Firsts Triumph to avoid Opening Day Balls up!

StoneSP (away)

Oulton Cricket Club’s first XI began their foray into Division three of the North Staffs South Cheshire League after suffering relegation last term even though they finished 4^th in the league… we know, it doesn’t make sense.

However they were able to start this campaign with a hard fought victory at local rivals Stone Swynnerton Park, at the Adelaide Oval. Or what seemed like the Oval as the sides took part in a game which saw over 400 runs scored.

The O’s won their first toss of the season, thanks to some more than useful tossing practice from Captain Daniel (Coke) Colclough throughout the off-season, and elected to bowl first.

If the plan was to bowl their hosts out for as little as possible and go on to win the game in consummate ease, the Oulton boys were bang on track in the early stages.

Cokey and Noel (The Spitting Cobra) Hunt ran through the Stone top order to reduce the home side to 36-5. But unfortunately for the travelling O’s that was where the plan fell to rack and ruin.

The Stone tail wagged so hard the Oulton lads nearly had a stackable case for whiplash. Wasim Kahn and Nathan Bennet added 35 and 39 respectively to take their side through to 204 all out.

The Cobra and Coke finally pulled their respective fingers out to finish with four wickets apiece. Not before Rob Spruce had weighed in with two valuable wickets of his own. Which is impressive when you consider that the only bowling he’d done for two years was down the High Street on his way to the Crown & Anchor for another ill advised bevvy!

In fact the only of the Oulton bowlers to not strike was Tom Spruce who finished with figures of 0-41 from his 13 overs. The voluptuous all-rounder later commented: “That has got to be the unluckiest hour of my life!” we would prefer to believe that maybe stamina let him down.

However, we digress. The firsts set about chasing the impressive target by unleashing their bear-stman Andrew Wood. Woody kicked off his campaign and Oulton’s response by hitting his first six of the season from the first ball of he innings.

The imposing Wood continued to swat the Stone bowling to all corners of the Oval. As he posted a swift 34 from 15 balls. This was 34 more than fellow opener Jono (Virender Sehwag) Whalley managed as he helped a particularly dicey looking thigh-high, leg side, long hop into the welcome hands of fine leg.

Virender later commented: “I don’t know what happened, I felt good out there you know. I just, I really felt good. You know when you just feel good…??” We know Jono, we know!

Oulton continued to score quickly with Joe Jager-Beeston compiling a steely 36 and Rob Spruce adding 33 runs to his impressive bowling display. But wickets were also falling at a steady rate.

Stone’s George Hawbrook and Kahn, who featured earlier with the bat, stunted the visitors chase with four wickets each.

The steady shower of wickets and runs meant that the game came down to the final over with Oulton needing four to win and their hosts needing just the one wicket.

However the O’s were able to come out of the marathon match with the spoils thanks to some cool headed batting from Colclough. Tom Phillips may have also managed to pilfer himself 31 not out at the end there… we couldn’t see through the salty tears running down the reporter’s faces.

Either way the important thing is that Oulton secured their first 20 points of the season.

Andy Wood certainly looked happy with his first knock after hibernation. We can't show what happened after this image for legal reasons. As we aren't entirely sure what he did in celebration was legal... suffice to say it involved a particularly eager salmon!

Second's Use Impressive Wood to Devistating Effect

Oulton’s second XI kick started their NSSCCL 2016 campaign with a resounding 25 point success against Stafford.

The elder statesman Guy Martin deputised for Jake Eade (who had been called up to embrace his destiny in the First XI for the day) as the O’s skipper and lead the team to a 85 run home victory on the opening weekend of the season.

The visitors won the toss and elected to field first, a decision which they almost certainly regretted immediately as Martin lead from the front with a more than useful 62 at the top of the order before clearing the stage for Nathan Woods.

Woods the premier hitter lit up the opening day with a superb 133 not out. A feat made all the more impressive by the fact that Woods’s bat is approximately 6 inches shorter than he is.

There are unconfirmed reports that the 4 foot maestro is still waving his wood around as we speak at the Spencer Copeland Ground, such was his dominance impressive display from wood. His batting’s not too shabby either!

Ben Clegg offered able support by shouting various compliments and attempts at flattery before donning the box himself and adding 24.

The O’s eventually closed on an imposing 263-5, Keiran Duggal was the only of the Stafford bowlers to make any inroads into the home side’s line up with his figures of 2-58 from nine overs.

In response the visitor’s innings stuttered with a couple of 20’s and 30’s thrown around for good measure but ultimately they were unable to salvage the draw.

Curtis (Anthony Joshua) Bates took time off from his preparations for his upcoming world title defence against Dominic Breazeale to take impressive figures of 3-38 from his 13 overs. All the best in the upcoming scrap champ!

Rory Jones also weighed in 3-42 from his 12 overs. A spell made all the more impressive by the fact that we had all forgotten he could bowl! Thinking that he had instead turned his attention to professional drinking. But in his defence is getting rather good at drinking!

Well done to the second team who have certainly hit the floor running in 2016, proven also by the swiftness with which they were able to escape the field before the hoardes of adoring fans at Oulton HQ were able to ravage them! Well done lads, keep it up!