Oxford's women triumph in Varsity cricket
The victorious Dark Blues embrace after a wicket
Women's Cricket Varsity
Cambridge...200-all out
Oxford..........203-7
Oxford win by 3 wickets
Oxford had prepared meticulously for this year’s Varsity encounter at Lord’s and appeared on the day in the pristine matching kit that symbolises the University’s investment in a team whose profile is growing from year to year. It was clear for anyone to see that Cambridge were rattled as they began the warm up. Luck also seemed to be on Oxford’s side when they won the toss, and decided to put Cambridge in to bat.
Georgia Gale Grant and Lottie Waller opened the bowling for Oxford, with Waller first to draw as an injection of extra pace caused a miscue to mid off where the hands of Sarah Berman pouched an easy catch. This brought Jane Allison to the crease, an outstanding lefthander that proved the thorn in Oxford’s side, finishing eventually on 109 after an excellent innings.
Gale Grant bowled the Cambridge captain, and then a series of good stands in the middle order took the score to 118 for 4, with the Tabs beginning to look extremely dangerous. Some misfortune and some ordinary bowling from Oxford saw the run rate creep up, with only Helen Turner delivering to strike twice and return some honour to the Dark Blues.
In what seemed at the time a slightly dubious decision, the opening bowlers were brought back despite their failure earlier in the day to trouble the batsmen. However the decision turned out to be a masterstroke as Gale Grant became the first ever woman to take a hat-trick at Lords, bowling two of them and trapping another LBW leaving the score on 160 for 7.
Alexis Blane then became the next Oxford heroine with a demon throw to run out Sarah Walker as she sauntered down the pitch, spelling the beginning of the end for Cambridge. Wells and Blane polished off the end of the batting order to leave Cambridge on 200 all out and Oxford requiring a run rate of four an over. After lunch, Sarah Berman and Georgia Gale Grant stepped up as Cambridge took to the field.
Berman guided the first ball down to third man, and Gale Grant followed suit in the next over, to keep Oxford well up with the rate. Several excellent 50 partnerships followed with Emma Collins, Natalie Wells and Helen Turner making 18, 23 and 29 respectively. Oxford required an ominous 50 to win off the last 10 overs, a task that looked all too diffi- cult until Cambridge’s century hero Allison bowled a productive over for Gale Grant and her partner that took the score to 184 for 5.
Georgia Gale Grant didn’t last much longer when after 45 overs she was bowled out just minutes after recording her half century. The tail had little problems in hitting the final few runs required, although the ambition of Suse Lowrey to seal the win saw her bowled out on her first ball for a duck. Ultimately, it wasn’t to matter as the last runs were struck with ease by Ingrid Barnsley to retain the trophy and earn an appointment in the famous Long Room for the presentation and drinks.
Quite apart from the result, both teams will be happy with the overall level of performance, which saw two fairly even sides produce one of the most entertaining matches in the fixture’s history. Doubtless fans of Oxford will have watched England’s stunning triumph in the Ashes series this summer with a familiar sense of deja-vu.
5th Oct 2005