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.

Oxfordshire Cricket are delighted to announce the appointment of Max Mannering as the new captain of multi-day cricket ahead of the 2024 National Counties Cricket Association (NCCA) Championship season. Max has been a key member of the red ball team over the last five years, and will be aiming to build upon the success of the Championship side in recent years in his leadership role. Max succeeds Oliver Clarke who has relinquished his red ball captaincy responsibility. 

Oxfordshire Cricket would like to congratulate Max Mannering on his appointment and wish him every success in his new role as captain of the championship side. 

Reacting to his appointment Mannering said: 

“Having been part of the Oxfordshire pathway for the past 17 years, it is an absolute honour to be offered the Oxfordshire NCCA Championship XI captaincy. 

What Oxfordshire have built over the past 5-10 years alongside our partnership with Sussex, is a fantastic talent factory of young players, which, alongside some experienced heads, has created a squad of players with strength in depth in all departments. I firmly believe we have the talent and the quality to replicate the successes of the 2021 side and win the NCCA Championship, as will be our ultimate goal.

As Oxfordshire captain, you become a custodian of the brand of cricket played by the county, so a huge thanks must go to previous captains, Jonny Cater and Olly Clarke, for imparting a fantastic culture and a work ethic into the squad that will allow me to pick up the baton where they’ve left off and carry forward an ethos where ego and individualism is set aside at the changing room door and every one of us is proud to play together, as a unit, for the badge on our chest.

Overall I’m incredibly excited to work closely with the squad and the management over the coming months and honoured to lead Oxfordshire into battle, in what we hope will be a special 2024 and beyond.“

Head Coach, Rupert Evans said: 

“Congratulations to Max on his appointment as 3-day Championship Captain. Max is a product of the Oxfordshire Pathway programme, having played at every age group from Under 11s to Under 18s. Max made his County Championship debut against Wiltshire at Marlborough CC in 2018 following many good performances for the County 2nd X1 side. Since his debut, Max has developed into an outstanding off-spinner who has produced many match-winning performances for the county.

Max is well respected by his teammates and opponents and has gained captaincy experience as captain of Exeter University and the County 2nd X1. I am pleased he has accepted the opportunity to succeed Oliver Clarke and look forward to supporting him in his new role.”

It’s 300 hundred up for the unbeaten Over 60s 2ndXI

But it’s a ‘bad day at the office’ for the 1sts, 3rds and both Over 70s XIs

Andy Haynes’ Over 60s 2nd XI enjoyed a thumping win by 148 runs over Lincolnshire this week by piling up 301 for 5 after winning the toss and electing to bat at Shipton under Wychwood.

Opener Ivan Mulford – who had perished third ball last week – led the way with 82 from just 69 balls in a mammoth opening stand of 151 with skipper Haynes who himself posted 72 from 68.

Even quicker however was stand in keeper Tim Riley who made an undefeated 72 from just 51 balls in a partnership of 78 with Dave Warner (24) for the fifth wicket. Ian Fletcher was the pick of the Lincs bowlers with 3-53 from nine.

The Lincs reply go off to a shaky start when Jon Woods had Andy Sharp lbw for 1, but Cliff Adwick (46) Clive Bayston (19) and Chris Bealby (21) batted steadily to see the visitors through to 83 for 2, after which three wickets went down for the addition of only 16 runs, which left the lower order with a mountain to climb and the innings closed on 153 for 7.

The pick of the Oxon bowlers was Robin Pykett who send down nine overs of his left arm spin for just 22 runs and two wickets, well supported by Steve Partington with 2-46 from nine and Steve Kelly with a customary tight spell of 1-14 from nine.

Next week the 2nds take on Warwickshire away at Sutton Coldfield.

The 1st XIs five match unbeaten record finally came to an end when they came up short away from home against their bogey side Northamptonshire in a low scoring game at Podington CC, during which they looked well in control for most of the game. 

Northants won the toss and elected to bowl first on what has now become the norm for the 2024 season – a low, slow, green seaming track. The Oxon top three of Wood (18) Mormon (30) and Anderson (18) once again battled through the new ball and looked to have again set up the middle order to press on.

However, instead two quick wickets saw the visitors slip to 81 for 5 before Steve Roberts (20) Phil Manger (13) and Phil Manning (15) stopped the slide, but not before Manning injured a finger that looks likely to keep him on the sidelines for the next couple of games.

In what looked set to be a very low scoring game Oxon were eventually bowled out for 138 in 36 overs with nine wickets down due to Manning’s injury.

For Northants – who at tea looked well in control of the game – Andrew Brierley with 4-44 and Karl Peasnall 3-28 – took seven of the nine wickets to fall.

In the second innings early strikes by opening bowlers Tim Mahoney and Steve Roberts had the hosts’ openers back in the pavilion with just 15 on the board, both lbw. And it rapidly got worse as Roberts sent back Timms and Denton both for 0 before Mahoney struck again and removed Coleman – again lbw – for just 13 to leave Northants reeling on 35 for 5. 

Game over surely! Not so. Northants numbers six and seven Andrew Brierley and Mark Pearson then proceeded to turn the game on its head yet again with a stand of 102 on a pitch that prior to their arrival at the crease had seen 14 wickets fall at less than 13 runs apiece.

Brierley compiled a patient 46 from 105 balls, while Pearson made a fine 52 from 78, which took the hosts to within two runs of an unlikely win before both were dismissed in a final ironic twist that saw Northants eventually win by three wickets.

Next week the firsts are hopefully back to winning ways at ‘fortress Challow’ when they entertain Berkshire.

And there was no shortage of drama in the 3rds game at Minster Lovell against Somerset where for the second time this season just one run decided the result. Sadly unlike the match against Gloucestershire, Oxon this time finished on the wrong side of that vital single. 

Somerset won the toss and elected to bat on a low, slow track that looked bowler friendly. However, Somerset opener Andy Carson soon made nonsense of that notion and proceeded belt the hosts bowling to all parts of the ground in compiling a muscular 84 in good time, which with good support from Steve Pigden (23) and Kevin Dornan (20) saw the visitors to a very healthy 192 all out in the 45th over.

Of the home sides bowlers only Mike Simpson 2-32 from nine overs and Ajit Shah 4-25 from 8 returned anything like respectable figures. 

In reply Oxon were again indebted to Shah for holding the top order together with a gritty 46 as wickets fell around him and the hosts slipped to 87 for five as Mike Simpson was joined by Simon Oldfield.

The pair then counterattacked with a combination of hard run singles and judicious hitting to compile a stand of 76 which put Somerset on the back foot as they looked to cruise home with the match seemingly all but won.

Oldfield eventually went lbw for 47 with 29 still required and Simpson was then joined by keeper Peter Howe. Together the pair manipulated the strike and scampered their singles until the final ball when, needing three to win, a well struck cover drive by Simpson could only find one of the five fielders Somerset had ringing the boundary to deliver the win by a single run. 

Simpson was left high and dry on 59 not out. A great knock that deserved to be in a winning cause. You win some, you lose some. 

It was a fighting performance in the end by the 3rds but Somerset were all round the better side on the day – just! Next up the team travels to London to take on Middlesex at Wembley CC. 

At the start of the week the Oxfordshire Over 70s played hosts to Hertfordshire in the South West Friendly Cricket League at Kidmore End’s CC’s Crowmarsh ground.

This was another low scoring affair in which most batsmen struggled to play their strokes thanks to the current wet weather that makes for slow bowler friendly wickets.

However, when Oxon won the toss and elected to field the Herts opening pair of Keith Hammond and Dominic Ingram immediately put the visitors in control with a fine opening stand of 56 in just seven overs.

The home sides four man spin attack then wrested back some semblance of control when Simon Oldfield removed Ingram, while Suresh Patel closed up one end with a fine spell of 2-18 from nine overs. 

Skipper Dave Beck weighed in with a sound 1-28 from eight, while the left arm leg spin of Hugo Ritson Thomas was once again the pick of the bowling with 3-18 from eight, leaving Herts on 166 for 7 from their 40 overs.

The Oxon chase didn’t get off to the best of starts by losing their first wicket with just two on the board shortly after which Nick Warry was forced to retire with a shoulder injury when the score was on 12, which was not added to before the second wicket also went down.

Opener Simon Oldfield was then joined by Howard Voisey and the pair then batted without further alarms to put Oxon in pole position at 83 for 3 with just under half the overs left to get the remaining runs.

Oldfield looked well set to steer Oxon home but couldn’t find a partner to stay with him after Voisey went for 21. The next five wickets then fell for just 25 runs and Oldfield eventually perished as the ninth man down for 59 as he looked for quick runs with the tail in to swing the result in favour of the hosts, who were eventually dismissed 24 runs short of their target.

All the Herts bowlers performed well with openers Ingram and Geoffrey Bassill only conceding 42 runs between them, while John Scott and Jeffrey Permutt, shared six wickets in ripping the heart out of the Oxon middle order to swing the game in the visitors favour.

Next week Dave Beck’s side entertain Worcestershire at Horley as they look to get back to winning ways.

And finally the joint Ox/Berks Over 70s XI were frustrated to find their game again falling victim to the weather, particularly as they had worked hard and put themselves in a good position at tea in their home game against Middlesex at Peppard Stoke Row CC’s ground near Reading.

Acting home captain Steve Partington was asked to bat by Middlesex when they won the toss. Ox/Berks’ top five batsman all made double figure contributions with Jerry Senior top scoring with 46, closely followed by Ian Harvey on 39, seemingly setting up a platform for what should have been a 200 plus total.

However, the visitor’s pegged Oxs/Berks back in the final third of the innings thanks to a fine spell of  bowling by Mike Stafford who took 3-35 from his nine overs, backed up Steve Maloney with 0-22 from his nine, leaving the hosts on 188 for 7 at tea.

But as has so often been the case this season the rain had the final say and not a ball was bowled after tea and what was set up to be a good contest eventually had to be abandoned.

Next week the joint Ox/Berks Over 70s XI make the journey to Frocester for the away game against Gloucestershire, in the hope of better weather.

This book tells the stories of the most significant professional cricketers from the Oxford area over the last 200 years. Written by Michael Stimpson, the former Abingdon cricketer, it is well researched and includes some fascinating accounts of both cricketers and those related to the game such as bat and ball makers and groundsmen. The 19th century saw players such as the underarm bowler Peter Bancalari, round arm bowler David Burrin, and the legendary “Brusher” Rogers. At the start of the 20th Century Elmer Cotton, the founder of the famous sports shop carrying his name,  is included alongside former Test players George Brown and Johnny Arnold and Oxfordshire’s great all-rounder Charlie Walters. More recently players such as Tim Hancock, Rob Cunliffe, and Jack Brooks feature and there is a chapter on Oxfordshire’s Head Coach Rupert Evans. The book concludes with mention of the current set of Oxfordshire qualified players now with first-class counties.

I thoroughly recommend this book as, in addition to the most interesting stories about the people involved, it gives an excellent insight into the development of cricket in and around Oxford over the last 200 years.

To purchase a copy it can be obtained directly from Michael Stimpson at a price of £14, email [email protected] or phone 07484284431.

Oxfordshire Cricket are pleased to announce the twelve-man squad selected to play against Berkshire in the fourth and final match in Group 3 of the National Counties Cricket Association (NCCA) One Day Trophy this coming Sunday 16th June 2024 at Falkland Cricket Club. 

There are five changes to the Oxfordshire squad that beat Cornwall by 20 runs at Banbury Cricket Club last weekend, but remains consistent at an average age of just over 22. There are two enforced changes to manage workloads, with both Zach Lion-Cachet and Seb Stuart-Reckling resting ahead of multi-day games for Sussex 2nd XI and Surrey 2nd Xi respectively. Despite a maiden fifty last weekend, Tristan Rossouw misses out on selection along with Max Mannering with the available again, Tom Hinley and Henry Welch returning to the side. George Tait is included in the One Day Trophy squad for the first time this season having missed the earlier matches owing to University demands. George Ealham and Luke Maslen, who both featured in round two against Devon are available again with the latter recovering fully from injury.

The selected twelve-man squad listed is subject to any changes before now and Sunday morning. 

Dated – 14th June 2024

Oxfordshire Cricket is pleased to announce the 12 player squad to play against Cornwall and Dorset on Sunday 16th of June at Wimborne CC.

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

Seniors’ Group teams just keep on winning!

Oxon Over 70s cruise to ten wicket win, while 1sts and 2nds are also victorious

Dave Beck’s Oxfordshire Over 70s side made the short trip to local rivals Warwickshire this week and returned home with an impressive 10 wicket win, in their latest outing in the South West Friendly Cricket League. 

The hosts won the toss and elected to bat at the picturesque Alscot Park ground just outside Stratford upon Avon.

However, it was the visitors’ opening bowlers Colin Houseman and Errol Masters who caught the eye. Left armer Houseman removed both openers before the total reached 28 in a spell of 2-13 from eight overs while Masters tied up the other end with a fine spell of 0-20 from eight. 

Brian O’Sullivan battled hard to take Warks to a more respectable 66 for 4 before he was run out for 19 by Hugo Ritson-Thomas, whose left arm chinamen proved even more effective than his fielding, when returning figures of 3-19 from eight. 

And it was spin all the way to the finish as – off spinner Suresh Patel (2-9 from eight) and skipper Becks, left arm orthodox (1-36 from eight) – contained the hosts to a modest 102-9 from their 40 overs, with extras top scoring on 24.

In reply Oxfordshire’s openers Adrian Beecroft and Tim Gush made light work of the chase, taking just 26 overs to knock off the runs required. Beecroft was in particularly belligerent form hitting 10 fours in his total of 61 not out off 89 balls, while Gush provided excellent support in rotating the strike as he made 36 not out from 68 balls.

Warwickshire toiled hard in the field and both Bob Penrose 0-17 from seven and Clive Powers 0-24 from eight, both returned respectable figures among the six bowlers used.

Next up for the unbeaten Over 70s is a home game against Hertfordshire at Kidmore End CC’s ground at Crowmarsh near Wallingford. 

In contrast to the Over70s the Over 60s 1st XI won their game against Buckinghamshire at Banbury CC, by the ‘barest of margins’ – with apologies to Kiwi cricket commentator, Ian Smith. 

Chasing 216 to win Phil Manger’s team were well placed at 211-6 when the heavens opened with just seven balls left in tight match in which both sides were at times well in control of affairs. The rain proved too heavy to resume play and the hosts won by four wickets wickets by virtue of being two runs ahead on the Duckworth Lewis calculation when play was called off for the day.

Oxon won the toss and asked Bucks to bat in damp drizzly conditions, but it was the visitors who were soon in control as the Oxon bowlers struggled to grip an increasingly wet ball, and the fifty partnership was posted in just 12 overs for no loss, with Steve White striking the ball crisply on both sides of the wicket on his way to a fine 50. He was well supported by Michael Farnon as they took the score to 108 in the 25th over and Bucks looked well in control before two superb stumpings by Oxon keeper Phil Manning, brought the home side back into the game as the visitors slipped to 114 -5.

Paul’s Hemming’s offspin was proving difficult to get away and with figures of 3-33 he looked to have wrestled the advantage back towards Oxon. However, 40 from Gary Hales (father of Alex of Notts and England) with good support from tailenders Brian Shipley and Denzil Owen saw Bucks through to a par score of 216.

The Oxon openers again had to work hard to see off the new ball and both Daryl Woods and Nick Mormon got into double figures before both fell to Sharath Jetty (2-25) before the score had reached 30. Again Bucks looked in control.

But Charlie Anderson (46) and Paul Hemming (72) had other ideas. The two put on 94 for the third wicket and Oxon were well and truly back in the game, before two quick wickets restored the knife-edge balance of the game again.

Hemming continued to score freely but his partners were struggling. Enter Steve Roberts who had earlier produced yet another miserly opening spell with the ball of 0-20 from nine. However, with the bat his counter attacking 35 off 24 balls proved to be the match winning support that Hemming needed to get Oxon ahead of the D/L when the rain that had threatened all day finally ended the match seven balls short of its scheduled 90 0vers.

Next week the1sts are looking to maintain their unbeaten run when they travel to Podington CC near Rushden, where they take on Northamptonshire.

Andy Haynes’ 2nd XI finally got on to the field this week against Bucks seconds and even after three weeks of in action due to the weather they still managed a very good away win. Needless to say they still had to battle the elements as heavy drizzle fell during the majority of the day’s play.

Bucks won the toss and elected to bat and were soon piling on the runs in an opening stand of 114 between Adrian Johnson (69) and Ian Pulsford (61), which was continued when Pulsford eventually fell stumped Neil Megson off the bowling of Steve Partington and Johnson was lbw to Steve Kelly. 

Nigel Field (41) and David Tosell (27) kept the runs flowing and a handsome total looked on the cards, until the visitors bowlers pegged back the scoring rate in the latter half of the contest, with Bucks closing their innings at 227–4 when a something north of 250 had looked well within their grasp earlier in the innings. 

Oxon’s chase did not start well when Ivan Mulford went third ball, but unperturbed skipper Haynes (43) and Mike Howatt (41) posted 58 for the second wicket, which was then moved on to 116 for the third wicket by Howatt and Tom Scrase, before Howatt was dismissed.

Scrase played what looked to a match winning innings with a run a ball 66, and was well supported by new partner, Dave Warner (21) as they compiled a 78 run stand for the 4th wicket which left Oxon just 33 short of their target.

However, they then let the hosts back into the game when the next two batsmen both went for 0 and it was finally left to Steve Partington and Andy Slater to shepherd the visitors home by three wickets and with five overs to spare.

Lincolnshire are the visitors next week in game that takes place at Shipton under Wychwood.

Both the Over 60s 3rd XI and the joint Oxs/Bucks Over 70s 1st XI were without County Championship fixtures this week. Instead – to ensure everyone remains in good form – the two sides played each other over the usual 45 over format at University College, Oxford.

Choosing to bat first on a low, slow wicket with a very damp outfield the 3rds made 162 all out, which was then chased down by the Over 70s with just nine balls to spare in a match that proved to be every bit as competitive and keenly contested as any normal 60/70s County Championship and provided an excellent work out for all those involved. 

And finally……..

Can somebody please fix the weather?!