Paddy Harman sees off the Ramblers

OCCC 188 for 8 (Copleston 44, Harman 43*) beat Eton Ramblers 187 (Harman 6-43) by two wickets

Last year's opening game of cricket week against Eton Ramblers proved a thriller as the Ramblers grabbed a tie from the jaws of defeat.  This year’s match was no less dramatic as we turned likely defeat into victory.

Eds Copleston won the toss and inserted Eton on a heavily overcast morning on Jubilee. Dan Chitty and Horsey took the new ball and proved erratic early as the Eton openers looked to be positive from the start in light rain. An extraordinary break in play occurred as the umpires pulled us off when the rain had stopped, citing dangerous conditions. The break helped us though as Ollie Trower took a good catch above his head at cover point (waist height for most humans) and from 80 for 1 Eton lost a flurry of wickets with Jamie Harrison and Paddy Harman applying the squeeze into lunch.

A delayed lunch of curry clearly did not sit well with Eton as Harman struck first ball after the break and wickets continued to tumble. Club stalwart and leading wicket taker, Mike Chetwode, replaced Harrison but was dispatched for a series of boundaries as he proved less metronomic than normal. To be fair, Chetters utterly detests curry and was probably absolutely starving.

It was Harman that produced the performance of the day. He was miserly in his economy rate and took wickets regularly to end an excellent spell with 6 for 42 as Eton were bowled out for 187.

Will Jordan and Trower looked shaky early on in our response before Jordan fell LBW. Callum Kent joined Trower and saw off the new ball without too many issues and at 40 for 1 we looked in charge as Eton turned to spin. Calamity struck as Trower and Kent both ended up confused in the middle and Kent was run out, Charlie Gilbert followed next ball and four balls later Trower was leg-before to leave us 40 for 4. It was clear we just needed to bat till tea without further loss. Or was it? Clearly Damien Hill disagreed as he tried a slog sweep that went straight up in the air to leave us 50 for 5 at the break.

The sun came out and Copleston and Dan Chitty rebuilt. Eds, the club’s highest run scorer of all time, as he willingly lets anyone who will listen know, counterattacked and looked untroubled as we reached 100 for 5. Chitty was then bowled and Copleston adjudged lbw for 44 to leave Harman and Harrison at the crease. The pair batted with maturity and Harrison struck a couple of maximums into Claire's Oak before chipping a long hop up in the air.

Harman was scintillating with his stroke play and continued to dominate the Eton spinners and his 43 not out, supported well by Horsey at the end, proved the difference between the sides. Fittingly Harman smashed the winning runs and after a significant wobble before tea, we had got over the line. Eton fought all the way and were as always a joy to entertain.

After the game Man of the Match Harman humbly sighed: "I’m just really enjoying my cricket at the moment" Another thrilling game against Eton Ramblers on the first Sunday of cricket week and we look forward to next season already....