Dahl leaves OCs all at sea

OCCC 82 (Westcott 21, Dahl 4-16) lost to Cranleigh School 145 for 6 (Bedford 43*, Pope 31, Harris 29) by 63 runs
Full scorecard

Stung by last year’s easy win for the OCs in the Speech Day Twenty20 after failing to score enough runs, the School made no such mistake this time in cruising to a comprehensive 63-run win. On a grey and damp day, there was little memorable cricket, especially as the OC side was weakened with many of the regulars on Cricketer Cup duty.

Rain delayed the start and then the School lost two early wickets before Ollie Pope, back for an outing between Surrey 2nd XI appearances, and James Harris cut loose and then Lewis Bedford laid into the second-string bowlers. Ed Copleston, who masterminded last year’s victory, was powerless to check the flow, although some dropped catches, including one by Copleston himself, did not help the cause.

The OCs needed a flying start but they lost Euan Johnstone, one of the Tonbridge heroes, to the first ball. Peter Westcott and Nathan Thorpe briefly threatened to make a game of it but a flurry of wickets scuppered that, and then the legspin of Angus Dahl completely bamboozled the middle order who subsided in a burst of heaves and charges, all unsuccessful and ugly, as the last five wickets fell for 13.