Having received an email in the week from the OC’s chief protagonist/mincer (Lenny) that Bamville scored 330/4 against a “full strength” Southgate bowling attack (including him if you can believe it), we weren’t too sure what to expect. However, those of us with keen memories will remember 2 seasons ago when we had them all out for 60 odd and knocked the runs off for 1 in quick time – a somewhat different result than that experienced by Mr Stokes and his band of merry men.

Anyway, at 2pm 8 of our 9 available players were at botany bay, with Junkie lost somewhere in the surrounding area traffic. When I went out for the toss I was praying I would keep up my 100% record this season and when it came down tail side up with the oppo calling heads, I immediately chose to bat. There was no way I was fielding first with 9 men in that heat! So, Allan and Mike Knight got us under way in a 40 over game.

The bowling started a little slower than expected and a touch short, but a somewhat uncharacteristically poor pitch (the outfield grass was quite long and the track could have done with another cut that morning) was giving them plenty to feel good about with tennis ball bounce and a few keeping low. Still, Allan managed to whip the first ball of the innings to the fine leg boundary for four, and Mike was getting involved with some delightful cuts and drives taking advantage of the oppo having only 8 men to begin with due to the same traffic Junky was caught in. But, alas, Allan was the first to fall. Deciding to go neither forward nor back to a full straight one, it ricocheted off his knee roll and then clipped the off stump to see us on 15-1. Jo Spencer came out at 3, and began to play some hard strokes through all areas, and he and Mike took us along at around 6 an over. It was a hot day and hard work for the bowlers, and once up to full strength changes were made. But they bowled far too short and played into both batsmen’s hands as the ball disappeared to the boundary on both sides. At the drinks break on 18 overs we were about 90 for 1. But, the old adage of a drinks break leads to a wicket was proven correct again when in the first over back, Mike slashed at a short one and managed to edge it to first slip to depart for 26. Rich Hillman came to the crease next, and after a lovely late cut for four unfortunately managed to edge one that jumped a bit behind. Enter Steve Ringer. Jo was going along nicely and keeping the score ticking over, and Steve was bang out of form with virtually no runs all season. But that was all about to change. After a couple of very unfamiliar defensive shots – I can only assume he’s bought the book “How to stay in and not score runs” by G Boycott this week – he started to unleash the beast. The beast being his oversize, heavy, long handled railway sleeper of a bat! Wielding it like Thor wields his hammer, he smashed several to the boundary before launching one of the biggest sixes I’ve seen over the midwicket boundary down the hill, even clearing a man on the line. With Steve and Jo in good touch the score started to race along. But Jo tried one too many and holed out to Mid off after compiling a hard hitting and well made 56. This saw Ifty join Steve at the crease. He played a very stylish looking innings even though there wasn’t a great deal of contact made with the ball! But it was Steve who was out next. Knowing full well he was on 47, he went for one big hit too many and missed a straight one. However, testament to his hitting, Steve and Ifty put on a partnership of 65 in very little time. Enter me! With only 5 overs to go, the score on 180/5 and Tony and Junky to follow, 200 was the target. Ifty continued to play some great looking shots without really connecting until he was bowled for 13 bringing Junky to the middle. He tried to run me out on an even more suicidal run than any Allan has ever called for (and there have been plenty) until he too was bowled meaning it was down to me and Tony with 11 balls left. We managed to get the score up to 205/7 by the end, thanks in part to a marvellous front foot pull through midwicket from yours truly – only on the request of Rich Hillman who almost commanded that I do so as I made my way to the middle! So, our biggest score of the season helped with some generous bowling and a few extra’s gave us reason to go and have some tea.

Rather strangely though, the tea was not up to its usual botany bay high standards. No meat sambo’s, instead we were “treated” to jam, peanut butter and cheese, with banana’s cut in half and some orange segments!! There wasn’t even a jug of ice cold orange – which lets face it, we all wanted really! Anyway, it all got wolfed down and even Junky managed to get in his full quota of 4 plates.

So, the Bamville innings began with Mike Knight and Junky bowling. Both started well and the Bamville openers looked to play themselves in. It was Junky tho in his 2nd over that got our first wicket. He had the larger of the two batsmen in trouble throughout the over with some toe length deliveries that were just kept out, but it was the slightly shorter ball that got through the defences and Rich Hillman just managed to whip off the bails in time for a well taken stumping. The other opener continued to play well and time his shots, until the vicious in swing and pace from Mike Knight did for him and his middle stump was knocked back. The score was about 40/2 and we had real hope. Fielding with nine men though is not easy, and there are many gaps. The no 3 turned out to be streaky at best and the lucky shots he played always seemed to go where a fielder wasn’t. I came on to replace Junky and bowled a pretty good line although a few too many full tosses and leg side balls were sent down for my liking. Anyway, it was in fact me who got the next wicket. The ball before, their (rather miserable in fact) skipper spanked one back to my left which I got a hand to but failed to hold on. This annoyed me as I hate dropping catches – especially off my own bowling, and it also hurt. So, I followed it up with the effort ball that was far too quick for his big swing and hit his middle stump. This brought a rather portly batsman to the crease, and comparisons between him and Steve “25 years ago” were made! He even hit the ball like Steve, but with perhaps a little more control. Tony came on to bowl, but much unlike him he was not bowling well and Ifty “double wicket over” Islam came on for a couple too. But, last week’s heroics could not be repeated and he even went for 17 in his second over. This prompted me to make another change and give Allan a bowl – even though the 32 he went for in one over a couple of seasons ago was fresh in the memory. That said, his first ball was a treat and only the fact that he bowls so slowly meant he didn’t get a stumping as it took an age and then a bit more to get to rich behind the stumps giving the batsman plenty of time to get in. However, his next five were all scoring balls and he went for 16. Bring back Mike Knight. He was instantly back on form and the run rate slowed somewhat. I then took another wicket – the streaky no 3 in fact – and bowled him with a pearler. We then had a “blatant” caught behind denied off Mike – to be fair, I at short square leg heard nothing, but Mike, Rich and Jo were all convinced and not pleased he didn’t walk. Anyway, we then got a run out and the belief was coming back. I finished my spell and Junky came back to finish his allotment after me – a tough task I know, but he’s the best to do it! Mike finished his 10 overs and Ifty came back on, and managed to get a wicket after Jo held on comfortably at mid wicket. Junky then got the new bat out caught by Mike at mid on, and they were 180-7. Knowing that they had a kid playing, we realized that 1 more wicket may see us back in it, but alas it was not to be as their large no 5 stayed in and they knocked off the runs with only 8 balls remaining.

With only 9 men, this was a great performance with no one going missing and everyone contributing something to a hard fought game. No one less than Steve who scored a bludgeoning 47, and then he burst a blister in the field and was gamely limping about (I thought at the time it was his knee causing him gip) not complaining at all. All the bowlers worked hard in the heat, and we did our best to stem the flow of runs with Mike Knight making several diving saves keeping us in it til the end. However, with 2 players short, its always going to be difficult, and the extra men told in the end. Had we had even one more man, I am confident we would have won, and had it been a bowler it’s a certainty – that’s not even my opinion, its fact! That brings me nicely to the MOM award. Several contenders this week, but I’m giving it to Jo. He managed to keep our run rate ticking over nicely throughout the innings scoring an admirable 50, and then backed it up with some good fielding and a catch to boot, so well done Jo.

So, our 2nd defeat of the season, however many positives to be taken. Steve’s apparent return to form, 200+ runs batting first and superhuman efforts throughout in the field made me a proud captain, so thank you to all who played – those that didn’t have a lot to live up to next time out. Speaking of which, next week sees us go to Turkey Street and the Old Ignatians. They are a new fixture, so no one knows what to expect – unless Lenny has another war story of seasons past and full strength southgate batting line ups skittled for 25 – something I’m sure he will need to get used to come August!

OCCC 205-7, 40 overs (Spencer 56, Ringer 47, Knight 26, Islam 13, Bennett 10*)

Bamville 209-7, 38.4 overs (Shannon 2-30 (9 overs), Bennett 2-46 (10 overs), Knight 1-32 (10 overs), Islam 1-44)

Result: OCCC lost by 3 wickets

Man of the Match: Jo Spencer

Alex Bennett