“Thorn Finds Form

Just in Time for Winter Break”

Match: 10 / 217

Won by 23 runs

Team	Total
FFTMCC	127 - 7
T. Smith 39, D. Emerson 37
Oxford University Press	104 - 4
M. Reeves 1 - 4

It was a rather battered and bruised FFTMCC who arrived at Jordan Hill. Coming off the back of four straight defeats the team were low on confidence, but looking to halt the traditional post tour slump.

Playing evening 20/20 games in September is always a risky business, however sunny(ish) skies and a prompt 5pm start presented a good chance of the game being completed. Captain Moo won an important toss and had no hesitation is electing to bat. The skip’s stated intention has always been to mix things up in the shorter format of the game and he was good to his word here, sending out none too regular openers D. Emerson (37) and J. Hoskins (0).

Hoskins is bowled stepping to leg (to avoid any lbw decision).

After Hoskins’ premature departure Emerson was joined by T. Smith (39). These two batsmen share similar traits. Both promise much and seem to have all the skills necessary to excel “at this level” however recently neither have consistently lived up to their potential. Today was different though and both dude quickly hit their stride, Dave hitting three fours in consecutive balls and Thornton one mighty six. The partnership put on 64 and provided a solid platform to launch into the final nine overs.

T. Smith showcases a textbook cover drive.

It was downhill from there though as D. Edwards (5), C. Roberts (9), N. Hebbes (5) and I. Leggate (0) gave a good impression of an early nineties England team. It was finally left to M. Reeves (3no) and J. Pearson (8no) to briefly protect their averages. Reeves in particular put the emphasis on protection as he chose, in the 19th over, to leave a ball about 18 inches outside off stump. His team mates were very appreciative of his Edwardsesque safety first approach. With 21 extras, a defendable 127 was reached. The big question was, would the skip’s decision to leave himself and Howarth in the hutch be vindicated? Surely he would take a hammering in the press if OUP reached their target.

As the sun began to set over leafy North Oxford, OUP started their innings. In a highly unusual step Hoskins took wicket keeping responsibilities and did a fine job, limiting the hosts to just one bye. After Jake’s MOTM performance last week there is surely no decision to be made on first choice wicky, but Hoskins gives the skip useful alternatives, so long as their surname starts with H and O (that doesn’t include you Howarth).

25p fine – J. Hoskins – impersonating a wicketkeeper.

Pearson (4-0-18-1), Howarth (3-1-5-1) and Reeves (2-0-4-1) limited the hosts to just 29 off the first nine overs and from there they were always struggling to chase the game. During this passage of play Thornton registered his second nomination for champagne moment, taking the most nonchalant of catches – looks great when they come off mate.

OUP’s last realistic hope laid with their danger man C. Heron. He was undone LBW for just 2, by Westmoreland (4-0-19-1) which left our skip revising his calculations of what it would take to beat Hoskins’ season record wicket haul. Games are running out and every wicket counts.

The Jordan Hill bar opens to signal the end of the match.

From there it was left to Hebbes (2-0-15-0), Smith (2-0-13-0) and Leggate (3-0-28-1) to fight it out over the buffet, but the game was by now well and truly up. OUP finished on 104-4 and The MAD registered their first win since 8th August. Despite the on-set of Autumn the light remained good. After the game the two teams met to reflect that season 2010 will soon be a distant memory. Thorn and Emerson will have plenty of time to sit huddled round one bar electric fires through the long, cold, football obsessed winter months and convince themselves that this was no flash in the pan. They really are on the threshold of a searing run of form and season 2011 is bound to bring at least 1000 runs. Hope it keeps you warm boys.

The sun goes down on the final game of the OUP season.

‘Reevsie’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far from the MCC versus Oxford University Press Played at Jordan Hill, 3 September 2010 Far from the MCC won the toss and elected to bat Far from the MCC won by 23 runs Far from the MCC debuts: none

10 / 217 20 over match

Team	Far from the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	D. Emerson	c Hall b Crowcroft	37	(34)	4	-	2-67
2	J. D. Hoskins +	b Elliott	0	(3)	-	-	1-3
3	T. P. W. Smith	b Miles	39	(48)	5	1	4-105
4	D. M. Edwards	b Crowcroft	5	(11)	1	-	3-92
5	C. D. Roberts	b Jackson	9	(8)	1	-	5-110
6	N. J. Hebbes	b Jackson	5	(5)	-	-	6-116
7	I. C. Leggate	b Miles	0	(5)	-	-	7-116
8	M. K. Reeves	not out	3	(5)	-	-	-
9	J. W. Pearson	not out	8	(5)	1	-	-
10	M. T. Westmoreland *
11	I. Howarth
	Extras	(NB5, W11, B5)	21
	TOTAL	(for 7 wickets, 20 overs)	127

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Halliday	4	0	13	0
2	Elliott	4	0	32	1
3	Manley	3	0	28	0
4	Crowcroft	4	0	18	2
5	Miles	3	0	19	2
6	Jackson	2	0	12	2

Team	Oxford University Press
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	Miles	not out	44	(56)	2	-	-
2	R. Halsey	c Smith b Reeves	10	(21)	1	-	1-20
3	C. A. Heron	lbw b Westmoreland	2	(9)	-	-	2-23
4	Edwards	c Edwards b Pearson	18	(18)	1	-	3-67
5	J. Walsh	b Leggate	1	(2)	-	-	4-72
6	R. Crowcroft	not out	16	(14)	2	-	-
7	I. Hall
8	A. Halliday
9	R. Jackson
10	Elliott
11	D. Manley
	Extras	(NB1, W10, LB1, B1)	13
	TOTAL	(for 4 wickets, 20 overs)	104

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Pearson	4	0	18	1
2	Howarth	3	1	5	0
3	Reeves	2	0	4	1
4	Westmoreland	4	0	19	1
5	Hebbes	2	0	15	0
6	Smith	2	0	13	0
7	Leggate	3	0	28	1

MOTM: T. P. W. Smith Champagne Moment: T. P. W. Smith’s maximum over cow Buffet Award: I. C. Leggate’s onion and sage sausages (with rich gravy)

Opposition: V019 / 11 Ground: G013 / 10 Captain: C011 / 42