Match Report - 24th April 2010
OPCC beat Shepperton by 3 wickets with 1 ball remaining
A great game finished with Manav striking the penultimate ball of the match through the covers for four to win us the game and book our place in the competition proper. Earlier we had looked like we might be all over Shepperton, as tight bowling from Sam and Jehan “No practice required” Sherjan restricted them to 0-0 from the first 5 overs. Despite the pressure we didn’t make a breakthrough, and Shepperton used a bit of luck and some targeting of the very short boundary on one side to reach 84 without loss. The game swung back our way when Tom finally removed one opener after he tried to clear the short boundary again but didn’t quite. A direct hit run out by the skipper removed his opposite number, and Chetan had the dangerous looking SA opener LBW for 56.
We got another couple to have them 130-5, but a partnership followed; some good shots were played, some bad balls were clobbered over the short boundary, and it looked like they might be heading well past 220. However another run out, this time smart work from Joe Harris, got us back in the game. When skipper took a catch off Chuck at long on to remove the fast scoring no 4 for 63, Chetan confidently predicted that we would bowl them out. He set about the task with his third wicket, before finishing them off thanks to a Joe Harris stumping, the two wickets sandwiching another from Chuck courtesy of his now trademark snare off his own bowling. Crucially then, Shepperton wasted their final over. All our 6 bowlers contributed, which was another differentiator in the final analysis, but special credit to Chuck for 2-24 and Chetan for 4-53.
Our innings started badly. Chetan, opening ‘with a licence’ before having to dash off to catch a train, went early, Podge got a great nut 2nd ball, and Joe Harris went too to leave us 8-3. It should have been 8-4, but they dropped Donuts twice – bad move as it turned out. His partnership with Sam was worth 103, before Sam was bowled just after taking 22 off 2 overs. Still over 100 runs needed then at close to 6 an over, but with Dave Newsome walking out, that target was in danger of dwindling fast. Dave and the skipper did put on 40-odd, the highlight of which was a towering straight six from Dave off their opening bowler. However, once again as we were about to break the back of it, Dave was very well caught in the deep. Manav and Donuts took few chances, knocking another 15 off before another setback, this time the Skipper gone LBW for 86. The pressure was really on now – still 46 needed at a run a ball, and 2 new batsmen in. Ali Sharp and Manav knocked a few singles, but the rate was creeping up. Suddenly Ali cut loose with a boundary, then what looked like another, only to pick out a boundary fielder and go for 13. The stage was set then for Chris Titley, in his last game for OPs before heading back to Australia. Like everyone had done, his first few deliveries were prodded at, defended, nudged for one or two, but heroics were not in evidence. With 21 needed from the final 2 overs it looked like the game was up. Chris was not, however, for sloping quietly into the rapidly setting sun. Eschewing the coaching manual, he smote the 1st ball over long on for 6. The next went far into the air, landed safely and produced 3 more. When the final ball of the over went for 4 byes, that left only 4 needed from the final over. Cool heads were needed, and Manav and Chris provided them with 2 quick singles. Manav decided to give us all grey hairs by missing the next 2 balls, but the final cover drive was a beauty, giving us a richly deserved win.
