Carr blasts School to T20 victory

OCCC 139 (Carr 6 for 30) lost to Cranleigh School UVIth Leavers 143 for 6 (Job 42) by four wickets

The annual OC Day match used to be the highlight of the year for the School and eagerly anticipated by old boys. Sadly, of late the game has become rather devalued.  First it became a T20 match and then with the School switching Speech Day (and so OC Day) to a Saturday, it became almost impossible for us to raise a strong side because most cricketers were playing in leagues.  And so the fixture became an UVIth Leavers XI against as many OCs as we could musters supplemented by a few boys and masters.

That was a shame because Benji Carr produced one of the best pieces of bowling seen for many years on OC Day.  Tall, fast and unable to win a place in the 1st XI, he opened up by ripping out Jock Vickers' off stump with the opening ball of the match and finished with 6 for 30 in his four overs.  His final over included four wickets interspersed with a brace of wides.  The only substantial stand of the innings - 64 for the fifth wicket - was between Rory Kennedy (20) and Eds Copleston (33) but the total of 139 always looked below par on a fast track and even faster outfield.

The OCs kept a tight line early on - Will Jay especially good - but 1st XI slipper Callum Job and Sam Bugler warmed to the task to put the School in charge.  Andy Houston (who explained an earlier drop by claiming he "could not catch East's deputy house captain") and 56-year-old Michael Chetwode dragged us back into contention but the School squeezed home with three balls to spare.