Full Fixture Information

Result Descriptiom

Won

Man of the Match

Oli Atkinson for a match-winning ton.

Champagne Moment

Josh Haslett for the supreme six (and general heroics)

Teddy Bear Moment

plenty of competition here, but Lakh?s misfortune in the field was a collector?s item

Full Match Report

To Candover, for the first time in East Meon?s history. The ground was as picturesque as the Wheelers had promised. It sits in the lee of a flint-clad church, with mature yews and limes guarding the churchyard to the west, neat beech hedges backed by grazing to the south, and pretty cottages and their prettier gardens covering the eastern and northern flanks. The Itchen, which flowed generously after Saturday?s rain, runs parallel to the road between the ground and the cottages. A manicured scene, then, redolent of Rupert Brooke, rather than our own wilder home in the Downs. Nonetheless, a splendid spot to pass an afternoon among friends and with a contest to renew.

Our inaugural game against Candover was close fought, as two well-matched sides faced off in challenging, blustery conditions. We prevailed on that occasion by 20-odd runs, but were never in front that day until the very last. That pattern was repeated yesterday.

Another (unwanted) pattern also repeated: Andrew lost yet another toss. Lakh pointed out that this run of wrong calls stretches the boundaries of statistical probability (the odds are in the realms of
500-1). Andrew, a once joint honours student in Maths and Psychology, nodded sagely at this fact while the team limbered up to bowl.

Your correspondent (David B) and Will Oscroft opened up, with Aaron Rees replacing Will after three overs as Andrew shuffled his bowlers to meet the challenge of playing a limited overs format in which tight bowling at the death might prove decisive. After 10 overs, Candover had progressed to 45 without loss, with one opener set and attacking, while the other, more tentative player was determined to profit from a life given by Martin Cooke, who was once again keeping wicket in the absence of Mooro.

For the second week running, Ali Wheeler bowled seam up with instant impact, removing the set opener and the Candover skipper in succession. The hat trick ball, though, was about as wicked as Nicola?s DJ-ing. The game reverted to Candover accumulating while the Meon pressed but struggled to break through. Tim Lawrence replaced Aaron and bowled tidily. Ali continued to strive, had a catch go down behind the stumps, watched in bemusement as Lakh appeared to give himself an hernia while fielding the ball with his feet, generally berated the fielders, and then ran out of puff. The Wheeler whirlwind was done for another week, and, incredibly, the umpires, who were miserly with their wides and dismissive of LBWs, never once called a no ball. Funny old game.

Josh Haslett entered the attack and turned the ball sharply, too sharply for Martin, who dropped his third catch in an hour. This latest fumble prompted chatter from the boundary, overheard by Oli Atkinson, to the effect that Candover wouldn?t trust Martin?s hands with a pint. This jibe must have reached Martin subliminally because he then arrested the innings by taking fine catches off Josh and Tim. Both bowlers deservedly struck again and Candover found themselves 140-6 off 28 overs.

This was the only point in the day where the Meon were at parity with Candover. Our hosts regained the initiative with some excellent late innings batting led by their number 5, who hit an unbeaten 50, and their number 10, who finished on 27. Lakh and Will Oscroft picked up wickets at the death, but our last 7 overs went for 65 runs, including 16 off the final over, which was bowled by your correspondent.

Tea was less Rupert Brooke, buttered scones and all that than we are used to at home, but it was plentiful and tasty. Conversation turned to the chase.

It was agreed that we should be positive but circumspect for 15 overs and then go into T20 mode. The Meon were 85-4 after 15, and 121-7 after 25. Yet won with three overs to spare. So what happened?

The short answer is that Oli Atkinson played the innings of his life for the second week running. But there is more to the story than Oli?s brilliance. Self-denial played its part too.

The innings began in positive but circumspect fashion, as agreed. Oli and Ali hit the (plentiful) bad balls, ran smartly and set a platform. Ali was, perhaps, unfortunate to be given LBW in the context of earlier decisions, but it was not an egregious call. Andrew strode to the crease and promptly departed, caught in the short mid wicket / short extra cover trap that Candover had set. Topography is key here: the Candover pitch slopes sharply from the churchyard down to the river, which confers significant advantage on the initiated who know where to field because they can catch a well-controlled, un-lofted stroke at waist height. Aaron and I had fielded in that short midwicket spot, but, despite varied and impressive acrobatics, failed to get a hand on anything. But the wily Candover fielder knew his business and there he snaffled Andrew, Will and Martin Cooke, taking, it must be said, three fine catches off full-blooded shots.

In between these catches, Lakh and Tim Lawrence departed with ducks. (I do remember, while umpiring, Lakh scampering a single. But the book says otherwise.) Ollie Cooke played an important innings, seeing off a pace threat and knuckling down against an (exceptional) young spinner who was able to turn the ball both ways. My sad scratching with the bat was brought to an end by a second LBW call that spoke volumes for the Meon?s sportsmanship, and Aaron soon followed.

Yet, even as Candover were readying themselves for a party in their well-stocked bar, hope sprung. Josh Haslett was in watchful yet belligerent mood, playing good balls on their merits and dispatching less good balls to the fence in summary fashion. He was joined by Oli, returning to the fray after having retired on 50 before the batting debacle began. Oli?s first 50 was scored briskly but without risk. The second 50 was an enterprise in open aggression, and it was a joint enterprise with Josh. Oli had the bulk of the strike, and, recognising that the surface was slow and blameless, pulled and drove the bowling to the fence with calculated force. Josh often matched him, including with one immense six down the ground into the terrace of Lime Tree House, narrowly avoiding three small girls playing on scooters.

Aside from a catch off a no ball, this was chanceless stroke-making, and, though there was one voluble objection to a wide late in the game, the opposition could not and did not complain that Oli had played a match-winning innings. That he was able to do so was down to Josh?s mixture of restraint and brutality, and that enough of the rest of us did just about enough to avoid capitulation. Oli deserves credit, too, not just for the manner of his innings, but for resisting the temptation to switch off tuck into a beer, and admire his average after his retirement. The realisation that his work was not done, which informed that act of self-denial, made a difference in this keen contest.