Knockers Vs Old Oaks

Lose :: Played on Friday 7th July 2023

Knockers
136-8

Old Oaks
137-4

Match Report

A Knockers side gathered on a Vine ground gently baking in summer sun. Those that once played with Trounce were in greater numbers this year and the confusing manner of defeat would have been recognisable to the much missed man.

Knockers took the bold step of having four captains, one of which won the toss and put us in to bat. Oli played himself in before accelerating towards retiring. Guido played himself in. James picked out some lusty blows. Guido played himself in. With a tour to Stratford-Upon-Avon fast approaching, Guido took the opportunity to run through Shakespeare’s Cymbeline via the medium of cricket, a problem play indeed, festooned with dot balls, but merely a prelude to greater tragedy to come.

Scott upped the running urgency, mainly off his pads, before succumbing, bringing debutant Browning to the stage and he and Mitchell got us up and running with several big sixes shaking up the scoreboard.

Mitch got caught and JT carried on the assault as Knockers gained impetus with time running out. With the pair having to retire on 25, the pressure of getting the most from the remaining overs saw early demises for Luke, Kuts and Ziggy while Freddie executed a very early ramp shot in front of the stumps with aplomb, unfortunately it was with his pad.

Jonah fell swinging and Oli and Ben returned to ensure Knockers still had a pulse. 136-8.

Four overs into Old Oaks’ response, they were 2-2. Focus fell upon their MCC representatives in Pearson and Bowden but the run-rate looked a tall order following Jonah and Ben’s twenty four balls of near perfection, Ben picking up two clean bowled.

Freddie took over from Jonah. The ball trundled wide of mid-on. What was this beacon of light moving towards its trajectory? The supple ankle bent before gravity outbid muscle as the knee furrowed so deep into the ground that crows did gather in anticipation of scattered seed to follow. Then twenty years of lager failed to cushion an ensuing blow to a rib he had no need to spare, having brought along a girlfriend on the evening. The dive complete, the countdown began, our man had an instant self-diagnosis that went uncorroborated by JT’s medical professional better-half and he was out of the game. And so Mrs Guido welcomed her hero unto tattooed bosom where upon he did prepare his speech - would it capture this pivotal moment towards Knockers decline? Undoubtedly. The ball was stopped but the cost was our morale.

Ziggy battled with the ball at the other end to Freddie but with only the seam offering grip the pair had difficulty containing a well oiled, in more than one sense, Old Oaks middle order. The gaps felt like they grew ever bigger as various captains moved the troops into increasingly funky formations attempting to stem the tide.

Kuts and Luke created chances and were unfortunate on several appeals with only one wicket going to Christian. The return of Jonah, Ben and Freddie looked to stem the flow, but it proved too much to prevent an odd defeat, despite a tidy catch by Oli off the edge from Freddie’s twirlers to give a glimpse of what might have been. Marsh family stock has never been higher as we rumble on to Locksbottom.

The speech? The Bard rests easy but Trounce was rightly toasted. Fear no more the heat o’ the sun our absent friends.

 

Batting

Batsman	How Out	4s	6s	Runs
Oli Boreham	not out	5	0	32
Guy Howe	caught	0	0	5
James Mitchell	caught	2	0	17
Scott Landers	bowled	0	0	4
Ben Browning	not out	4	1	28
James Thompson	not out	4	0	26
Luke Stevens	bowled	0	0	2
Christian Kutner	bowled	0	0	0
David Bowen	caught	1	0	8
Freddie Young	lbw	0	0	0
Jonah Munday	caught	0	0	1

 

Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts
Jonah Munday	4.0	1	12	0
Ben Browning	3.0	1	18	2
Freddie Young	4.0	0	33	1
David Bowen	4.0	0	35	0
Christian Kutner	2.0	0	17	1
Luke Stevens	2.0	0	19	0