Season ends with defeat on the Common

OCCC 164 lost to Cranleigh 189 for 8 (Ealham 88*, Cooper 3-24, Jolly 2-24) by 25 runs
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Will Howard pulls off a stumping

The season ended in late-summer sunshine and defeat at Cranleigh. For a time it looked as if we might finish with a win but Matt Crump’s idea of a weakened side still includes a former England allrounder at No.9 and it was not to be.

Inevitably the game did not start on time. Our captain, frazzled by a week of 11 drop-outs, arrived fashionably late, which was still earlier than Harry Watkinson who was relaxing at home, oblivious to that fact that it was actually Sunday and not, as he thought, Saturday.

Cranleigh batted first, and it was good to see them field a raft of youngsters.  One of the veterans, Jack Scriven, started in style before holing out to Jonny Gates at long-off.  Scriven’s day got markedly worse later when Mike Payne pointed at him and asked who the “old man” in the field was. Scriven is 21.  The introduction of spinners Hugh Jolly (2-24) and Tom Cooper (3-24) turned the game on its head as Cranleigh slumped to 70 for 7 but that only brought in Mark Ealham (88*) who proceeded to score with ease while Crump’s batting at the other end reminded everyone that batting is not so easy for others.

A target of 190 was stiff but not impossible, although we made it hard with a succession of rash shots, while Howard managed to run himself out when a throw by the wicketkeeper missed the stumps and trundled down the pitch, past the ambling Howard and into the wickets at the bowler’s end.  Rupert Sheldon, on loan from Wellington, kept us in the hunt with a breezy 37 but in the end we came up short even though we had overs in hand.

Jumbo Jupp's day out at the Hogs

OCCC 243 (Cowdrey 75, Langmead S 41) beat Hampshire Hogs 224 (Roper P 4-32) by 19 runs

It’s always a thriller down the Hogs. Or that certainly used to be the case. Last time out the OCs were on the wrong end of a Hampshire hammering. A defeat which ultimately led to the unsurprising sacking of Ed Henderson and the appointment of Henry Watkinson as his successor. So one year on, it was payback time.  Of course, I use the word payback cautiously; the Hogs match fee remains a point of contention and one which our somewhat elusive fixture secretary has yet to deal with. Twenty-five pounds for a day in the company of James Jupp is not what this OC calls value for money.

After a brave decision to bat first, Rob Cowdrey (75) looked in superb form as he picked off the opening bowlers with a beautiful set of back foot drives. It was the partnership of Josh Milton (44) and Rob that set the foundations for the late flurry of runs.  Josh played beautifully although he was  involved in a near calamitous run-out.  With Rob flat on his back, half way down, the fielder fumbled the ball not once but three times, failing to gather it and affect a certain run-out. A second life which Rob grabbed with both hands, stroking his way to a classy 75.

After lunch, a series of quick dismissals stemmed the flow of runs. Sam Langmead (41) smashed a few boundaries to take the score to a respectable 243.  A special mention must go to Jumbo (0). Playing his first match of the season, he was clearly out of his depth.  Despite a gritty three-ball duck and a series of misfields, in true OC style we carried him through. Even his cricket chat was oddly wide of the mark; Jason Roy a test match opener?!

With a lack of recognisable bowlers, it was up to the left arm opening pair of Paddy Harman (2-41)  and Phil Roper (4-32) to take the new ball. It was a tidy opening spell albeit unthreatening. Ollie Cross then came on and bowled well, picking up the key wicket of the Hogs’ number three who had scored a quick-fire fifty. The middle order was the strength of the opposition. David Bugge (0-25), Euan Johnson(1-43) and Henry Watkinson (0-13) all bowled tidily but it was Will Jordan’s (1-13)  and Paddy Harman’s wickets that turned the game in the OC’s favour. With 19 runs to win, it was the rare sight of Phil Roper’s slow left arm that took the final wicket to record a famous victory for the OCs.