SPORTS ROUND-UP
Christ Church..................143-7
Trinity........................104 all out
Christ Church won by 39 runs
This first round Cuppers match was a battle between two of the weaker sides on the Oxford cricket circuit. Not being entered in the league, Cuppers was Trinity’s only cricket outing this season, and they needed to win to prevent their season ending here. Batting first on a sodden pitch, Christ Church began slowly, losing Pat Coffey to a fine ball from Hannan.
The introduction of Hill’s leftarm spin held the game in Trinity’s favour, as he found turn and bounce, removing Andy Sissons for 18, and captain Harry Davies for a duck. Mike Kember soon fell to an outstanding catch from Charlie Hill, before Pistousis departed for 15. Alex Phillips looked in good touch and rescued his side, being run out for a fine 42.
The partnership of between Will Dorsey and Phillips scuppered Trinity’s chances of dismissing their opponents cheaply, and Christ Church finished on 143-7 from their 30 overs. In reply, Trinity were under immediate fire, as Perkins (taking three wickets for seven) produced a fiery spell with the new ball, removing Ferguson and Hannan with consecutive balls, before claiming a third wicket. However, Hill looked in fine fettle, and scored freely with a series of flowing drives and cuts.
He found little support at the other end, however, as Coffey and Rupert Massey both bowled well, with the latter finishing with two wickets for 19. Hill continued to look good, and reached a deserved 50 with a superb back-foot drive. With Trinity requiring 60 runs off the final ten overs, they were always in the game, until Sissons dismissed Hill for 60. Sissons proceeded to mop up the tail, finishing with four wickets.
This left Trinity all out on 104, some 40 short of their target, and out of the competition.
Hertford...................169 all out
LMH...................................170-9
LMH won by 1 wicket
A youthful looking LMH team boasting a number of talented freshers, and minus ‘Tics vice-captain Phil Patterson through injury, eventually overcame an experienced Hertford side in what must be one of the most exciting matches to ever be played at the Marston playing grounds. Hertford captain Aman Iqbal won the toss and elected to bat first on what was a typical beginning of the season, ‘spitting cobra’ of a wicket.
Tight opening bowling spells by Ruairidh Howells and fresher Matt Henshall restricted the early run rate to below two runs an over. Henshall bowled straight through his eightover spell, working tirelessly, and deservedly receiving the fine return of two wickets for 13.
After the early inroads made into the Hertford batting lineup by LMH’s high pressure bowling and fielding, Hertford’s experienced middle order came in to settle the ship, with A Iqbal and S Iqbal scoring 30 and 34 runs respectively. The latter seemed to be very well set until he was ran out as a result of some fantastic fielding in the deep by Sourav ‘Clam’ Choudhury and Phil Drake, and quick thinking by wickie Andy Hughes.
Early-season rustiness was clearly evident, especially amongst the bowlers, with several loose deliveries bowled, and a staggering total of 40 extras top scoring for the visitors. The wickets were shared around, with Howells, Henshall, Choudhury and ‘Tics batsman Jonny Wright each with two scalps to their names. Hertford eventually finished at 169 all out. LMH’s reply to this total started slowly, with the Hertford pacemen forcing the batsmen to concentrate hard to register any runs.
Runs were indeed difficult to come by off the bat as a result of a deteriorating playing surface, and wickets were falling until Wright came in. He quickly asserted his class upon the game, playing some flowing shots. With him at the crease, it looked as if LMH would cruise past the target of 169. However once Beardall went, wickets began to fall relatively regularly again.
Wright however continued to pump the ball around the park, forcing the ‘keeper to take the risk of standing up to the stumps in order to try and rein him in. This didn’t pay off though, as 15 byes went past him. Dramatically just 20 runs short of the target, Wright was given LBW, and the game was in the balance. The light was rapidly fading, and only LMH’s inexperienced tail-end was left to bat. It was up to a limping Henshall and captain Nicky Blair to try and steer the side home.
With a mixture of gritty determination, and a handful of luck, skipper Blair knocked the winning runs in the darkness with only five balls to spare.
4th May 2006