. Matt now entered the fray and just tried to give the strike to Stuart. Next over and the other opening bowler re-entered the attack. Matt hit the returning bowler for four before Stuart finished the over off with another massive six. The first change bowler then had to come on for the 49th over as the other opening bowler had finished his spell. Matt launched into the returning bowler, powerfully pulling three consecutive boundary fours. Last over and Stuart tries to hit a six, but is caught on the boundary for a fantastic 86. Some hard running in the last couple of balls took Charlbury to an impressive 267-8.
Charlbury would have to bowl well as it seemed to be a good wicket. Matt and Stuart opened the bowling. The outfield was still quick and a couple of shots broke thru the infield and shot off to the boundary. Matt quickly dropped into a good line and length and started to cause a few problems for the batsmen. Stuart took a couple of overs to find his length and line, but when he did he started to make life awkward, using his pace and bounce to cause problems. After eight overs Abingdon had reached 33-0. One batsman was dominating the strike and he was also doing the bulk of the scoring, Charlbury were going to need him out quickly if they were to stay in the game. A couple more boundaries were hit and both batsmen were looking fairly comfortable. Then in the twelfth over Stuart got one to swing back in, the batsman left it and was bowled, Charlbury had the man they wanted. Chasing a big total meant that the batsmen had to keep on trying to go for it just to keep up with the required rate. After 14 overs a change in the bowling was made as Matt left the attack and Bimalka entered it. Bimalka was quickly into a good length and line, finding some turn which made run scoring slightly more difficult. After 20 overs Abingdon had reached 91-1 and were still looking in a good position to make an assault on their target. A change in the bowling was now made as Jake came on for Stuart. Jake dropped straight into an immaculate length and line and the batsmen found him almost impossible to get away. In his third over Jake got the breakthru as he wrapped one batsman on the pads and he was given out adjudged LBW. Next over things got even better for Charlbury as the new batsman tried to hit Bimalka for six, but could only find Tom Nash on the boundary and he took a great catch leaving Abingdon 113-3 off of 25 overs. A double change in the bowling was now made as Charlie came on for Jake, who changed ends replacing Bimalka. The change made an instant impact as the new batsman miss-hit one off of Charlie and the ball flew up on the leg-side and Bimalka took a good catch. In his next over the new batsman hit one high in the air and again Bimalka took the catch. Jake then got amongst the wickets as he clean bowled the new batsman, leaving Abingdon 122-6 off of 29 overs. Abingdon had really collapsed and Charlbury were now going for the kill. The two Abingdon batsman just tried to see off a few overs, with the opening batsman now playing more attacking shots. The score started rise, but then Charlbury got a massive bonus. The batsmen took a single off of Jake, Ashley threw at the stumps and missed, the ball was then miss-fielded and the batsmen went for the second, Bimalka quickly recovered the ball and threw it Steve who executed the run out. The game was all but over now as in the next over Charlie found the edge and the ball flew to first slip where Ben took a good catch. Next over Jake found the edge and Steve took a good catch behind the stumps leaving Abingdon nine wickets down. It was all over first ball of the next over as Charlie wrapped a batsman on the pads and he was given out adjudged LBW and Abingdon Vale were 145 all out.
A great win for the lads built on a club record seventh wicket partnership of 126 between Stuart and Charlie and then Jake and Charlie ran thru the Abingdon innings to seal victory and sixth place in Division 4 – well played lads.
Charlbury 25 points
