Oxfordshire Cricket is pleased to announce the squad to play against Wales on Sunday 14th of July at Witney Mills.

The selected squad is subject to any change before now and Sunday morning, and includes 4 debutants.

Tiddington beat Cumnor and Goring to become U13 Ron Maudsley champions at Dragon on Sunday and represent Oxfordshire in the ECB U13 competition.

Metrological records were broken on Saturday by the amount of rain that fell across Oxfordshire. With more rain overnight and heavy thunderstorms forecast for Sunday the U13 final looked at risk of not going ahead. The ground staff at our original venue decided their ground was unplayable early Sunday morning, and a result by a coin-toss looked likely. 

After much searching, Dragon School very kindly agreed to host us, and fortunately the worst of the weather held off and we managed to play cricket.

In the first semi-final Warborough & Shillingford forfeited the match, putting Goring straight through to the final. 

Semi-final 2 was between Cumnor and Tiddington, with Tiddington coming out as the winners. Cumnor won the toss and elected to field. Tiddington set 109 all out from their 20 overs. Amies top scored and retired on 33, Barnes (16) and Peacock (17) offered support, after a brief interruption for lightning and thunder. Kent recorded the best bowling figures for Cumnor – 4-15 from his 4 overs. Cumnor started their run-chase positively, not losing their first wicket until the 9th over at 40-1. However, losing wickets regularly brought them up short at 100-8 off their 20 overs. Spicer (29) top scored for Cumnor. Lamb recorded the best bowling figures for Tiddington 3-15 from his 4 overs.

After a short break, and keen to get the next game finished before the sun set, the final got underway, with Goring batting first. Losing early wickets, Goring slipped to 33-3 before Galbraith (22) and Dineen (24) steadied the ship and managed to reach a defendable total of 109 all out off their 20 overs. Pick of the Tiddington bowlers was Lamb again with 3-12 from his 4 overs, followed by Amies with 3-21. Tiddington started their chase slowly, and were just 35-3 at the halfway stage, needing some high scoring to reach their desired total. Amies again played a crucial role in the chase, reaching 28 and was assisted by Peacock’s 21. Tiddington levelled the scores up with 3 balls to go, but lost their 8th wicket a ball later. Knowing that level scores would be victory for them given they had lost fewer wickets than Goring, the final ball of the innings was defended and saw Tiddington victorious. 

The presentation of the trophy and medals was conducted by Joe Clapton (Competitions Manager) who thanked Dragon for hosting, the umpires, coaches, scorers and all the teams for a great day of cricket. Thank you to all the clubs who competed in this year’s Competition, and we look forward to seeing more great cricket over the summer. 

Congratulations again to Tiddington who now progress onto the national round of this competition and represent Oxfordshire as county winners.

It’s a ton up for Simpson in the 3rds! 

And the Over 60s 1st XI top the Midlands South East Group and look well set for a tilt at the title

The 1st XI became the first Oxfordshire Over 60s side to top their County Championship regional group when winning their final group game this week, while all-rounder Mike Simpson also rattled up a century for the 3rds in their win against Warwickshire.

The 1sts were away to Buckinghamshire at Buckingham Town CC and ran out comfortable winners by 76 runs but looked in more than spot of bother when Bucks won the toss and asked the visitors to bat.

Skipper Manger and Nick Morman opened in the absence of the injured Darryl Woods and both went for 0 having faced the grand total of four balls between them and with the score on 0-2 Bucks were enjoying a dream start.

But the depth of Oxon’s batting has been the team’s major strength this year and Charlie Anderson and Paul Hemming soon had things under control and moving in the right direction as they added no less than 119 for the third wicket, before Anderson fell just three runs short of a much deserved fifty.

Hemming as usual battled on and added another 35 for the fourth wicket with Nick Edmonson (20) before he too was dismissed for another fine knock of 63, which together with 22 from Rupert Taylor, should have seen Oxon well past the 200 mark but the innings fell away somewhat as Bucks fought back well to restrict Oxon to 197.

For the hosts Kevin Woodhouse and Bobby Fryer did the early damage that put Oxon on the back foot and they both turned in excellent figures of 3-29-7.3 and 1-21-9 respectively.

In reply Bucks made a steady start with Steve White again looking a real danger as he settled in and looked set for a repeat of his good knock against Oxon earlier in the season. However, opening partner Anwar Mahmood played too freely and went early bowled by Jon Woods (1-36).

Batting at three Michael Farnon again played freely and again paid the price when he was well taken by Neil Megson off the bowling of Paul Hemming with the score on 54. Then shortly afterwards the dangerous White was trapped lbw by the resurgent Ian Curtis, quickly followed by Adrian Johnson to the same Megson/ Hemming combination.

Murray Scott battled gamely for 20 as he looked to halt the slide but he succumbed to a caught and bowled from Steve Roberts, and thereafter the remaining batsman surrendered tamely to a superlative spell of left arm spin from Ian Curtis who turned in figures of 5-19 from his nine overs, to bowl out Bucks for just 121.

Next week sees the 1st XI start their series of eight second round matches which will decide the County Championship quarter finalists when they take on Sussex at Horsham CC.

The 3rds travelled to Coventry this week to take on Warwickshire at Standard CC and returned home with a fine win by 86 runs mainly thanks to a fine century by Mike Simpson.

Warks won the toss and asked Oxon to bat after which Ralph Orchard and Howard Lancaster got the innings off to its customary steady start before Orchard went for 17. That then brought in Mike Simpson alongside Lancaster, both of whom have been in prime form with the bat.

And both continued in same vein, with Lancaster accumulating steadily as Simpson played the more expansive role and began to dominate the homes sides bowling. Lancaster eventually departed for a well-made 63 as Simpson pressed on towards his hundred, finally bringing it up with two well struck fours before departing to another attempted boundary in the pursuit of more quick runs to add to the final total of 238 for 4.

In reply Warwickshire lost wickets at regular intervals and were always struggling to keep up with the required rate, mainly thanks to a good team bowling performance, with that man Simpson again at the centre of the action taking 3-14 from his nine over spell. He was well supported by Steve Wison with 2-32 from his nine and Nigel Walker with 1-26 from nine overs  despite two dropped catches off his own bowling!

In the end the Warks reply petered out somewhat despite a fine battling 50 from Clive Lee and the innings closed on 148-8. leaving the visitors with a handsome 86 run win.  

Not such good news from the 2nd XI this week as they went down to Worcestershire by four wickets in a low scoring affair away at Birlingham CC near Evesham.

The hosts won the toss and asked Oxon to bat after which skipper Andy Haynes and fellow opener Ivan Mulford, were making steady progress when Haynes fell lbw for 16 with the score on 39 off 10 overs.

Mulford continued his good work and was looking set when run out for 33, but the usually reliable middle order failed to fire as four batsman came and went all for single figure scores, before Steve Kelly (18) and wicketkeeper Rob Kerr (28) stopped the slide and managed to restore some respectability as the visitors eventually managed to muster 138 for 7 from their 45 overs.

For Worcs Andy Harn (2-26-9), Martin Woodward (2-9-9) and Rob Sharp 2-18-9) proved to be the undoing of Oxon’s batting.

With ball in hand however the visitors showed again what a good bowling unit they can be even when defending a low total.

Graham Nelson and Andy Slater both struck early with successful lbw appeals and Worcs were in trouble at 17-2. Rob Sharp then joined opener Peter Harler and gave the senior batsman the support he needed as they chipped away and added 52 before Sharp was again pinned in front by skipper Haynes, who followed up by dismissing Tony Consett first ball caught behind. 

It looked like game on for the visitors as Worcs slid to 69-4, but at the other end Harler continued his steady progress. 

Steve Kelly managed to winkle out two more home wickets, but in a tense finish – thanks to obdurate support from Ian Sadler and Graham Saint – Harler’s 79 not out from 116 balls eventually saw Worcestershire over the line.

For Oxon all the bowlers did their bit. Openers Slater and Nelson returned figures of (1-19-6) and (1-21-7) respectively, while skipper Haynes was the pick of them with (2-14-9), well supported by Steve Kelly with (2-36-8).

Despite the defeat the 2nds remain in third place in the Midlands Division and next week entertain Bucks at East and West Hendred CC in a must win game to keep them in touch with rivals Warwickshire for the second of the two places up for grabs to progress into the main Cup competition play offs. 

The Over 70s Oxs/Berks 1st XI was at home this week and went down to a seven wicket defeat at the hands of Hertfordshire. The visitors won the toss and asked Oxs/Berks to bat and they immediately made the early breakthrough they were seeking when Nino Trapani went for just two with the score on three.

Derek Watts and the in-form Ian Harvey then looked as if they were repairing the damage with steady progress before a run out saw Watts depart for 21 with the score on 38. Again Harvey and new batsman Jerry Senior looked set in adding 35 before Senior went for 13, shortly followed by Harvey for 21.

With the score on 75-4 a partnership was required, instead three wickets fell for 25 runs before Adrian Manger (25), Charles Bury (11) and Nigel Walker (22) ensured respectability by adding a quick fire 65 runs in the latter overs before the innings closed with the score on 165 for 9.

For Herts the opening pair of Sandy Reynolds and Alan Hunter really turned the screw on the hosts, returning figures of 0-11 from nine and 2-16 from five, well backed up by Keith Martin (2-18-9) and Phil Waters (4-30-5).

So a good start was needed by the Oxs/Berks bowlers to get a result and Trevor Spindler and Nigel Walker did just that when sending back Dominic Ingram, David Robinson and David Spring all for one run each, with just 45 on the board. However, at the other end current England Over 70s opener Duncan Elder was busy scoring most of those runs and look ominously well set.

And so it proved as he went relentlessly on making an impressive 111 not out, well supported by Alan Hunter who made a steady 38 in an inbroken stand of 121, which saw Herts home by three wickets.

Next week the Oxs/Herts Over 70s XI are at home to Warwickshire at the University College CC ground in Oxford.

Oxfordshire Cricket are pleased to announce the team selected to play against Cornwall in the opening match of the Durant National Counties Cricket Association (NCCA) Championship this coming Sunday 7th to 9th July 2024.

Current leading run scorer Jamie Harrison and leading wicket taker, Henry Welch feature in the opening squad of the Championship campaign, alongside Tom Davis, Dylan Driscoll, Hayden Rossouw and George Tait who all played in the last One Day Trophy fixture of the season. There are five changes to the team, with newly appointed captain of multi-day cricket, Max Mannering returning to begin his new role at the helm of the Championship side with an average age of just 21. Freddie Smith is recalled after an impressive start to the 2024 season for Oxford Downs CC and will feature as the wicket keeper batter. Pace bowler Thomas Rex is also recalled, as is Tristan Rossouw who will be looking to build upon his maiden fifty against the same opposition last time out. The team also welcomes the return of Luke Hayes who is set to play his first competitive game of the season following a lengthy absence with injury.

The selected team listed is subject to any changes before now and Sunday morning. 

Dated – 5th July 2024

Wolvercote beat Langford and Goring to become U15 County Cup champions at Didcot on Sunday and represent Oxfordshire in the ECB U15 competition.

The first semi-final of the day saw Goring beat Banbury by 7 wickets in a low-scoring game that went down to the final over. Batting first, Banbury set 95-8 from their 20 overs, with Miller and Spokes top scoring with 18 a-piece. The pick of the excellent bowling attack by Goring was Robinson, with 2-10 from his 3 overs. Walsh and Cooke also took 2 wickets each, and set themselves up with a total of under a hundred to chase for a place in the final. Banbury started well, dismissing the dangerous Richards for 0. However, Goring re-built and despite looking to be behind the rate at points, Walsh (20) and Logan (41) saw off the lion’s share of the run chase before Offwood took them over the line with 3 balls to spare. Pick of the Banbury bowlers was Rorich who returned an excellent 1-7 from his 4 overs. 

Semi-final 2 was between Langford and Wolvercote, with the latter batting first and setting 144-5 from their 20 overs. Robinson’s 51 made him the star of the show, with support acts Beard (30) and du Plessis (22*) helping their side up to a very reasonable score. Greenslade recorded the best bowling figures for Langford – 1-20 from his 4 overs. Langford set about their run-chase positively, but lost early wickets in their attempt to keep up with the required run rate. However, their innings took a turn when Hewlett had to retire hurt, after being hit in the neck with the ball. After a lengthy break where all were concerned for his well being, he seemed to show some signs of improvement and the game continued. The resumption in play saw a flurry of wickets saw them fall to 47 all out. Wolvercote’s bowlers performed well given the circumstances, with Newman the standout with 4-10 from his 4 overs.

After a short break, the final got underway, with Wolvercote batting first. Goring seemed to be repeating their bowling efforts from their earlier game, restricting the Wolvercote batters and taking key wickets. However, they rallied and Lovell (22*) and Bewes (27*) managed to get their side up to 118-6 from their 20 overs – a total that would be defendable if they bowled well. Robinson again starred with the ball, taking 2-16 from 4 overs. Goring began their chase well, with openers Richards (47) and Walsh (13) setting the tone. But losing key wickets and with Wolvercote capitalising, they fell short by 16 runs, ending all out for 102. Newman again stood out with the ball (3-14), but Gibbons returned the best figures of 3-12 from his 4 overs.

The presentation of the trophy and medals was conducted by Joe Clapton (Finals Day Manager for the day) who thanked Didcot for hosting, the umpires, coaches, scorers and all the teams for a great day of cricket. Thank you to all clubs who competed in this year’s Competition, and we look forward to seeing more great cricket over the summer. 

All of us at Oxfordshire Cricket wish Tommy Hewlett a speedy recovery and hope he is back playing with his Langford teammates soon.

Congratulations again to Wolvercote who now progress onto the national round of this competition and represent Oxfordshire as county winners.

Oxfordshire Cricket is pleased to announce the 12 player squad to play against Somerset on Sunday 30th of June at BNOCC.

The selected squad is subject to any change before now and Sunday morning.

Absent friends!

Hard yards for the senior group teams as holidays and injuries begin to bite

With a number of key players missing this week through injuries and holidays the dream start to the 2024 season faltered somewhat as the last of the group’s unbeaten teams finally succumbed to defeat.

The 2nd XI’s winning run was ended by a strong Warwickshire side in what was always going to be a tough away game at Four Oaks Saints CC in Sutton Coldfield. 

Andy Haynes’ side went down fighting by just three wickets in a very low scoring game which nevertheless was only concluded in the 40th over of the second innings.

Forced to bat when winning the toss with two players still struggling with traffic on the motorway as the start loomed, the visitors were soon in trouble at 18-2 from six overs with the Warks bowlers maintaining an immaculate line and length on a helpful if somewhat slow pitch.

And wickets then fell steadily throughout the innings, with only Tom Scrase (22) and the ever consistent Steve Partington (30 not out) really batting with any authority. Chief tormentors were Russell Lowry with 3-26 from nine overs and Russell Longhorne 3-24 from nine. Oxon made only 111 and were bowled out in just 35 overs.

Game over – or so most of the home supporters thought! However, with the Warks reply at 18-2 off 6 overs (sound familiar?) it was soon very much game on – and what a battle it proved to be. 

Ian Curtis’ left arm spin first accounted for Mike Weir – well stumped by Jerry Senior – and then Graham Nelson removed the dangerous Abid Din caught by Dave Warner at mid-off.

Richard Jackson (29) and Phil Clarke (23) then steadied the ship and Warks look back on course for a routine win. However, a shooter from Robin Pykett accounted for Jackson when he looked well set and when Clarke went soon after caught in the gulley by Graham Nelson off Curtis, Oxon were not slow to grab the opportunity offered.   

First Steve Partington trapped Chris Layton in front, Jerry Senior then took a fine low catch off Pykett to remove the obdurate Longhorne and Curtis weighed in with his third wicket when he bowled Lowry. Warks at 71-7 were a long way from home with number nine Dave Rogers walking to the wicket.

However, the game swung yet again as Rogers and number eight Steve Dellow – under no time pressure – mixed stout defence with hard run singles and the odd boundary to post the 41 runs required to see the relieved hosts home by three wickets, with just four overs to spare.

For Oxon Ian Curtis showed his class with a superb spell of 3-21 from nine, well backed up by  tight spells from Steve Partington (1-16 ), Robin Pykett (2-30) and Graham Nelson (1-23). 

Next week the 2nds are at home to Leicestershire at Banbury XX CC, when a win will be imperative to keep in touch with division leaders Worcestershire and maintain the gap between themselves and third placed Warwickshire.

There was better news for the 1st XI as they sought to return to winning ways against Berkshire at Challow and Childrey CC, where they were comfortable victors by seven wickets, despite having to chase down 217 for 7 by the visitors who won the toss and chose to bat.

Berks skipper Jim Warren lead from the front with a fine 56 from just 41 balls and was well supported by Chris Garrod (28) and John Bates (28), with Bates and Warren posting 79 for the third wicket.

With the ball for Oxon, Steve Roberts returned another remarkable spell conceding just 16 runs form his nine overs, while top wicket taker was off spinner Rupert Taylor with 4-63.

In reply the hosts winning total was anchored by Darryl Woods with another peerless display at the top of the order, making 88 from 87 balls in 137 minutes at the crease. He posted 77 with Nick Mormon (19) for the first wicket, 40 with Charlie Anderson (16) for the second and 78 with Paul Hemming (31 not out) for the third. Nick Edmondson (20 not out) then saw Oxon home with Hemming.

The 1sts remain top of the south east midlands division but next week have a tough away trip to Watford Town CC where they take on second placed Hertfordshire.

The 3rds made the long trip to Wembley CC to take on Middlesex shorn of a number of their regular players, including skipper Clive Ricks. However, the new faces stepped up to the plate under stand-in skipper Ajit Shah and made a decent fist of a mammoth chase after the hosts won the toss and opted to bat.

Giles Elwis (53) and Jay Villiers (59) put on 114 for the first wicket before both were bowled in quick succession by Mike Simpson who with 2-31 from nine overs was the pick of the Oxon bowlers, well backed up by David Brook’s 0-30 from nine.

However, the rest of the bowling card made for difficult reading as Chris Chunilall (48) and Peter Berg (76) piled on the runs, with the Middlesex total finally topping out at 263-3.

Undeterred the Cropredy pairing of Ralph Orchard and Adrian Beecroft set about the Oxon  chase with a nice steady start before Beecroft departed for 20 with the total on 35. Ajit Shah then joined Orchard and the pair kept the visitors very much in the hunt with a superb stand of 132 for the second wicket before Orchard retired hurt for a very gutsy 53 from 77 balls. 

Shah then went on to play a captains knock of 75 before he departed at 178. However Mike Simpson with 38 not out kept up the pressure on the Middlesex bowlers ably assisted by Chris Butcher (19) and Simon Oldfield (14 not out). However the home sides 263 was still well out of reach when the Oxon innings closed at 243 for 3.  

Despite this being their second defeat in successive games this was another fine fighting performance by the 3rds. Next week the team is at home to Berkshire at the Brasenose College ground in Oxford when, like their colleagues in the 2nd XI, a return to winning ways is essential to maintain their push to qualify for the cup rather than the plate competition.

The joint Oxs/Berks Over 70s 1st XI was away this week, when they travelled to Frocester CC in Gloucestershire, where they unfortunately ran in to two batsman in prime form and subsequently went down to a nine wicket defeat.  

Oxs/Berks won the toss and chose to bat after which the side compiled a very respectable 211 for 7 from their 45 overs.

The innings was built around two stalwarts of the Oxfordshire game, with Steve Partington opening the innings and scoring 59 from 93 balls before retiring undefeated with a lower leg injury, while batting at four, Adrian Manger rattled up a run a ball 51 before falling lbw. 

For Gloucs Graham Clarke was the pick of the bowlers with 3-40 from nine overs, well backed up by John Turton with a tight opening spell of 2-28 from nine.

However, it was the host’s batsman who really caught the eye as the home side made very light work of a 200 plus run chase, which should have been no surprise given their pedigree!

Openers John Evans and Keith Daniels are both current England Over 70s internationals and Evans is the current England captain. Both were soon into their work and scoring freely despite a very tight spell from Oxs/Berks’ own England player Trevor Spindler who only conceded 17 runs from his opening spell.

Now also missing Partington’s bowling, the remaining Oxs/Berks bowlers were unable to offer any tangible threat to the host’s opening pair until the 27th over when Evans was eventually bowled by Ian Harvey, during which time they piled up a huge opening stand of 153, of which Evans made a run a ball 92. 

Daniels then pushed on with new batsman David Collinson (25 not out), and took the hosts through to the win with seven overs to spare, eventually finishing on 78 not out.

Next week the Oxs/Berks Over 70s travel to Keynsham CC near Bristol where another tough away game awaits against Somerset.