Unpleasant & Unfortunate

Unpleasant…..

The Originals travelled to Yarnton on Saturday 2nd June to face table-topping Yarnton & Cowley in OCA League action, but action of a cricketing nature there was to be none!  Disappointingly upon walking out to the Square the lack of preparation was immediately evident as the wicket was a thick matted uneven grassy surface.  The Umpires were unimpressed and after due consideration of all factors, including with ECB and OCA guidance they sensibly concluded that the wicket was not safe for play.

The decision was the Umpires and as their number one priority is Safety they had no option but to call the game off.  It was obvious that this was the only course of action….obvious to everyone apart from Y&C who felt that a game could be played with adjustments like bowling only spinners, or reducing the overs (!)

With no cricket, the Y&C players turned to the vocal abuse of the Marsh players as they left the ground.  Something they chose to do and thought appropriate….but not something that we consider to have a place at a cricket match, Ever.  The match was abandoned by the Umpires (not MGCC) under Rule 10h of the OCA – home side not preparing a safe pitch for the fixture: 20 points awarded to Marsh, 20 points deducted from Y&C.  Not the victory we were expecting, but hopefully the OCA will take action to ensure the standard of Division One pitches – and Clubs – is much better than we encountered at this ground, in the future.

Unfortunate….

Tommy’s In-Betweeners took on Twyford in the Semi-Final of the Advertiser Cup at The Recreation Ground on Wednesday 5th June.  Quite the reverse of Saturday’s experience with 2 well matched sides looking for a quality game of cricket on an excellent wicket….and they got it.

Twyford batted first and racked up 92 for 5 in their 12 overs (8 balls per over).  The Marsh reply faltered from the start with slow scoring due to good bowling and then wickets falling.  However, Big Stu reunited with his batting kit, found his timing and brought Marsh back on track with the rate with a fluent and fast 50.  Until….

The last over and Marsh needed 8 runs to win – A run a ball.  Stuart was on strike, but in the fading light the added pace of Bone was challenging and Stu was well clutched at deep mid-on by young Wilkinson.  Callow now on strike – Bowled!  Cross, stiff necked, strode to the square and the trademark swoosh accompanied him.  A single, then another single from Needham, a couple of two’s from Crossy and with one ball to go Marsh needed one run to tie the scores, but Marsh had lost one wicket more than Twyford and wickets lost is the deciding factor if the scores are tied at the end.  Crossy made contact but only one run was possible and Twyford won the game by the virtue of losing one wicket less than Marsh.

A tense enjoyable game, full of young local talent (not to mention some old local talent as well!)