Last Lord's let-down
Oxford's cricketers were frustrated in their bid to bring the curtain down in style on the last ever three-day Lord's Varsity match.
Cautious Cambridge batting and the elements combined to see the showdown end in a draw once again.
The way the match petered out was even more of an anti-climax after Cambridge's dramatic last-ball win to claim the Johnson Fry trophy at the end of last term.
That enthralling one-day game at the Parks had heightened expectations and whetted the appetite ahead of the Lords encounter.
Three days is not enough at the best of times - let alone when rain intervenes. So the omens were not good on the first day, when intermittent drizzle delayed the start of play until teatime.
Cambridge captain James Pyemont elected to bat first on a slow wicket, and his side ended the day on 90-2, losing Lewis lbw to Ross Garland for 12, and seeing Danson caught by Neil Millar at short leg off the bowling of Oxford skipper Tom Hicks.
But Pyemont (124) and Hughes (119) added 187 for the third wicket against an impotent Blues attack which seemed uncertain whether to defend or attack.
Hughes was eventually bowled by Hicks, and Pyemont caught and bowled by Scott Weenink. A quick-fire fifty from Howitt, ably supported by Sayers (18), was followed by an inevitable declaration on 382-4.
John Claughton (19) and Richard Smalley (42) steered Oxford to an unbeaten 71-0 by the end of this second day.
The agreed overnight declaration and Cambridge forfeiture of their second innings, left Oxford needing 312 for victory on the final day. But heavy rain put paid to the prospect of an exciting run chase.
"It was obviously a big let-down," said a disappointed Hicks.
"Cambridge batted very slowly on the second day, but even then we might have reached the revised target on a good batting wicket had it not been for the rain"
The Blues will be captained by Christ Church all-rounder Neil Millar next season, when they compete in the inaugural Centre of Excellence tournament. They will be under the guidance of new coach Graham Charlesworth, who has just returned from a stint in South Africa.
5th Oct 2000