As Spring turns into Summer, the season rolls on for Oxford Cricket Club, with a bumper eight fixtures across seven senior sides, to tallying three victories and five defeats.

The action started on Wednesday night, with the Friendly Exiles XI taking on Sunningwell at Marston Sports Ground. Women’s 1st XI captain Genny Porter was at the helm for this one, as the visitors won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Rhys Whinfrey (17) and Ollie Gamble (18) made a fast start, only to be checked by the impressive off-spin of Cole Parekh, who displayed significant drift and variable bounce off the turf, as he claimed 2-14 from his four overs. The leg-spin of Arthur Parrack also claimed a wicket, bowling Gamble with a terrific googly that ripped back from outside off to take middle stump. A direct hit runout from Taylor Barlow at cover capped an impressive spell in the field for the hosts. The medium-pace of Simon Barnard picked up three wickets, while there was a first recorded scalp since 2022 for James Oates, as Sunningwell finished on 127/8 from their twenty overs.

The Oxford reply got off to a shaky start, as Barlow was LBW for two, and Charles Parrack dug in at the other end. From 26/1, Oxford found themselves 27/5 as Parrack (5), Porter (13), Will Hale (0) and Oates (1) were all dismissed. Bert Odley then took matters into his own hands and began to counter-attack, as wickets continued to fall around him. Parekh was the last wicket to fall, run out for 10, leaving Odley unbeaten on 28 as Oxford finished 85 all out, a loss by 42 runs.

On Friday, the Oxfordshire Cricket Board Women’s Hundred Competition was back, with the Women’s 1st XI kicking off their title defence at Oxford Downs. Captain Genny Porter lost the toss and the side were invited to batt first. Openers Felicity Rae-Welsh and Nerys Garrod negotiated most of the Powerplay before Rae-Welsh fell for 10. Taylor Barlow then joined Garrod and the two didn’t look back, with Garrod finishing on an unbeaten run-a-ball 49 and Barlow 38* from 33 as Oxford finished on 126/1 from their allotment.

The Downs innings got off to a quick start, with 28 runs from the first 17 balls before Eloise Garrod removed Kirsty Dymond for 14. After top-scorer Rosie Grist was removed for 29, Downs collapsed to 60/5, with three wickets for Nell Griffin. There was another for Eloise Garrod, while the leg-spin of Rose Brown also claimed a wicket, plus a runout for Rae-Welsh as Downs finished on 106/7 from their 100 balls, as Oxford emerged victorious by 20 runs.

On Saturday, the Men’s 1st XI kicked off the league action for the weekend, travelling to Wargrave. Captain Jack Wilkins won his first toss of the season and elected to bat first on what he described as a “flat” looking pitch. Openers Julian Laird (34) and Gaajuran Ganagabalan (23) combined for a 63-run opening stand, before both were removed in quick succession. There were handy contributions from wicket-keeper Josh Towell (16), Jack Hobbs (17) and Henry Golding (10) to support the in-form Finn McKeown, who followed up 69 last week with a run-a-ball 73. After McKeown fell with the score on 181, Oxford lost their last four wickets for 24 runs, as they were all out for 205 with three overs still left in their innings.

In reply, there were contributions all the way down the Wargrave lineup, as Rhys Lewis (20), Mayank Gudimetla (38), Isaac Humphrey (29), Toby Greatwood (22), Jayden Barson (42*) and Neal Robinson (32*) all made runs. Raj Kiran Chowdaboyina (3-60) and Dylan Swanepoel (2-14) picked up wickets, but Wargrave cantered home in the thirty-ninth over to inflict a five wicket loss on Oxford, their first of the season.

Back at Jordan Hill, the Men’s 2nd XI were hosting Didcot. Captain Richard Musk was back for this one, but his opposite number won the toss and elected to bat first. Tight bowling from Rohan Hariharan, Mukul Mahesh, and Mark Beer saw Didcot make 79/3 in the twenty-eighth over. What followed was a 116-run partnership between Varun Rohilla (70) and Akash Moolayil, who struck an impressive 71 from only 35 balls. Didcot finished on 261/8 from their fifty overs, while wickets went to Musk (3-55), Charlie Lawn (2-51), Beer (1-3), Hariharan (1-12) and Patrick Smith (1-14).

The reply from Oxford never really got going. Only opener Lee Marland (12) made double-figures in the top six, as Oxford found themselves 33/5 by the end of the Powerplay. Late contributions from Beer (16), Lawn (12) and Mahesh (14) took them beyond 100, but it wasn’t enough, as they were all out for 108 to lose by 153 runs.

Over at Marston Sports Ground, the Men’s 3rd XI were hosting Kimble in Division 6C of the Cherwell Cricket League. Captain Steve Hurt won the toss and inserted the opposition, and the decision looked a good one as Mamun Ahmed (4-30) blew away the top order in a devastating display of fast bowling to reduce Kimble to 26/4. A 60-run partnership between Usman Riaz (25*) and captain Adeel Akram (35) was the most significant contribution, as the off-spin of Muhammad Saqib (4-37) prised out the middle order. There were also wickets for Xander Smith (1-22) and Arshad Siddiq (1-8) as Kimble were all out for 124 inside twenty-five overs.

The run chase started with a fifty-run partnership between Hurt and Tom Tebay, promoted to the top of the order after back-to-back half centuries. Hurt was trapped in front for 31, but Ali Shah (21) kept the momentum going. An unbroken 39-run partnership between Tebay (34*) and Dara Bannerman (20) got Oxford over the line in the twenty-fourth over to win by eight wickets.

Hurt was pleased by the dominant performance during this comprehensive win, that saw the side move into the top half of the league table:

“An exceptional performance in the field set up victory for the 3s. Mamun led the way with 4 wickets with the new-ball before Saqib ran through the middle-order with some clever off-spin bowling. We held some good catches and the energy levels in the field remained high throughout. Tom and I got the innings off to a brisk start and from there solid contributions from Ali and Dara saw us to a comfortable win.”

Finally on Saturday, the Men’s 4th XI travelled to Challow & Childrey for their Division 7B clash. With regular captain Richard Pye consigned to umpiring duties after being injured in training, and stand-in captain Alf Symons running late, Roger Young called correctly and chose to make first use of the batting strip. After losing opener Arthur Parrack for a duck, and Young (2) soon after, opener Dylan Parkinson and Emilia Bartram combined for a 36-run partnership. There were also contributions from Andy Smith (19), Symons (35) and the returning Phillip Evans (25), but the standout performer was Parkinson, who brought up a fine half-century as he made 53. Oxford were bowled out in the forty-second over for 190, which seemed a good score on the day.

In reply, debutant Lewis Drummond took three wickets, while Matty Wyatt (1-29), Bartram (1-22, plus a runout), and Evans (1-36) also chipped in. Akmal Taheer (2-34) removed the tail as Challow & Childrey were bowled out for 164 in the thirty-ninth over, a win by 26 runs for Oxford.

Pye had this to say following the match:

“Wonderful win for the 4s yesterday against a strong Challow and Childrey 3s team. Oxford won the toss and chose to bat (thanks to Roger Young).

Standout batting from opener Dylan Parkinson, scoring 53 off 37 overs. Andy Smith, Alf Symons and Philip Evans all made healthy contributions with the bat, with lots of other starts and Oxford reached 190 by the 42nd over.

Alf then marshalled the troops to a great performance in the field - every bowler took a wicket, with Lewis Drummond in his OCC debut leading with 3 for 31 from his 9 overs of edge-challenging leg spin. Three catches in the field, two catches behind the stumps, and two run-outs (great work from Dan Broughton behind the stumps today) held Challow and Childrey 3s to 164, all out in the 39th over. Wonderful to have Club legend Philip Evans rearrange his schedule to join us this week. Thanks in particular to Alf for stepping in as captain at short notice. Well done all.”

On Sunday, the Women’s 1st XI were back in action after a week off, travelling to Binfield in the Premier Division of the Home Counties Women’s Cricket League. Captain Genny Porter won the toss and invited her hosts to bat first. Opening bowlers Imi Watts and Isla Cutler restricted them to 22 from the Powerplay, before Watts removed Phebe Salter for 12. Porter then claimed the first of what would be three wickets to leave Binfield 31/2. A 63-run stand between Evie Folwell and Jessica Jackson (29) followed, before Jackson was removed by the off-spin of Ridhi Kashyap. Folwell continued on, as wickets continued to tumble, with Nell Griffin, Watts and Porter doing the damage to the Binfield middle order. Folwell was removed for a fine 86, and Lisa Jones was run out by Porter off the last ball of the innings, as Binfield closed on 177/9 from their 40 overs.

In reply, Oxford openers Porter and Taylor Barlow were removed cheaply to leave them 29/2 inside the Powerplay. This brought together Felicity Rae-Welsh and Emilia Bartram in the middle, and the two combined for a 140-run partnership in only seventeen overs. Rae-Welsh fell for 48 with only nine required for victory, as Bartram (84*) and Cutler (3*) saw them over the line to win by seven wickets. The tiara and wand were shared between Rae-Welsh and Bartram for their partnership, while the wooden spoon went to Kashyap.

After the game, Porter was pleased that the team were able to get back to winning ways:

“After some last minute dropouts due to sickness and injury, we played really well and some of the youngsters really stepped up and had a great game. With one of their batters getting a big score, we could have let our heads drop, but didn't and bowled tightly. Then Emilia and Flick had an excellent partnership to take us almost to the line.”

The Women’s 2nd XI were rounding off their Super Eights Double-Headers at Stony Stratford. Captain Finn Aston called incorrectly and Oxford were invited to bat first. Only Aston (23) made a net-positive contribution for the side, while the bowlers went wicketless in a defeat in the pairs game. Due to injuries and a lack of available replacements, Oxford lacked the numbers for the second game to take place, and had to concede the match. Oxford finished the Super Eights season bottom of the six-team table.

Next weekend, the Men’s 1st XI kick off the action, hosting Gerrards Cross at Jordan Hill, while the Men’s 2nd XI travel to Shipton-Under-Wychwood. The Men’s 3rd XI are also on their travels, playing away at Little Gaddesden, while the Men’s 4th XI host Abingdon Vale at Marston Sports Ground. On Sunday, the Women’s 1st XI host Stony Stratford at Jordan Hill, while the Women’s 2nd XI begin their Thirty-Over season by welcoming Deddington to Exeter College Sports Ground.