4th - 6th July

Mike Ireland (veteran seamer and occasional funky tweaker) has negotiated a return to Oxfordshire this year in the hope that we might be able to top last years 2 out of 3 result. Your finalised teams (injuries permitting) and their captains are...

Friday

Charlbury - 6:30

Saturday

Bampton in the Bush - 2:30

Sunday

Holton - 2:30

Sandy Peirson

Although we are staying at the Marlborough Hotel, other drinking establishments may be available(!). We are deeply indebted to the reconnaisance party of Tour Secretary, Chairman and Vice-captain who selflessly braved the depths of mid-winter to sample the pubs of Witney, and reported their findings as follows:

Pictures from the tour have finally been released following extensive doctoring by self-styled paparazzo Paul Henderson, who's managed to extensively Photoshop them to remove most of the crows feet and cellulite...

There's also this stunning unseen footage of what can go wrong when mild-mannered men take up Aunt Sally - let this serve as a warning to the kiddies...

Match Reports

The following Match Reports have been submitted by (some of) the team captains, and are presented in their full unexpurgated glory - any errors and omissions should be referred to the authors(!)

Oxfordshire Tour 2008 - Charlbury CC v Barford CC - Friday 4th July 2007.

Cancelled when Charlbury pulled out on the week of the tour :-(

Oxfordshire Tour 2008 - Bampton In the Bush CC v Barford CC - Saturday 5th July 2007.

There's a VERY LOUD, persistent ringing in my ears as I look up at the fire bell on my hotel room wall, a mere 12 feet away. What lunatic put that infernal device in my room and why is it waking me from my alcoholic slumbers at 4.00 in the morning? Is this a dastardly opposition plot to ruin our sleep before the game or have the joint smoking activities of Richard Jones and Steve Herring really set fire to the place?

The weather forecast was iffy and it had rained in the night but there was some optimism in the camp that some cricket might be possible. Over breakfast I scanned the team sheet and proposed batting order that I had been working on for several months (of course), but the problem presented was more of one in the bowling department where we only seemed to have 5 recognised bowlers. If a couple of bowlers were off song there were few other options available. Richard Jones had kindly offered to drive me to the game but I felt quite nervous about the whole captaincy thing and jabbered incessantly to him about everything and anything. Sorry Richard!

Another minor setback was encountered when the convoy arrived in Bampton - the Morris Clown was shut - panic! Fortunately there was another hostelry open just up the road for our pre-match libations and it had a proper Aunt Sally pitch so Richard was able to explain the nuances of the game to us all. I tried it but, like my bowling, I was wildly inaccurate so settled back to watch Simon and Skip entertain us all to a rousing game that ended with Simon displaying his hidden hooligan tendencies by running around with his shirt half-adrift in a victorious canter. It was all expertly captured by Paul Henderson, the official tour photographer, in a hilarious video now up for viewing on the web.

No food at the pub so we all grabbed what we could from the local shop and headed for Bampton's ground just around the corner. This year the game was to be staged at Bampton's own ground, which looked fine in the sunshine, and not the very dodgy track that was used last year when extras outscored everything else.

I met up with their skipper Richard who had also skippered Bampton last year when we had just sneaked a victory. He did mention they had a 'stronger' line up as we went out to toss but when the coin fell the right way I still decided to field first as bad weather was forecast to be on the way (which it certainly was!) and I thought it might be harder for the side fielding second if the conditions got wet. The one thing that I noticed immediately out in the middle was the strength of the cross wind blowing over the ground and the proximity of the boundary to the leeward side of the ground, so I tried to choose the bowlers ends accordingly. However the Bampton batsmen seemed adept at waiting for the ball on a fairly easy paced wicket and carting it with the following wind over the short boundary.

They certainly knew how to use the wicket and the conditions. Despite rotating my five bowlers, Geordie Watts, Martyn Lilley, Paul Henderson, Simon Hawkins and Mike Ireland from different ends and some commendable fielding, particularly by Chris Prince on the straight boundary who had to suffer the 'encouragements' of his non playing team mates in the pavilion, the Bampton score rose inexorably to 273 for the loss of only 3 wickets by the end of the agreed 35 overs - a mountain to be climbed!

After a good tea the weather indeed started to get quite gloomy and rain was in the air as the wind continued to whip across the ground. Volunteers for umpiring duties were non existent apart from a well wrapped up Paul Johnstone, so I found myself out on the field again, watching our batsmen set about a monumental task. Nathan was starting to dig in and after a few others had been and gone he was eventually joined by that smooth stroke player Peter Fisher who had decided to resume his Barford batting career after several months absence from the crease.

Despite some tight bowling these two forged a century partnership which was full of fine boundaries and well run singles. Nathan's 50 came first and this was followed shortly after by another Fisher half century, his third for Barford. Soon after he fell in the pursuit of the still distant target but Nathan then cut loose with a devastating barrage of fine shots that had the Bampton fieldsmen scurrying like drowned rats in the rain to all parts. The overs were starting to run out and although the target was still a long way off Nathan was homing in on what would be his 7th century for Barford.

But then disaster struck. Just like Michael Vaughan in the test at Edgbaston he slightly lofted a drive in to the covers and was well caught on 97. It was a disappointing end to a very fine innings and effectively the end of the run chase. When I trudged out at number 11 I think we needed about 25 an over but mercifully I nicked the third ball to their keeper and opposing skipper. It was a very very faint nick but I didn't feel like hanging about so turned around to him and said something like 'Let's get down to the pub and out of this wind and rain.' He didn't need a second invitation and the Barford innings concluded on 187 all out - a good effort but we were just outgunned. However great performances from Nathan and Fish were to be savoured.

Fortunately the Morris Clown had decided to give us sanctuary and we had the usual convivial drinks with our opponents, speeches and presentations. I think I still talked Richard's ears off on the drive back to the hotel but there were no real excuses and we had just come up against a stronger team who had handled the conditions better than we did. Never mind, there's always next year.

Oxfordshire Tour 2007 - Holton CC v Barford CC - Sunday 8th July 2007.

Despite the match being cancelled due to the weather, Tiger Timms still managed to produce the following unexpurgated masterpiece!

The early morning team work out before breakfast worked wonders and confidence was running high as a strong Barford team headed towards Oxford Brookes University to play in their final 2008 tour match against Holton.  The result of last years fixture was about to be overturned – and in dramatic fashion.

The toss was won and Barford elected to bat.  Club captain Chris O’Reilly (wielding a new 2lb 12oz bat) opened with Richard Johnson (a lightweight 2lb 1oz bat).  Both proceeded to batter the opposition scoring at a rate of eight runs per over.  Attacking strokes on both sides of the wickets made it impossible for the opposition to set any form of attacking field so they determined to protect the boundary.  With these two hares running between the wickets, frequent two’s and three’s were run.  Then disaster…  O’Reilly could no longer keep up with Johnson and as they went for a fourth run, O’Reilly stumbled and fell and was run out by a gleeful Holton skipper (Barford 56 for 1).  To their chagrin, this brought the bullish Mike Suffield (1lb 6oz child’s bat) to the crease.  He seemed to score at will and toyed with their opening fast bowler.  Not wanting to waste energy on running between the wickets he scored all of his runs in boundaries.  He scored a quick 40 off nine deliveries and was caught on the boundary going for yet another six off the last ball of the over.  (Barford 96 for 2 after only 8 overs).

Peter Romyn (2lb 14oz bat) then appeared at the wicket looking angry, aggressive and determined but he had to wait to face his first ball.  Gone was the jocular, affable chap of the previous evening.  This was a serious affair!  Meanwhile, Johnson continued his onslaught with another quick three that left Romyn to face.  Taking guard, the atmosphere was tense.  We had never seen Romyn in such a mood.  The bowler started his run up pounding into the wicket but with a mighty crash of the willow and a sound like a gunshot, the ball was crushed by his cannon of a bat, and sent for a mighty six.  Four deliveries later (one where Romyn changed to bat left handed very much like Kevin Pietersen) the opposition opening bowler was destroyed, cowering before this demon batter after conceding 30 runs from his five deliveries at Romyn. This was unfair on the opposition so the skipper asked Romyn to retire on humanitarian grounds. (Barford effectively 129 for 3 off 10 overs).  The elegant Paul Henderson then came to the wicket to hopefully play a more Goweresque innings.  But Johnson was tiring now.  A single from the first ball of the over brought Hendo on strike.  He played his usual forward defensive stroke to his first ball, didn’t get in line and was caught by the ‘keeper.  A short innings for a batter of such promise.  (Barford 130 for 4).  Was this the prelude top the usual Barford collapse?

Peter Fisher came to the middle basking in the glory of his superb 50 from the game against Bampton-in-the-Bush.  He faced the first ball with confidence and pushed it into the covers to get off the mark.  Johnson was back on strike.  He pushed forward to a slower ball and was out caught and bowled.  A magnificent innings came to a sad end with the score on 131 for 5.  This brought in Richard Jones to face the next ball.  We now had two classic batters in the middle and settled down to watch some classic cricket.  The field returned to normal with fielders again within 20 metres of the bat.  Elegant strokes were played by both men and together they kept the run rate up to an agreeable 5 runs per over.  Ten over’s later, both were knackered and in dire need of refreshment.  Two ales were duly delivered to the square and Mr Jones puffed on a cigarette.  This really is the gentleman’s game.  Both were to be out in the next two deliveries – this break in concentration can cause havoc in the batting attack.  Firstly Fish smacked a drive towards the bowler who managed to get his hand to it.  The athletic Jones was backing up too far and was harshly adjudged run out by an indifferent umpire!  Martyn Lilley joined the fray and next ball, Fisher smashed the ball straight to the bowler who palmed it up in the air for mid wicket to run round and take a very good catch.  Fisher (25) and Jones (20) had put on almost 50 for their stand and left Barford on 178 for 6 off the first twenty one overs. Paul Johnstone now joined Lilley in the middle.

With two contrasting batters the crowd were never bored.  The hard hitting Johnstone and the flowery Lilley chased the fielders all around the ground with both delicate cuts and bludgeoning drives.  The run rate upped again considerably and the running between the wickets was exemplary.  The sheer speed of Lilley had Johnstone gasping for breath.  With the forty over mark approaching, both players accelerated the run rate over the last seven overs to ten an over and Barford ran out with a creditable 288 for 6.  Lilley and Johnson both making their 50s.

Was this target high enough to defend?

After tea, the Barford warm up took longer than usual as both Mike Suffield and Peter Romyn insisted on extra sprint training.  When the Holton innings did get under way, the indomitable Tim Jolly pounded in and tore into the Holton opening bat.  The first ball was a perfectly delivered yorker that ripped the middle peg out of the ground spraying the bails into the air.  Not a bad start.  His second delivery was short and made the Holton number 3 duck for cover.  Jolly was ferocious.  By the end of the first over, he had set the standard that was to be emulated by the whole Barford bowling attack.  Suffield, bowling off his longer run took the attack to Holton and bowled a near perfect maiden over, the only blemish being the wicket with his third ball.  Holton were now stumbling with only three runs for two wickets.  They needed to consolidate.  To make a more even contest of the game (and so as not to get to the pub too early) the skipper brought on Martyn Lilley and Richard Johnson to bowl.  This calmed things down and a more normal Barford game ensued.  With wickets falling for every 20 runs (to the bowling of Johnson, Fisher, Jones and Suffield) Holton’s innings ended at 98 all out.  A superb victory for Barford.

Tour Highs & Lows

Highs

Lunch at The Chequers in Chipping Norton

OctHexagonal pool after a few Hook Nortons

The unfortunate Mr Prince having to spend a whole afternoon fielding in front of the drunken rabble

Fish proving what we’ve known for years-that he ‘has game’

Erdsy taking part in Dumpwatch (ask him!)

Tour secretaries past and present arguing with the hotel bouncer that they were residents. He eventually let them in only for them to find they were in the wrong building altogether!

The Morris Clown (again!)

Geordie’s under-active bowels

The birth of an Aunt Sally champion Simon?

An improved Marlborough

The very nice tea (and ladies) at Bampton

The monster burger on Sunday afternoon (MI)

Lows

The Larry Letdowns of Charlbury crying off 4 days before the tour-thanks for nothing

The god awful weather

4.00am fire alarm-too many semi-naked middle aged men gathered in one place. Thanks for the secretary for catching Tony (Tiger) Timms on camera during the fiasco:

Barely a hair out of place...

...like his pooch

Some club members not even getting one game out of the tour

Ear abuse to RJ whilst driving Pete Romyn to and back from the Bampton game.

The monster burger on Sunday afternoon (RJ)