On the hottest weekend of the year so far, Oxford Cricket Club were hard at work. Five of the senior sides were in action, with four wins and two losses to show for their efforts.

On Saturday, the Men’s 1st XI hosted Thame Town at Jordan Hill in the Home Counties Premier Cricket League. For the third week running, captain Jack Wilkins lost the toss, with the visitors choosing to field first. After losing Julian Laird for a duck, wicket-keeper Josh Towell and Gaajuran Ganagabalan, fresh from his century last week, shared a 53-run partnership as the Thame bowlers toiled in the heat. Towell (33) and Ganagabalan (39) were both dismissed to bring together Jack Hobbs and Finn McKeown, who combined for 104 as each made fine half-centuries. Some late hitting from Saqlain Choudhary, who hit an unbeaten 44 from 20 balls, propelled Oxford to 282/7 from their fifty overs.

In reply, openers Evan Cowley and Farid Butt got off to a fast start, adding 46 inside seven overs, before the latter was removed by Wilkins. Cowley continued on his way, and was supported by Ubaid Kiani (71), making a fabulous century, before finally being removed by Brad Taylor for 103. Kiani was also removed, to leave Thame 235/4, still needing 48 from the next 56 balls. What happened next was a remarkable fightback from the hosts, taking five wickets for 37 runs in the next eight overs. Laird claimed three, with Wilkins picking up two more, and one for Dylan Swanepoel. This left Thame needing 11 runs from the final eight balls, with only one wicket in hand. An assured final over from Laird only went for three, meaning Oxford emerged victorious by six runs.

Speaking after the game, Wilkins praised the resilience and character of the side, as they made it three wins from three to start the season:

”The group just getting stronger and stronger every week, very good positive signs with new people standing up every week is exciting times. Runs from Gaaj & Josh gave us a steady start after losing an early wicket.

Finn & Hobbsy with a huge partnership taking us all the way ready for the big man Saq to go in a hit a rapid 44 in the last few overs.

Not the best start with the ball but the lads all stuck together after some good batting from the Thame batters. Sticking together and coming through with the win in the last over really showed how good the lads stuck together and didn’t give! Great day out and a great game of cricket in the heat.”

Elsewhere on Saturday, the Men’s 2nd XI travelled to Great & Little Tew for their Cherwell Cricket League encounter. Stand-in captain Arthur Muir called incorrectly and Oxford were inserted. Openers Muir and Lee Marland made a watchful start, before Muir (10) was dismissed. Marland kept going, finding support in Alfie Smethurst (19), on his way to his second half-century in his first three innings for Oxford, making 73. After Marland was dismissed, only Patrick Smith (12) and tailenders Rohan Hariharan (11) and Charlie Lawn (15*) made double figures, as Oxford slipped from 141/3 to 209 all out.

Hariharan struck in the Powerplay, while wicket-keeper Mahammad Sayyed demonstrated some impressive glovework to complete a stumping off the quick bowling of Lawn, who himself collected two wickets. Smethurst also took one wicket, to reduce Tew to 82/4. Muir (4-12) and Mukul Mahesh (2-20) blew away the middle and lower order, bowling out Tew for 116, a win by 93 runs.

After the game, Muir was keen to praise the performance of Marland for holding together the batting innings, and Sayyed for his tidy glovework:

”A much needed the win after starting the season with two matches which we really should have won!

After being stuck in I feared the worst that he knew something I didn’t! But a superb innings from Lee gave us a great opportunity to get our first 25 points of the season. Which we did with ease in the end. Cracking keeping display from Sayyed and a few burgled wickets from the stand-in skipper. Looking forward to welcoming back Richard next week to keep the momentum building.”

The Men’s 3rd XI were also on the road, travelling to Stokenchurch in the Cherwell Cricket League. Captain Steve Hurt called correctly and asked his hosts to bat first. This decision paid immediate dividends, as opening bowler Mamun Ahmed removed both openers to reduce Stokenchurch to 5/2. A quick 52 from 59 balls from I Mohammed brought the hosts back into the game, as wickets were shared around Albert Brown (1-37), Bert Odley (2-38), and Arshad Siddiq 2-22). The innings was wrapped up by Tom Tebay (2-9), as Oxford were set 175 to win.

A top order collapse saw the side lose Emilia Bartram, last week’s match-winner Ali Shah, and Ross Buchanan for ducks, finding themselves 10/3. Hurt himself made 30, while Nugith Jayawarna got stuck in for 48, as wickets fell around him. Following Jayawarna’s dismissal, Oxford were 119/6 and looking beaten. However, Tebay, who made an unbeaten 61 for the Men’s 4th XI last weekend, wasn’t giving up, hitting three fours and two sixes on his way to 54. Last pair Brown and Siddiq needed fourteen from sixteen balls to top off a remarkable comeback, but fell five runs short as Oxford were bowled out for 169.

Hurt was encouraged by the side’s ability to compete in the league this season, highlighting the close contests so far this season:

“Another strong team performance in the field, with the wickets shared around, set up a manageable chase. A top order collapse put us on the backfoot but then excellent knocks by Nugith and Tom got us agonisingly close to the target. Three tight finishes in a row are not good for my stress levels!”

Finally, the Men’s 4th XI hosted East & West Hendred at Marston Sports Ground to wrap up the Saturday action. Captain Richard Pye, like Wilkins, kept up his 0% success rate with the coin toss, and the visitors chose to bat first. The captain himself made the first breakthrough, as Chandru Lakshminarayanan took a sharp catch at short fine leg in what was his first appearance for the Club since 2023. Opening bowler Matty Wyatt showed impressive stamina and persistence, bowling all nine of his overs in one spell in the heat to finish with 1-33. The ever-dependable Alf Symons followed suit, claiming 1-23 from his own nine-over spell, as runs looked hard to come by. Standout figures came from the off-spin of Jack Beadsworth (3-9), while Arthur Parrack also claimed a wicket. For Hendred, Billy Woodcock dug in for a stubborn 26* from 67 balls, as Akmal Taheer continued his impressive start to life as an Oxford player, claiming 2-12 as Hendred were bowled out for 144.

In reply, a new-look opening partnership of Lakshminarayanan and Parrack combined for 34, before the latter was run out, courtesy of a direct hit by Barney Bosley, for 9. Lakshminarayanan made 30, while there was a quick-fire 31 from Andy Smith, but Oxford stumbled to 87/7. Wicket-keeper Max Baldock (20) offered hope, but Oxford were eventually bowled out for 122, a loss by 22 runs.

Pye rued what might have been, but was proud of the effort of the team in the heat:

“Another lost coin toss, on the hottest day of the year so far, bowling first - again! Generally a good day with the ball: Jack, Matty, and Alf all bowled 9 overs straight - superb effort in today's heat - with Jack returning 3 for 9 off his 9, whilst Akmal's death-over bowling continues to impress.

The opposition bowled well, consistently putting our batting under pressure. Chandru looked great with the bat, despite a very sore thumb (sustained from a sharp catch taken in the 7th over) and three years since his last game, providing a solid start with Arthur Parrack. Andy and Max were also able to bat with real intent at times. Almost all the batters probably felt like we left runs out there, despite the pressure. The opposition (now top of the table) were more than relieved to come away with a win. Good game of cricket though - looking forward to Challow and Childrey 3s away next week. Maybe I'll even win the toss!“

On Sunday, with no fixture for the Women’s 1st XI, the Women’s 2nd XI were the only side in action, hosting Deddington in a Super Eights Double-Header at Jordan Hill. Despite the hosts only having six players, and therefore having to officially concede the matches, the games went ahead anyway. In the first game, captain Finn Aston invited the visitors to bat first, as they made a net score of 315 in the pairs contest. There were no wickets for the Oxford bowlers, but Imaan Hassan and Maria Ababi each bowled an economical spell of 0-17 from their four overs.

With the bat, Alishba Hussain led the way with 20, while Ruby Wilkie made 11, and Aston (batting left-handed due to a finger injury) made 8 as Oxford finished on a net score of 277 from their sixteen overs.

In the second game, Aston won the toss again and chose to bat this time around. Wilkie was again in good form, hitting 20, while Flora Alexander made 9, and Ababi made 8, as Oxford finished on a net score of 272.

In reply, the bowlers again went wicketless as Deddington finished on a net score of 292.

Aston was keen to highlight the good day out had by all in the sunshine:

“Despite injuries hampering the squad, Oxford CC 2s managed to put out two teams for eight-a-side cricket on Sunday. The match saw some great cricket all round. Special mentions to Maria bowling brilliantly in the first match, Ruby who wicket kept and bowled on the day, Rosalyn Porter for a great performance in the field and scoring runs. Despite the heat the team stuck together and the energy in the field was fantastic.”

Next week, there is midweek action as the Exiles side host Sunningwell at Marston Sports Ground for a T20 friendly on Wednesday night, while the Oxfordshire Cricket Board Hundred Competition kicks off, with the Women’s 1st XI travelling to Oxford Downs on Friday night. On Saturday, the Men’s 1st XI travel to Wargrave, while the Men’s 2nd XI host Didcot at Jordan Hill. The Men’s 3rd XI are also at home, hosting Kimble at Marston Spirts Ground. The Men’s 4th XI visit Challow & Childrey to wrap up the action. On Sunday, the Women’s 1st XI are back in action, travelling to Binfield in the Home Counties Women’s Cricket League, while the Women’s 2nd XI travel to Stony Stratford for the final round of Super Eights Double-Headers.