Oxford Downs - 28 July 2022
Oxford Downs won the toss and chose to bat on a surprisingly lushly grassed but hard pitch. After an erratic start Robbie and Ellis both bowled tight, aggressive opening spells, setting the tone for an innings in which the Downs were never really allowed to get away. The change bowlers kept up the pressure, Purcell finding extravagant outswing, Laurence bounce and turn (once he had managed to induce a ball change through the expedient of being hit out of the ground), and Chairman Burton relentlessly attacking the stumps. Burton finished with four wickets and was unlucky not to get a fifth, denied by the captain's hard hands at first slip. Longueurs set in somewhat after an excellent lunch but a three-glasses-of-port inspired Laurence seemed determined that Downs should be denied the chance to declare, even when the signal for the final over came with two wickets remaining. He duly wrapped up the innings, banishing his oft repeated fear that he was set to be a "Willie-one-for", the coup de grace arriving with the final ball of the 50th over as Ellis took a superb running catch at deep mid on. Special mention to Will Fiennes, on secondment from Authors CC, who kept wicket superbly. Oxford Downs 209 all out from 50 overs.
Crowe got the reply off to a blistering start, tearing in to the Downs attack with the insouciant flair that we've missed so much and creating ripples of excitement on the sidelines. Sadly it proved to be a cameo - 26 from 7 balls - as a tight call for a single resulted in not only a run out but also a hamstring tear that we can only hope doesn't prove to be too serious. Thereafter wickets fell regularly despite a determined fifty from Shomit and the chase seemed to be slipping away as the overs dwindled and required rate increased. However, Robbie Martin, with a series of sweeps and beautifully timed cover drives kept Gaieties in the game and he found more than useful support from Will Fiennes who played a gem of an innings, punishing anything short and piercing the field with ease. After Robbie's dismissal Laurence ensured there would be no further hiccups and Gaieties romped home with five overs to spare.
