First Team Down Oxford

Charlie Macdonell in his second consecutive week captaining the team in the absence of Shelvin Gumbs won the toss and elected to field.

As usual veteran Simon Stanway opened the bowling, with David Brent his partner at the other end. It took the later only three deliveries in his first over to get the breakthrough, with Stephen Dutch taking an excellent catch behind the stumps to dismiss Harvey Eltham.

We were off to a great start. The second wicket partnership and best of the Oxford innings showed more resilience, however the boys hung in and in his fifth over, Stanway had Oxford’s Captain, Jamie Perkin caught behind again by Dutch.

Oxford continued to rebuild with their wicket-keeper Calvin Dickinson the main stay of their innings. By lunch Oxford was 120-5 from 32 overs with Dickinson still unbeaten on 87.

We were highly charged after an excellent and well enjoyable lunch, with this renewed energy, Spinner Michael Payne immediately removed Dickinson on 88 in a spell of 30 consecutive deliveries where he only conceded one run, ending with figures of 1 for 10 from 12 overs. This spell was brilliantly supported by all the other bowlers, of note were, Mo Choudhry who took 1 for 19 from 10 overs and fellow spinner Rory Criddle who picked up 3 for 10 from 5.5 overs.

The highlight of the day however goes to Michael Payne who suddenly gained wings and flew in the air to take a brilliant one handed catch to remove Oxford’s overseas player who is the league’s current leading run scorer Muhammad Ayub. The catch had to be seen to be believed and our visitors was finally bowled out for 175 in 57.5 overs.

The new opening pair of Andy Dixon and AJ Woodland put on our best opening partnership of the season before Dixon was dismissed for 32 in the 19th over with the score on 52.

Macdonell joined Woodland and the pair steadily took the total to 79 before Woodland was also out on 32. This paved the way for what was to be the best partnership of the match of 64 between Macdonell and Payne. When Macdonell was removed for 43 and Payne 45, it was left to Liam Gough and Brent to take the match over the line with the latter hitting a six over long on to bring up the winning runs.

The First Team is now up to third place in the league, 2 points behind new leaders Slough. The table is very tight with only five points between leaders Slough and Banbury in fifth.

“Baloo the Jugster” will be travelling to Finchampstead CC next Saturday and we welcome captain Shelvin Gumbs back into the team after two weeks our due to work.