Stragglers of Asia v South Oxfordshire Amateurs 21 July 2015 at Ascott Park, Wing

Result: Stragglers of Asia won by 103 runs

Match Report

Stragglers of Asia won the toss and on a clear, sunny day at Ascott Park, Tony Hooper elected to bat first. It was a good decision on a pitch which although carefully prepared, showed signs of previous use and looked likely to be harder to bat on as the day went on. It was clear that the batsman would need to look to score through patient accumulation rather than aggressive strokeplay. After the early losses of Phil McDuell and Tony Hooper, Joe Cavanagh and Paddy McDuell executed this strategy with aplomb with a mixture of studied defence and punchy, counterattacking strokes with Paddy in particular timing the ball beautifully. The pair had put on 75 to take the Stragglers to 128 when, on the stroke of lunch Paddy chipped a ball to mid-off to be caught for 51. Still, 128-3 at lunch at Ascott Park was a good start and the Stragglers were definitely the happier team as the sides tucked into the sumptuous lunch for which Ascott Park is so famous.

Whether the excellent lunch was responsible for invigorating the South Oxfordshire Amateurs or inducing torpor amongst the Stragglers is difficult to say but the Stragglers batsmen initially struggled after lunch as the South Oxfordshire Amateurs picked up two wickets in the first five overs following the lunch interval. With the Stragglers on 149-5 and the run rate stagnating, Matt Cavanagh set about restoring the momentum enjoyed before lunch as he swept / mowed a rapid 24 off 27 balls until he tried one mow too many and was out LBW. Despite his dismissal, his quick burst of scoring was the shot in the arm the Stragglers innings needed and the seventh wicket pair of Matt Suckling and guest player Charlie Clarke, a friend of Paddy McDuell and fellow member of the Bedford School 1^st XI kept up the fast scoring rate in an unbroken stand of 67 with Charlie finishing with 39 not out off 38 balls to allow the Stragglers the surprising luxury of declaring at “half time” on 248-6 a score which local knowledge told us was competitive but by no means unassailable on a good batting wicket on which anything short would be dispatched though there some signs of variable bounce.

The Stragglers opening bowling pair of Tom Whyte and Charlie Clarke read the conditions and adapted to them well by bowling a consistently full length and forcing several edges from the opening batsman that went either short or wide of the slip cordon before Charlie’s persistence was finally rewarded thanks to a good catch by Phil McDuell at second slip to remove the dangerous looking Richards for 21, though despite this early success the South Oxfordshire Amateurs were well placed at tea on 54-1. After tea, the Stragglers attack switched to spin and as the pace was taken off the ball so the run rate started to drop putting pressure on the batsmen forcing them to take risks and the wickets started to come. By the start of the last 20 overs, the South Oxon Amateurs needed 145 to win with 6 wickets in hand. While their number 3 Joey Todd remained at the crease, such a target looked achievable but the changes of pace and the consistent line and length of the Stragglers bowling, well marshalled by Tony Hooper meant that despite his attacking efforts wickets kept falling at the other end with Paddy McDuell extracting turn and bounce from the pitch to claim 3 wickets and get rid of the South Oxon Amateurs’ middle order in his spell of 3-31 off 6 overs which he then followed up with a spectacular diving catch at fine leg to remove Todd for 62 off the bowling of Tom Whyte. With that dismissal, the Amateurs chase for victory was finally killed off and it became a matter of holding out for the draw. Sensing a chance of victory, Tony Hooper again rang the bowling changes and brought back his opening pair to pick up the last two wickets and secure victory with just under 5 overs left in the day’s play.

Innings of Stragglers of Asia CC

FoW: 1-22; 2-53; 3-128; 4-128; 5-149; 6-181

Bowling

Innings of South Oxfordshire Amateurs CC

Bowling

Umpires: D Miller & C. Bishop

Scorers: D. Lawrence & P. Manger