OCCC 54 for 0 (4 overs: J Scriven 31*, B Scriven 23*) beat Downside Wanderers 53 (24.2 overs: J Scriven 5-12, G Ealham 2-7, Rollings 2-15) by ten wickets
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Our Cricketer Cup campaign got off with an emphatic 10-wicket win in a disappointing first round match in glorious sunshine at Downside in Somerset. The setting was glorious but the day unsatisfactory. Our side spent longer in their cars getting to and from the game than they did out in the middle.
Brad Scriven worked hard to get a side out for a match which involved an 8am start and a 200-mile round trip, and credit and thanks to those who stepped up. He won the toss and put the home side in on pitch which proved as slow and low as the lush outfield was.
Downside have not been a force in this tournament for many years and have not progressed beyond the second round since most of our side were born. But having not met them before and with home advantage they were an unknown quantity.
Downside made a cautious start, and although they reached 17 for 1 after five overs only four of those had come off the bat as we gifted wides and byes. The batsmen continued to find the going hard against Will Rollings Archie Freeth and George Ealham, but it was the introduction of Jack Scriven’s offspin that yanked the rug from under the innings. He took two wickets in his second over and another two in his third, and with George Ealham picking another up in between, Downside imploded from 40 for 4 to 44 for 8. The end came soon after with Scriven’s fifth and a run out from Nathan Thorpe.
No batsman reached double figures – Alexander’s 50-ball 8 was the highest contribution – and but for 22 extras Downside would have scored even less than their record 32 at Oundle in 2012.
Any flickering doubts as to the outcome were put aside as Jack Scriven launched the first three balls of our chase for six (and the fifth ball as well for good measure) and not wishing to be left out Brad Scriven smashed the first four balls he faced for three fours and a six. From 43 for 0 after two overs, it took only 12 more deliveries to finish a woefully one-sided affair.
We now face Uppingham Rovers in the second round on Jubilee on June 26th.