Charlbury

Always a pleasure to return to this picturesque ground, little more than a stone’s throw from Gareth’s family cottage, on a blustery but bright early summer day.
Their openers put on 98 for the first wicket, before their number 4 bashed us for an unbeaten century including 14 fours and four sixes. Only Joel (with his line, length and late turn improving with every outing) and Lewis made any real impression on them.

Our innings was stifled by some vicious deliveries from their opening batsman, who clean bowled Ed Butler, David Nicholson, Chris Langley and Daniel Butler (personal best of 12 runs though), snapping up Tim Maby LBW for good measure. Steve McCormack was our one in form player, until a rush of blood took him down the pitch to be stumped, while Tucker was in muscular shape until he miscued and was caught for 33.

Without their star player (42 runs and five wickets for 23 off 12 overs) this would have been far tighter. But salvaging a draw was a fine achievement in the end.