OCs win a quarter-final classic

OCCC 246 for 8 (Meaker 74, Burgess 64, Waters 28, Jones 26*) beat Old Cheltonians 244 for 8 (C Sandbach 57, Ringrose 50, Meaker 2-30) by two runs
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A vital run-out in the final over

There are times we are reminded why cricket can be such a great game, and the Cricketer Cup quarter-final against Old Cheltonians was one of those days. That we won – by two runs with the match in the balance until the very end – helped, but throughout an epic contest ebbed and flowed with no side ever quite managing to pull away, although for most of the day Cheltenham looked the more likely to.

Michael Burgess on his way to 64

A torrential downpour half-an-hour before the scheduled start meant a delay of 75 minutes as the groundstaff, aided by some high tech equipment, worked furiously to mop up a very wet Jubilee. The toss was always important and although Matt Crump won it, he surprised most by opting to bat, a decision partly explained by concerns over the run-ups for the quick bowlers. With Stuart Meaker in the ranks for his first cup game since the 2008 final, that was understandable.

Cheltenham’s pre-match preparations showed their intent, and their opening bowlers bowled with sustained accuracy meaning Jack Scriven and Seren Waters were unable to give the innings the usual strong start. Scriven showed a glimpse of his destructive power with a lofted six over long-on, but was soon after caught at slip off a lovely delivery which did enough to find the edge.

Waters, after a slow start, seemed to be finding his touch when he was bowled for 28 off a loose shot. With the sun out and the conditions humid, the bowlers were in the ascendency and runs at a premium. Tom Crump fenced at one he might have left and was caught behind, and when Alan Cope followed in identical fashion we were wobbling on 66 for 4 from 21 overs.

Having a strong middle order was now vital and Meaker and Michael Burgess stopped the rot and slowly started to rebuild, milking singles and twos with such skill that Cheltenham’s previously outstanding fielding started to fray.

Their fifth-wicket stand of 126 off 23 overs took us to the brink of 200 and the tail wagged enough for us to post 246 for 8, a score on par with most of those seen during the cricket week. Rob Jones’ cameo at the end, including a sweet six into the pavilion, kept the momentum up as late wickets fell.

We needed an early breakthrough and although Meaker rattled both openers with his pace – and gave Chris Sandbach a few bruises into the bargain - the openers weathered the early storm, only to lose their first wicket with the hard work done.

Our groundfielding, which was so vital in the final overs, kept a check on the run-rate, and when Will Rollings replaced Meaker he proved just as hard to get away. Both Rollings and Crump can deliver more than their fair share of extras but not on this occasion. Rollings’ six –over spell yielded only 18 runs, Crump, in a five-over burst up the hill, 16.

While Cheltenham had wickets in hand, the feeling was they had their noses in front. We did not help our cause with three dropped catches – two hard, one less so –but Bruno Broughton broke through aided by Alan Cope’s catch to put us back in the hunt at 67 for 2.

Another obdurate stand followed and again, just as we started to look as if we were running out of ideas, Sandbach (57) aimed a loose shot at the parsimonious Scriven and Tom Crump, who had an outstanding day in the field, held a low catch at backward point.

Once more we were unable to follow up on the breakthrough. Ringrose (50) was playing a well-paced anchor innings, but the danger came at the other end where Mills set about Waters in a 33-ball 49 which threatened to settle the game. Twice in three deliveries he smashed Waters into the car-park hedge but crucially was bowled off the next ball trying for a third. In 11 overs they had added 72 and at 191 for 4, with 56 needed from nine overs, Cheltenham had their noses in front.

Seren Waters makes a crucial breakthrough

We knew their later batsmen had not been tested in previous matches and Crump used all his charm to persuade Meaker to return for a second burst, knowing his pace would rattle them. With his first ball Ringrose loosely drove to Tom Crump in the covers and the anchor was gone.

But yet again Cheltenham dug deep, weathered the storm, and started to close on the target. Soames (31) expertly kept the score ticking over – he scored off every one of the last 16 balls he faced – and 24 off three overs became 15 off two as Crump and Rollings sustained the pressure.

The penultimate over from Matt Crump was crucial. Accurate and supported by tight fielding, it created pressure which told when a drive to long on was fired back to the far end by Paddy Harman where Soames was left well short.

Cheltenham needed eight from the last over from Rollings. The shadows were lengthening and few games on Jubilee had finished as late, but few in a good-sized crowd had left. A two and a single left the target five from four, but with wickets in hand that was in effect four from four – if tied, wickets lost would have meant Cheltenham won.

The third ball was driven to long-on and Broughton’s pin-point throw to the bowler’s end as the batsmen came back for the second produced a second run-out.

Thornley (15) was on strike and lofted a drive to long-on where Jones, an oasis of calm as all on the boundary held their breath, made a tough catch out of the sun look easy. Five from two.

A single off the penultimate delivery left Cheltenham needing a boundary. Crump, understandably, took an age to set the field, Rollings kept his line, beat the bat, and few cared that Cheltenham ran a bye to the keeper.

It was a dramatic end to a pulsating day’s cricket. A young Cheltenham side, who will be serious contenders in the coming years, were left rueing what could have been, but in the end our experience, depth of batting, tight fielding and spirit saw us home.

 The semi-final, on Jubilee on July 27, is against a Charterhouse side who thumped us in a warm-up match last month and who have impressed in the cup so far. Another excellent day is in store.