UCCE crumble under Lancashire pressure
UCCE keep out the Lancashire attack but they fell to a heavy defeat in the parks
Oxford eventually crumbled to a ten-wicket defeat after a brave display in their threeday match with Lancashire at the University Parks. Traditionally, the university matches have been an ideal opportunity for the county teams to field their inexperienced players in the sound knowledge that they will overcome the students with ease.
This year however has seen some upsets with both Bradford and Cambridge both putting up creditable performances against their professional counterparts, with the Light Blues claiming a draw against Derbyshire earlier in the season. Against university opposition so far this year Oxford have struggled. Defeats against both Loughborough and Bradford have only partially been confined to memory after an excellent performance against Exeter last week.
The batting track and overhead conditions at the Parks were generally favourable for batting although there were some signs of early movement in the pitch to keep the bowlers interested. In this environment, Oxford excelled in their first innings and posted a highly respectable 300 for 9 declared, putting themselves in a commanding position.
Steve Moreton provided the backbone to the innings with an impressive 74 including some delightful boundaries through the covers, after Nicholas Woods’ early dismissal. Salil Oberoi also contributed with a useful 43 before he was caught and bowled by Andrew Crook. However, it was to be Gary Keedy who was to prove the thorn in Oxford’s innings as he claimed four wickets for 46, including the scalps of Moreton, Parker, Richards and Linley.
Parker was particularly disappointed after being caught out by Gary Cross, just three short of his half century. The Blues’ commanding position was soon wiped out on the second day however by the powerful Lancashire batsman as they racked up 420 all out in almost the same time that it had taken Oxford to reach the 300 mark.
Although Oxford were able to pick off the two openers, Mark Chilton and Iain Sutcliffe for 33 and 25, the partnership between Horton and Andrew Crook was to cost Oxford dear. Horton scored 84 and whilst Crook fired a superb 88 including four towering sixes. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Oxford were shocked by the visitors resurgence on the second day as they went into their second innings needing 120 to make Lancashire bat again.
Hopes of claiming a draw however soon evaporated as the northerners skittled the Blues out for 151. After Moreton and Woods opening stand of 51, Oberoi was the only batsman to provide any real resistance with a respectable 34 before he was again caught by Andrew Crook - this time off the bowling of Gary Keedy. Oberoi’s dismissal with the scoreboard on 120 triggered a lower order collapse as the last five wickets fell with only 31 runs added to the total.
Keedy’s tight line was impressive as he trapped four of the Oxford batsman lbw, whilst the leg spinner Simon Marshall also claimed two wickets. This left Lancashire the simple task of knocking off 32 to claim victory. This they achieved in 7.3 overs, as the Blues hopes of claiming another county scalp were dashed.
2nd Jun 2005