Stragglers of Asia vs South Oxfordshire Amateurs at Aston Rowant CC, Oxfordshire
Result: Match Drawn
Match Report:
Wildman’s rapid 142 for South Oxon provided the central narrative to a match bereft of any tension.
So swiftly did his runs come that the hosts decided to drift through some uneventful overs before declaring just after what turned out to be the halfway stage. Had the Stragglers taken their chances in the field, the target could have been significantly lower.
Although 280 seemed a steep ask, the South Oxon bowling attack lacked its usual penetration, and the ground was fast scoring. When new prospects Haider and Rex comfortably survived the first ten overs, things looked positive. Following Rex’s departure Stragglers negotiated a slow scoring but low risk period of pace off the ball.
Haider brought up a watchful fifty and with it seemed a good time to accelerate towards the eight-an-over needed after tea. With aggression came risk and wickets fell but Hooper and Calder proved an effective combination. That latter began to find fluency in his first game of 2023 and recorded a fine fifty, which included a couple of encouraging sixes. Hooper made way for D’Cruz, who injected a sense of urgency that would have been welcome an hour earlier.
The 100 needed from the last ten overs looked unlikely but with wickets in hand and Calder going nicely, was not wholly out of the question. However, some tight Oxon bowling all but guaranteed at least a draw and the focus turned to seeing Calder to a first Stragglers ton. Much like our chances of winning the game, that too was thwarted by over-aggression, as he fell for 89 targeting the short boundary in the penultimate over. A fizzling draw.
A fun day off work in excellent company but not a match for the ages. Thanks to South Oxon for brilliant hosting, and to umpires Steve and Anton for keeping us organised.
Innings of South Oxfordshire Amateurs CC
| No. | Batsman
|
How out | Bowler | |
| 1 | J de Bhal | Bowled | H Chapman | 25 |
| 2 | A Wildman | LBW | C Cabraal | 142 |
| 3 | A Ross | Ct & bowled | H Chapman | 3 |
| 4 | N Doggett | LBW | Hooper | 29 |
| 5 | T Rousseau | Ct A De Cruz (wkt) | Hooper | 0 |
| 6 | C North | Bowled | C Cabraal | 54 |
| 7 | M Cronje | LBW | C Cabraal | 0 |
| 8 | R Cronje | Not out | 15 | |
| 9 | E Phillips | LBW | F Haider | |
| 10 | C Foster | Not out | 2 | |
| 11 | C Hutton (Capt) / N Bishop | Did not bat | ||
| Extras | 9 | |||
| TOTAL | for 8 wkts dec | 278 |
FOW 1-90; 2-98; 3-189; 4-189; 5-251; 6-251; 7-266; 8-284
Bowling
| Bowler
|
Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
| C Fidler | 11 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| T Vila | 5 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
| H Chapman | 10 | 0 | 44 | 2 |
| C Cabraal | 13 | 0 | 76 | 3 |
| T Hooper | 9 | 1 | 50 | 2 |
| T Calder | 4 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| F Haider (c) | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Innings of Stragglers of Asia
| No | Batsman | How Out | Bowler | Runs
|
| 1 | F Haider (c) | LBW | R Cronje | 52 |
| 2 | O Rex (g) | Bowled | N Bishop | 19 |
| 3 | Ph McDuell | Ct Wildman | M Cronje | 0 |
| 4 | T Calder | Bowled | C Foster | 89 |
| 5 | I Perry | Bowled | E Phillips | 2 |
| 6 | T Hooper | Bowled | N Bishop | 17 |
| 7 | A de Cruz (g) | Not Out | 24 | |
| 8 | H Chapman | Not Out | 15 | |
| 9 | C Fidler | Did not bat | ||
| 10 | T Vila (capt) | Did not bat | ||
| 11 | C Cabraal | Did not bat | ||
| Extras | 14 | |||
| TOTAL | For 6 wkts | 234 |
FoW 1-30; 2-38; 3-97; 4-114; 5-151; 6-217
Bowling
| Bowler
|
Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
| A Ross | 8 | 1 | 25 | 0 |
| M Cronje | 11 | 2 | 39 | 1 |
| N Bishop | 14 | 4 | 47 | 2 |
| C Foster | 7 | 0 | 65 | 1 |
| R Cronje | 6 | 2 | 28 | 1 |
| E Phillips | 4 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
Umpire: