News and Events

Released on 09 September 2006

With avian cries from the nearby Bird Land filling the air, it was the call of promotion that was firmly on the Oxford players' minds as they travelled to top-of-the-table Bourton Vale for the final game of the season. With 3rd placed Great and Little Tew entertaining 4th placed Leighton Buzzard, second placed Oxford 3rds knew that only a win against Bourton Vale would ensure promotion to Cherwell League Division 5. A resounding victory would have even been enough to clinch the league title. Oxford won the toss and invited the Cotswold club to bat on what appeared to be a good pitch. Opening the bowling, South African seamer Johannes Claassen soon had the home side on the back foot, bowling J. Collett (4) and R Langley for a duck. At the other end, Waqas Ali bowled a consistent spell and claimed the wicket of P. Berry for 8 runs. But it was opener M. Walton who looked the biggest threat for Bourton. Timing the ball well, he was sure to punish any wayward delivery. After a tidy spell, Claassen was replaced by Reg Finch who had some good early LBW shouts turned down. Mohsin Zia, such a key player in Oxford's season, replaced Ali but surprisingly struggled to find his line, so Ed Baldock was brought into the attack. Baldock bowled P. Close for 27 and then had Keyte caught behind. Good catching chances were put down off both Finch and Baldock's bowling but it was Finch who had the breakthrough when he trapped danger man Walton L.B.W. for 99. Jo Claassen came back for a second crack of the whip and claimed the last two wickets after finding some late reverse swing, drawing Bourton's innings to a close in the 49th Over for 195 runs. Reg Finch, who had occupied the lower order for most of the season, opened the batting with Miles Picknett and was soon timing the ball to all corners of the ground before being caught off Alderton's bowling. Batting at three, Ed Baldock hit a towering six over the pavilion but was caught by Walton soon after, becoming Alterton's second victim of the day. James Smith took guard with the score on 41 and once more scored quickly for his 43. Colin Ball was adjudged LBW by the home umpire with Andy Smith following suit. Batting at 7, Jo Claassen shored up what was becoming an increasingly fragile batting attack. James Davis brought an end to spinner Shepherd's spell by hitting 12 off his over, which included a swept six onto the tennis court's fencing. With tight bowling and fading light, the pressure was firmly on the batting side so, in an effort to increase the run rate, Davis miscued a lofted drive and was caught by bowler Hayward for 25. Calleum Biel entered the fold and cultured 11 before being caught off Hayward's bowling so it was left to Jo Claassen and Waqas Ali, under pressure, to hit the winning runs in the 50th over. Oxford 3rds may have lost out on the title chase to Bourton Vale, but the team were duly elated having secured promotion to Cherwell League Division 5. On a pleasing day for both teams, champagne flowed well into the night.