Bank Holiday Bonanza of Cricket
Saturday 23rd May, Ovington 2nd XI vs Tadcaster Magnets 2nd XI
Ovington: 200/5 (40): Baqai 48, Irwin 37*; Fawcett 3/38
Tadcaster: 111/10 (29.4): Shooter 43; Buckley 5/35, Busby 3/32
Ovington won by 89 runs
Scorecard: https://ovington.play-cricket.com/website/results/7351560
A sunny day on The Mire, a strong Ovington 2nd Team looking to avenge a loss the previous week and crowds of racegoers. What could go wrong. Thankfully, not too much.
Choosing to bat first, Ovo endured the early loss of Sam Bowden (sponsored by Ten Counties Ltd) who had already hit one nice four before losing his off stump. However, a 2nd wicket partnership of 79 between Kareem Baqai and Oliver Dodson put their team in a very strong position. Both batsmen found the boundary frequently before Dodson fell caught and bowled to become his team’s 2nd wicket. Baqai fell just short of a deserved 50, caught off the same bowler as his batting partner and bringing to the crease the young pair of Will Hampell and Oli Craven (Sponsored by S. Knowles Motorcycles). Hampell hit two imperious shots back down the ground before falling for 14 and Craven hit 3 boundaries of his own on his way to 24. Ovo were 140/5 with 6 overs still to bat, a good position that could easily be squandered. But not on this day as Tom “The Machine” Irwin and Dom “The Giraffe” Everard put on another 60 runs without any further loss. Running their opponents ragged, Irwin powering down to the other end like a Ferrari whilst Everard can usually cover the 22 yards with a single step. They also played their shots, both easily clearing the boundary rope for straight sixes. A final total of 200/5 off their 40 overs looked good and after a quick turnaround, proved more than enough to win the match.
Everard and Owen Price opened the bowling. Price in particular looking threatening,but it took a while for the first wicket to fall, caught by Bowden off the bowling of Price, but runs had been at a premium and his figures of of 6 over 1/10 give some indication of the quality of his spell. The introduction of the slower bowlers proved the key move for Ovo as Dick Buckley (sponsored by Kate Buckley – Artist) rolled back the years to take his first 5fer since coming back from injury. Two catches, two LBWs and batsmen bowled out being the dismissals for the county (over 60s) spin bowler. Captain Benji Busby (sponsored by the Busby Family) removed the one set batsmen for 43 to leave the away team 83/7 and staring down the barrel. The wicket was an odd one.the ball spooning up in the air back towards the bowler as he shouted demands for someone, anyone, to catch it. Finally realising there was no one else in 100 metres of him, Busby belatedly took the catch himself, leaving it so long he had to take a tumble in doing so. Fortunately, he kept his head during all of this.
The final wickets were taken by Busby (2 more) and Rogerson (1) and Ovington won the game by 89 runs.
Saturday 23rd May, Hovingham 2nd XI vs Ovington 3rd XI
Ovington: 242/5 (40): N. Metcalfe 114, Moorehouse 43; J. Frith 3/33
Hovingham: 107/10 (29.3): P. Frith 44*; Mason 3/14, Warner 2/15
Ovington won by 135 runs
Scorecard: https://ovington.play-cricket.com/website/results/7351692
Saturday saw the Ovington 3rd team gentlemen make a very exciting trip to Hovingham, a once in a lifetime for most. A weekly trip for others.
Winning the toss and batting first Dr. Neil Metcalfe and Rt Hon. Aaron Moorehouse made the most if it. Whilst scratchy to begin with Moorehouse then found the very middle of the bat numerous times. Metcalfe looked solid as stone and assured.
Drinks came and Ovington were settled and looking good. As always drinks brings change and somehow we lost 3 wickets in no time. Moorehouse kindly walked after the umpire (the author of this report) stayed quiet. Special guest star Stefan Littlewood recieved a didler of a delivery from such a long journey back, a real seed saw his off stump tumble. Sharoon Shahzad then got stuck in 2 minds with one stuck on the pitch.
A rebuild was needed and Luke Smith (sponsored by Deniz Kebab) was the man, letting Doc play the big shots Smith rotated and ran well enough (for a man desperately needing a toilet break). What felt in no time at all saw Metcalfe bring up a classy ton and the 100 partnership. Metcalfe was the author of his downfall. Smashing a huge 6 saw a lost ball and so a new ball was called for. The new ball swung in a way the old one had never threatened to do and had it’s way with him to pin him out LBW for 114 and Smith but at this point Ovington were in a strong position. Ollie Thrift and Dave Warner finished the innings together running hard and Ovington posted 242/5. A daunting total to chase.
Teas direct from the Swedish bakery were sublime and after Smith poisoned everyone with dry cucumbers we went out to field.
Khurram Jillani had a good 5 over spell, a drop leaving him very unlucky not to be in the wickets. Stefan was brilliant, the only bowler of the day to extract bounce and nibble off the surface he found himself with 2 wickets after good catching by Andrew Tomlinson behind the stumps and Shahzad in the slips. James Mason did James Mason things. 3 cheap wickets with line and length bowling, all safely pouched by his fielders. Warner (sponsored by Dunnington Landscapes) took 2 quick ones and it was the turn of young Toby Metcalfe (sponsored by Ninja Tramploine Park) to showcase his skills. After hard running in the field he delivered an unbelievable bowling display to set adult batsmen. His first senior wicket, via a catch taken by KJ, was the least he deserved. Ollie Thrift finished off the day, once again excelling in all 3 disciplines!
Tomlinson behind the stumps was angry with himself but to the captain it just shows how serious he takes the job and Warner himself was delighted with Tomlinson on the day.
Man of the match could of course go to Neil Metcalfe for his tonne. Instead his son takes the award. Rarely will you see a young man bowl with such precision. Just what the doctor ordered.
Well done all and we go again on Monday.
Monday 25th May, Ovington 2nd XI vs Sheriff Hutton Bridge 3rd XI
Sheriff Hutton Bridge: 69/10 (22): Everard 4/23, Buckley 3/17
Ovington: 68/10 (25.1): Jenkins 26; Tuite 4/22, Laycock 3/8
Sheriff Hutton Bridge won by 1 run
Scorecard: https://ovington.play-cricket.com/website/results/7351567
A low scoring thriller on a bank holiday scorcher was not what anyone wanted to keep their temperatures down. But that is what we got. Helped (or hindered) by a used pitch that was keeping low throughout the day, the two teams only managed 127 runs between them but there was no shortage of incidents and excitements.
Bowling first, Ovington took their first wicket in the 2nd over of the game via a catch as midoff by Captain Busby (sponsored by the Busby Family) off the bowling of Dom “Breadstick” Everard. Two more wickets fell in the next two overs, Brandon Bishop inducing an edge behind to Oli Craven (Sponsored by S. Knowles Motorcycles) and Everard picking up an LBW. It wasn’t going to be a wicket an over but scoring was neither free nor easy. Bishop bowled another batsmen to leave their opposition 26/4 and soon after Simon Rogerson took a competent catch in the gully off Everard. There then followed a few aggressive shots from th away team as they tried to get their innings going but Everard took his fourth and final wicket to stem the flow via a catch from debutant Arnab Haque. Dick Buckley (sponsored by Kate Buckley – Artist) took three quick wickets via an LBW and catches from Rogerson and Sam Bowden (sponsored by Ten Counties Ltd) and Busby himself took the final wicket to dismiss their opponents for 69.
A solid start in reply was all that was needed to settle the nerves but a much rejigged and experimental batting order provided the exact opposite. Bowden and Everard were both struck on the pads to be out LBW and Rogerson toed a catch to midoff to leave their team at 3 wickets for just 5 runs and really struggling. Still, all that was required was one partnership to tick off a few runs but instead the wickets kept coming. Craven caught behind off one that bounced and Haque bowled out. The one bright spark in the innings was fellow debutant Cam Jenkins who flicked and drove confidently and calmly, generally looking in complete control of the situation. First Shazad, then Busby and finally Gaurav Chandra each stuck around long enough for Jenkins to take his team’s score to 68, just one behind the first innings score and causing his teammates to let out a huge sigh of relief. However, Jenkins clearly had more faith in his teammates than was deserved as he then tried to finish it in style by advancing down the pitch only to find himself stumped for 24 runs. It proved to be the decisive moment of the match as first Bishop was caught in the covers and then Chandra was bowled without another run being scored and Sheriff Hutton Bridge had pulled off a 1 run win. Handshakes were exchanged, no one quite sure what they had been witnessing all day but it was all played in a good spirit and at times it was almost enjoyable.
Monday 25th May, Sheriff Hutton Bridge 4th XI vs Ovington 3rd XI
Sheriff Hutton Bridge: 104/10 (31.3): Mann 43, Sekerci 32; Fern 2/8
Ovington: 108/4 (28.2): T. Metcalfe 27*, Fowke 27
Ovington won by six wickets
Scorecard: https://ovington.play-cricket.com/website/results/7351700
Bank holiday Monday saw the Ovington 3rd XI men make a trip to Sheriff Hutton at the Castle Ground. It was only 3 degrees cooler than the Sun but Captain Warner had a plan, a cunning plan.
Starting with 9 players (and a sub slip) Warner wanted to bowl in the 32 over weather affected match. His reasoning being that in shortened games, Ovington tend to score slowly going first.
Ranjan Bhattacharyya and Spencer Fern (sponsored by York Plant Man) started their team off, bowling ridiculously well in tandem. Big Luke Smith (sponsored by Deniz Kebab) donned the keeping gloves for the match and soon came up with the goods, taking a sharp catch off Fern. Spencer dangerous throughout all of his 8 overs, took another wicket and saw another one go down. At the other end Ranjan was also on the money and picked up the huge wicket of the opposition skipper. Joe Naish took the catch, taking off and showing serious hang-time with an unbelievable grab. There was also a run out, a shot hit straight to Warner who threw a very average ball into Smith, who then showed composure and took off the bails.
24/4 off 16 overs and Ovington were well on top. In no time at all that became 28/8. Warner (sponsored by Dunning Landscapes) with a caught & bowled and then a ball shot in the air where the calm Aaron Moorehouse snaffled it up. At the other end young wizard Ethan Currie had one lbw with a skiddy delivery and also one taken very well by Will Muskett. The ball had been hit hard but Muskett leapt forward to hold on.
Within 6 deliveries the game should have been done as there were 2 more missed chances for Ovington. Yet there was no need to panic yet.
Then came the rebuild, both batters having survived a chance a piece got the Sheriff Hutton innings moving and moving quickly. They reached 104 until Dr Neil Metcalfe, fresh from a morning dancing around a pole, got himself a sharp reaction runout followed by a wicket taken from the safe hands of Moorehouse. It should be noted Neil Metcalfe was dancing around a maypole with his family. His solo pole dancing days are well behind him.
Tea and refreshments were well received. Especially for Smith, who had been under a lid for the entire innings and went home 3 stone lighter.
Metcalfe Sr. and Moorehouse got things underway and did so in confident fashion. The young Sheriff Hutton bowlers were incredibly accurate and no doubt have very promising futures in the game. The experienced Ovington openers carefully took their team to 41 before 41 for none became 45/2. Still it was a solid platform and brought to the crease young Toby Metcalfe (sponsored by Ninja Trampoline Park) and a returning and very well welcomed Jed Fowke.
Jed, after over a year out, showed his many net sessions hadn’t gone to waste as he bludgeoned his way to 27 from 38 before one shot too many. Although in truth he was glad to be out of the sun. Muskett went in and looked to be positive, unfortunately finding himself in a run out. In the end Warner went out and watched as great stroke play from Toby finished the game quickly.
All in all a good result against a very mixed age Hutton side. A few dads and many young lads meant Ovington had the opportunity to show a bit of nous and get the result they wanted.
There is no i in team but there is in Smith, Naish and William (Muskett). The scorecard may not give them huge mentions but they all contributed massively and set the tone.
Young spin wizard Currie again came up with the goods, wickets galore for the young man. Fern with a dynamite spell to show his importance to the team.
Toby Metcalfe, who finished unbeaten on 27, showed composure well above his years with a very well built innings. Anyone with a forward defence as solid as his has a chance at the crease.
Man of the match for this one goes to Ranjan who bowled 8 on the trot with great accuracy. Bowling to a plan throughout he set the solid foundations.
Well done all, 2 wins from 2 during the bank holiday. We go again next week.
Match reports by Simon Rogerson and Dave Warner. Photo by Dave Warner.