Damp defeat to round off a wet summer
OCCC 153 (Langmead 73, Scriven 26) lost to Cranleigh Village 255 for 5 dec by 102 runs
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At least the wettest season in decades ended on the field, albeit under leaden skies on an afternoon punctuated by intermittent light drizzle. The result was a win for Cranleigh side containing five OCs, an indication of the renewal of strong links which date back to the foundation of the School itself. Rick Johnson, whose afternoon was spent serving out-of-date beer and cooking a BBQ, is chairman of both Cranleigh and the Old Cranleighans and kept his loyalties to himself until it became obvious who was winning.
The first pleasant surprise of the day was the arrival of Rory Field, the much-maligned absentee a week earlier, and buoyed by having 11 men on the ground and ready to play, Ed Henderson out-tossed Matt Crump and stuck the hosts in. Ollie Cross struck and early blow but then Chris Preece with a 44-ball 64 set the innings on its way, although a fretting Johnson was still concerned at the run rate.
Those fears disappeared as Johnson, from the ranks of the Village 2nd XI, set about an OC attack charitably described as being one bowler light, with Damian Hill and Field receiving particular punishment. Before that onslaught Crump, on the back of a remarkable hundred a week earlier, was talked out by Mike Roper who asked him if a batsman of his ability was going to allow Will Langmead to toss up pies with mid-off and mid-on up. Crump decided Roper had a point, charged down the track and was stumped by yards. Johnson pulled and cut with increasing confidence and brought up his hundred of 92 deliveries in 102 minutes. The next ball from Henderson removed his off stump and with it came the declaration.
Despite a slow outfield, blamed on the chairman’s poor management of the mowers, a strong batting line-up was expected to make a game of it. It started well and then for the second week in succession we lost an opener to a daft run-out – Will Howard solely to bale for his own demise - but Brad Scriven and Roper kept things ticking along until the wheels came off in style.
Scriven, with a fifty for Essex 2nd XI under his belt this summer, looked in imperious form until he hold out to long-off. Within 14 balls we had lost five wickets to be 48 for 6. Hill came, swiped and departed, Jonny Gates and Rob Merry were bowled first ball, Roper dragged one on three deliveries later and when Cross fell an over later the game was up.
Langmead decided to attack, launching the ball to all parts, most spectacularly onto the roof of a parked van on Horseshoe Lane. Henderson, the hero of the match-winning stand at the Hogs, chipped in to take the score to 148 for 8 but it was too little much too late. Langmead eventually perished to one he hit high but not far, and Field just perished.
The post-match BBQ provided a good end to the season and despite Johnson being in charge the OCs could rest easy knowing the inevitable losses would be the subject of a Village post mortem and not an OC one.
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| Briefly on top: Bradley Scriven on his way to 26 |
At least the wettest season in decades ended on the field, albeit under leaden skies on an afternoon punctuated by intermittent light drizzle. The result was a win for Cranleigh side containing five OCs, an indication of the renewal of strong links which date back to the foundation of the School itself. Rick Johnson, whose afternoon was spent serving out-of-date beer and cooking a BBQ, is chairman of both Cranleigh and the Old Cranleighans and kept his loyalties to himself until it became obvious who was winning.
The first pleasant surprise of the day was the arrival of Rory Field, the much-maligned absentee a week earlier, and buoyed by having 11 men on the ground and ready to play, Ed Henderson out-tossed Matt Crump and stuck the hosts in. Ollie Cross struck and early blow but then Chris Preece with a 44-ball 64 set the innings on its way, although a fretting Johnson was still concerned at the run rate.
Those fears disappeared as Johnson, from the ranks of the Village 2nd XI, set about an OC attack charitably described as being one bowler light, with Damian Hill and Field receiving particular punishment. Before that onslaught Crump, on the back of a remarkable hundred a week earlier, was talked out by Mike Roper who asked him if a batsman of his ability was going to allow Will Langmead to toss up pies with mid-off and mid-on up. Crump decided Roper had a point, charged down the track and was stumped by yards. Johnson pulled and cut with increasing confidence and brought up his hundred of 92 deliveries in 102 minutes. The next ball from Henderson removed his off stump and with it came the declaration.
Despite a slow outfield, blamed on the chairman’s poor management of the mowers, a strong batting line-up was expected to make a game of it. It started well and then for the second week in succession we lost an opener to a daft run-out – Will Howard solely to bale for his own demise - but Brad Scriven and Roper kept things ticking along until the wheels came off in style.
Scriven, with a fifty for Essex 2nd XI under his belt this summer, looked in imperious form until he hold out to long-off. Within 14 balls we had lost five wickets to be 48 for 6. Hill came, swiped and departed, Jonny Gates and Rob Merry were bowled first ball, Roper dragged one on three deliveries later and when Cross fell an over later the game was up.
Langmead decided to attack, launching the ball to all parts, most spectacularly onto the roof of a parked van on Horseshoe Lane. Henderson, the hero of the match-winning stand at the Hogs, chipped in to take the score to 148 for 8 but it was too little much too late. Langmead eventually perished to one he hit high but not far, and Field just perished.
The post-match BBQ provided a good end to the season and despite Johnson being in charge the OCs could rest easy knowing the inevitable losses would be the subject of a Village post mortem and not an OC one.
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| Will Langmead fails to hold a boundary catch |
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