School ease to back-to-back wins

The change of format necessitated by the School switching Speech Day, and so OC Day, to a Saturday meant that this year the all-day game v the School took place on a Friday with the Speech Day match a Twenty20 affair between the Upper VIth leavers and a recent OC leavers XI.

OCCC 81 lost to Cranleigh School 82 for 4 by six wickets
Scorecard
Match photos

Raising a side on a Friday was always going to be hard but nonetheless a decent OC XI took the field against possibly the best School XI ever (although the 2006 XI has some claim to that crown as well). However, after winning the toss and batting little went right for the OCs against a tight bowling attack. Several batsmen played loose shots while two clumsy run-outs only compounded the situation. The innings was done and dusted 15 minutes before lunch with Jack Scriven unbeaten on an unusually dogged 24.

Will Rollings generated some real pace to remove Freddie Austin and Angus Dahl, two of the season’s leading run-scorers, but after that there were few alarms. Although Tom Selby struck twice in three balls near the end – Ed Tristem falling to an excellent running catch over his shoulder by Rory Kennedy – the game was over by 3pm.

It was a poor display by the OCs, even allowing for the limitations caused by the game taking place on a Friday. Next year we have to hope that many of the eight leavers will be back to face the School.

Cranleigh School 159 for 8 (Austin 55, Horsey 3-23) beat OCCC 130 for 7 (Thorpe 32, Trower 24) by 29 runs
Scorecard
Match photos

It was a scene familiar over decades – sun-drenched Jubilee ringed by spectators enjoying lunch and possibly a small glass of wine – with only the pink ball a sign of the modern world. After the debacle the day before it was agreed the School would bat first and they made a solid start without ever quite breaking free of some good bowling. The innings was built around a 46-ball 55 from Freddie Austin.

Nathan Thorpe (32) and Ollie Trower (26) got the OCs off to a flying reply but when Trower fell to Sam Dickson with the final ball of the sixth over the wheels came off. From 60 for 0 the OCs lost wickets regularly and the next nine overs produced only 38 runs for the loss of five wickets. In the end the margin of 29 runs slightly flattered the old boys. Still, the sun shone throughout and the ice cream van did steady business.