Cope's tactical genuis somehow comes up trumps

OCCC 251 for 7 (Allen 54, Langmead 41, Copleston E 38, Crump T 31*) beat Old Millfieldians 250 for 9 (Bettsy 117, Jackson 2-60, Thomas 2-63) by three wickets
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Tom Crump hits the winning runs

The overs certainly rattled by in a frenetic morning session – 39 in a little under two overs by lunch – as Cope leant heavily on the two bowlers with the shortest runs, 18-year-old George Thomas (2 for 63) and the little-bit-older Michael Chetwode (1 for 51). Chetwode was left to bowl a 20-over spell in the heat and, despite scowls, loved it, especially when a whooping Cope convinced the umpire he had the OMs’ No. 3 caught behind when the unfortunate batsman had simply taken a chunk out of the pitch.

As the afternoon started it occurred to most people (other than Cope, by showing signs of sobering up) that the OMs were quite happy making steady progress. Bettsy, an Australian pro for London who would be unlikely to be able to find Millfield if handed a large print map of Somerset, batted well for his 117 and as the overs passed the 60 mark and the indignant spluttering of the recently retired Headmaster could be heard from under Clare’s Oak (“nobody bats for 60 overs … this is preposterous”) the OMS launched a final hurrah and declared. Another of the previous week’s leavers, Harvey Jackson, took two deserved wickets in the final flurry.

As Cope basked in the glory of a strategy well executed, our reply was given a rollicking start by Duncan Allen, notching 54 to add to his previous day’s hundred before being stumped, and Will Langmead who smashed a remarkable 16-ball 41. The remaining batsmen all contributed with going on to make fifties. Eds Copleston a scurrying 38, Jackson 21, Thomas 28, Cope 31 and then Tom Crump saw us home with an unbeaten run-a-ball 31. We had faced 40 overs and delivered 62.3 but we could have had few complaints had we fallen short.

Paddy Harman takes a catch at short leg