Morning rain gave way to an overcast afternoon as we welcomed Four Oaks to the BPSA on Saturday. More selectorial issues abounded this week in all sides (why do they have exams in the Summer ?) and we put them in after winning the toss. We opened up with Lockers fresh from his girlie weekend off (had to get that in somewhere !) and our mercurial bear Alex Baker-Williams. A small amount of carnage ensued as 75 runs literally flew off the first 7 overs as the Maidment brothers Maidmerry with shall we say some erratic deliveries.

A rapid change to try and stem the tide, on with Madness senior, Lockers trundling gamely on uphill. Slowly the rate pegged back, Lockers took a caught and bowled to take out Maidment N for 41 before tiring and on with Tom Bird to take the pace out of the game. Tom has struggled with the bat in recent weeks after a fine start to the campaign but his bowling is coming on by the game. First over of the spell saw Maidment A LBW for a fine 51 (he hit the ball hard that lad – we were glad to see the back of him !). More wickets followed, usually Bowled Bird, (good job really as we couldn’t catch a cold this afternoon, several chances going begging – usually as is custmary in cricket off the bats who went on to score the runs).

At 140odd for 5 we thought we were getting back into things but then in came “Oaks” skipper Awan to join the fray. Delayed by a motorway accident he usually bats higher up and it showed – the ball again beginning to depart to all parts. He survived an early scare off Dan Vaughan (see – I told you we were short of bowlers ! – tsk tsk Daniel dropped caught and bowled in your first over in years, will have to reinstate the “Vaughaning” of catches to the write-ups) and when Alex returned for a second spell at the death he again smacked the ball around with aplomb. Alex picked up a couple of tail-enders with his extra pace and TBird got the last wicket in the final over to leave us facing 250 on the board. Awan making an excellent 51 not out and Tom finished with 5 for 31 off his 15 overs – a magnificent return considering the mayhem we had endured.
In reply we started well, Glenda finding some welcome form and Andy Carey solid as ever against the pacy opening attack. 50 for the first wicket before Scarey hoiked at a slow full toss, missed and was LBW’d grumbly to the sidelines.

Glenda and Dan put on another 30odd before Dan got early on one and was caught once again at Mid-On. A slow procession ensued as Oaks started to tighten their grip on the game. Glenda fell to a BPSA special shooter for a fine 42 and the middle order each hung around for a while before departing cheaply. Suddenly we found ourselves at 100 for 5 with 25 overs left – not promising. In came Sam Holmes, restored to cricket from his exam-exile, and he played beautifully, blocking the good, hitting the bad, unruffled by the sledging and at ease at the crease. shame about those of us at the other end though – 105 for 7 shortly after! 22 overs to hold out for a draw, Lockers in and just the Madnesses to come, not the greatest position we’ve ever found ourselves in. Lockers was a star – fifteen overs he batted out with Sam before another BPSA special saw him off. 7 overs left, Alex at the crease.

Cometh the hour he played defensively, left the wide ones, nervous pacing on the sidelines, overs ticked off, he evn nicked the strike at the end of one over – oh god ! With 12 balls left he finally cracked, swished and was caught. In with Madness senior, you can imagine the skipperly suggestions firmly planted in his ear ! Dot, dot defend, not a shot in sight, wonderful.

A great game cricket that an afternoon’s work can come down to this, dot, dot, play and miss, the victorious first teamers gathering to watch from the sidelines, dot, appeal – not out, dot, dot appeal not out, more pacing, come on Madness. A leave alone and it’s all over, a losing draw grabbed from the jaws of defeat by some unlikely heroes. Well played lads. For the record 171 for 9 at the close – 58 extras in their innings, enough said. We’ve got a weekend off next week with a Bye fixture so see you in a fortnight for some more fun and games.

Matt Gibbons – 29/05/2011