Lamb leads Ovington to early season silverware
Ovington kicked off their 2025 season in slightly unusual fashion with a cup final being played on the very first Sunday, more details below but before the cup final Ovo began by Meatloafing their opening Saturday by winning 2 out of 3 games, which ain’t bad.
Saturday 26th April, New Earswick 1st XI vs Ovington 1st XI
New Earswick: 216/5 (45); Wells 83*, Horner 45*, Pembroke 30; Kitching 3/66
Ovington: 217/5 (43.5); Buckley 92, Lamb 60*
Ovington won by five wickets
Scorecard: https://ovington.play-cricket.com/website/results/6777218
Grey skies, temperatures in the low teens and a green wicket could mean only one thing: the start of the new season in April. Both teams were promoted from Division Two last season, so there was a familiarity to the encounter at New Earswick Sports Club on the first Saturday of the 2025 campaign.
Winning the toss, New Earswick chose to bat and got off to a flyer: Australian star of the 2024 season, Ryan Pembroke, climbed into the second over of the game, taking it for 20 with a series of drives down the ground and through the covers. Recalling the 198 runs Pembroke scored in two league outings against Ovington last year, early nerves set in for the visitors that his strong hitting would provide impetus for an imposing total. However, stand in captain Dom Kitching (sponsored by the Everard Family) earned his revenge, as Pembroke miscued a lofted drive to the safe hands of Charlie Buckley at long-off, cutting his innings off at 30 off 14 balls.
From there, Ovington regained control, as Kitching took two more wickets and Matthew Wright (sponsored by York’s Hidden History) chipped in to reduce New Earswick to 59 for 4 in the 15th over. Wright and Neil Metcalfe kept the runs down but couldn’t prise out another wicket, as Charlie Wells and David Scott set about rebuilding for New Earswick. Wells grew in confidence as the innings moved on, dominating the 65-run partnership with Scott. New Ovington signing, Jordan McDonough (Sponsored by the Bartlett Family) picked up his first wicket of the season, getting Scott caught behind swishing outside off stump, leaving the innings finely balanced at 124 for 5 with just over ten overs left.
Andrew Horner came to the crease and set about an energetic end to the innings with Wells. The pair accelerated well, targeting the leg-side boundaries with good effect and running hard to keep the score moving in between. They took the innings to a close, putting on an unbeaten 92 together in 11.2 overs, Horner finishing on 45 off 36 and Wells making a well-deserved 83 off 98 to take New Earswick to a potentially challenging total of 216 from their 45 overs.
Ovington’s reply started steadily, as Metcalfe and Charlie Buckley (sponsored by Sam Prangnell) saw out the first ten overs without loss. The score kept ticking over as Buckley in particular cut well, taking advantage of some width offered by the bowling. When Metcalfe chipped up to mid-off, Alex Garner Steel followed him back to the pavilion an over later, getting bowled by a bail trimmer from the left-arm spin of Jake Scott to leave Ovington 52 for 2 after 12 overs.
This brought Jacob Lamb (sponsored by Badger Elite Cricket Coaching) to the crease, who endured a slow start to his innings, taking some time to find his feet against the dual spin threat on offer. Once he got a couple of drives away, Lamb looked increasingly comfortable, and partnered well with a confident Buckley who was driving and pulling the spinners with assurance. The required run rate was kept well in reach as Buckley passed 50 to start the season well. The big boundary on one side offered Buckley and Lamb plenty of opportunities to pick gaps and run hard, coupled with punishing loose balls to add a steady flow of boundaries.
Buckley eventually fell short of a hundred, top-edging a pull to fall for a classy, well-paced 92 off 100 balls. His partnership of 108 with Lamb gave a strong platform for Ovington to see the chase home, but nerves began to jangle as Joe Whale (sponsored by York and Selby Tutors) was adjudged LBW shortly after, falling without scoring to bring New Earswick back into the game with the score at 163 for 4. Tom James (sponsored by Flock of Cats) settled those nerves with a busy 29 off 30, driving and cutting nicely to keep the score moving as Lamb played assuredly at the other end. When James was caught by a spectacular diving effort at square leg from Sam Brown off the spin of Paul Stimpson, Ovington only needed five more to win with two overs to get it. Lamb chipped Scott over mid-off for four, before an incongruous leg bye sealed the deal for Ovington, giving them a win to start the new season off strongly, getting one over their bogey team from last year.
Saturday 26th April, Ovington 2nd XI vs Thorpe Willoughby 1st XI
Thorpe Willoughby: 108/10 (29.3); Madhas 39; Busby 6/23
Ovington: 109/6 (28.1); Dodson 30, Busby 20*; Madhas 4/37
Ovington won by four wickets
Scorecard: https://ovington.play-cricket.com/website/results/6779487
At the same time, Ovington 2nd Team hosted Thorpe Willoughby at The Knavesmire in their first game in YPLN Division 4 Ebor. There were a lot of firsts or unfamiliar events that day for the 2nds including fielding restrictions, tea for two and only ten points being available to the winning team. However those ten points were duly claimed by Ovington in a professional and familiar manner. Bowling first, the home team were soon into the wickets with Owen Price claiming a caught and bowled in the 2nd over of the game and a Jack Eckersley-Wilson delivery taking out middle stump soon after. There then followed a period of resistance from Thorpe and although Ovington felt the luck might have been going against them a little, the batting team managed to put on a 50 run partnership to cause a few worried glances from the Ovo players. Thorpe Willoughby all rounder Sachin Madhas was looking particularly dangerous but it was captain Benji Busby (Sponsored by Valentino’s York) who made the breakthrough taking Madhas’ wicket for 39, aided by a good catch at midwicket by Eckersley-Wilson. Once the breakthrough was complete, wickets kept coming at a regular interval with Busby taking the bulk of them. A particularly effective weapon for the Ovo skipper remains his patented Bunger-Bunger ball, which cannons viciously into the wickets or batter’s pads without losing any speed off the pitch. Busby’s final figures were 6/23 off 9.3 overs whilst Simon Rogerson toiled away for 2 wickets at the other end to keep the first innings total down to 108 all out. A commendable effort from the fielding team, only threatened by the complication of having three Olivers in the field causing some confusion.
Of those three, it was Ollie Dodson who led the reply with 30 runs at better than a run a ball, supported by youngster Will Hampel. However, a mini collapse sparked by 4 wickets from all rounder Madhas left Ovo once again looking slightly concerned at 55/5. It was then the turn of young wicket keeper Oly Craven (sponsored by CDA Energy Services Limited) to steady the ship with a composed and sensible 15 alongside Captain Busby who backed up with his earlier wickets with an unbeaten 30 to steer his team to victory with overs to spare. The third Ollie on the day (Ollie Thrift) also played his role perfectly, successfully negotiating his first two balls perfectly before eventually succumbing to the opposition bowling.
In truth, there will be sterner tests to come over the season but none the less, a commendable start to the season for the 2nds whose weekend would only get better the following day (see below).
Saturday 26th April, Ovington 3rd XI vs Wheldrake 2nd XI
Ovington: 156/9 (40); Fern 38, Waidyaratne 33; Nurse 5/41
Wheldrake: 158/6 (29.3); Ali 84*; Bishop 2/31
Wheldrake won by four wickets
Scorecard: https://ovington.play-cricket.com/website/results/6780081
The 3rds are also plying their trade in the YPLN (Division 5 Ebor) this season but will be playing against plenty of familiar faces and started the 2025 season with a home fixture against last year’s league winners Wheldrake.
After a quick set-up at Milthorpe, Ovington won the toss and chose to bat in true 3rd team fashion. Youth and experience opened and youth fell early to a good delivery. This brought young Master Fern (sponsored by DWUFB) to the crease, batting at 3 as a favour to his balding stepfather and captain who desperately needed some poor sucker to enter in the dreaded position.
He played tremendously well, a straight drive the pick of the lot. Although streaky at times, you couldn’t fault his conviction to his shots and he didn’t die wondering. Eventually falling for a brilliant and personal best 38.
Luke Smith and Uwin Waidyaratne at the crease steadied the ship, both playing some lovely shots and working their way through the bowlers. After both fell trying to up the run rate, the back end was slightly scratchy but mostly featured batsmen who were returning to cricket after time out and were trying to go big at the end. Skipper Dave Warner (sponsored by Dunnington Landscapes) did hit 16 from the final over, edging the ball to all parts of the ground and the team managed a final score of 156-9 off their 40 overs.
The half time interval witnessed some extraordinary scenes where many eye witness swore that they saw Luke Smith eat a grape, something which will go down in Ovington folklore forever.
Once the cricket resumed, Wheldrake found themselves in trouble after a great Andrew Tomlinson runout and sharp accurate bowling from both Fern and Brandon Bishop.
For the many followers on playcricket not at the Milthorpe Oval, it would have appeared Ovington were marching towards victory. Those at the ground however could see the Wheldrake No. 3 was maybe a cut above the rest.
Warner took a catch that went higher than Fern’s vocals when imitating Freddie Mercury in the shower and then resumed normal service by picking up the wicket of a junior.
This, however was as good as it got for the battling 3rds. The aforementioned No. 3 Arsalaan Ali, now perfectly set, beautifully guided Wheldrake home with help from the other end. He had earlier survived been caught off a no ball and also a very tight lbw shout but fortune favours the brave and he cashed in wisely with a run a ball 84.
A game that was played perfectly in the spirit of cricket ended in a deserved 4 wicket victory to Wheldrake.
Next week the merry band of 3rds make a short trip to Ben Johnson. It’s been rumoured Smith may even eat brown bread at teas. However many, including this writer, will only believe it when they see it.
Sunday 27th April, Heworth 3rd XI vs Ovington 2nd XI
Ovington: 232/4 (40); Lamb 115*, Busby 44
Heworth: 196/10 (37.1); Jackson; Price 3/38, Busby 3/39
Ovington win the HPH Cup by 36 runs
Scorecard: https://ovington.play-cricket.com/website/results/6650178
The 2024 season had ended with two unsuccessful attempts by Ovington 2nd team to play the HPH Cup final, both of which fell victim to the September rain. As a result, the 2nds played the final both against and at Heworth on Sunday 27th April 2025. Both teams attempted to pick the same lineup as last year as much as possible and Heworth may have had flashbacks to that wet autumn day when they saw Jacob Lamb come to the crease as Ovington once again won the toss and batted first. On that 1st attempt, Lamb (sponsored by Badger Elite Cricket Coaching) impressed with an ultimately futile 84 runs, this time he went one better with a classy and dominant 115 not out from 109 balls. As usual for a stylish batter such as Lamb, who came to the crease fairly early batting at number 3, he was particularly punishing on any width with the ball regularly disappearing to the cover boundary. He also played a variety of cuts and pulls and was able to run hard right the way through to the innings to push his team up to a useful 232/4 off their 40 overs. Able support came throughout the order including from opening bat Tom James (sponsored by Flock of Cats) and young Wilf Metcalf (sponsored by Agility Trampoline Park) each scoring 22 runs. Captain Benji Busby also continued his stellar weekend by scoring a completely unexpected 44 runs to help Lamb push the score up to something the team felt comfortable defending. Although the Heworth team kept their efforts up throughout the innings, it was Lamb who dominated the proceedings and drew the most praise from the on watching spectators.
That 1st innings score was useful but not necessarily match winning on a ground that often sees high scoring matches so required the bowlers to back up the earlier hard work. Once again, Owen Price took an early wicket but Heworth gave themselves every chance of being in the game with some aggressive batting including opener Alex Stone who accelerated into the 30s. Stone and the rest of the Heworth batters however, were no match for the Bunger-Bunger with Benji Busby coming on the take 3 more wickets to give his side some belief. Runs and wickets both kept on coming including 1 wicket each for Tom James and Spencer Fern (sponsored by DWUFB) who came on to bowl and claim the wicket of Heworth wicketkeeper Henry Jackson who had remained his side’s best hope on his way to 60 runs. The millions watching the live stream may have been confronted with a frustrating blank screen caused by a flat camera battery but those at the ground were able to witness the return of the Ovington opening bowling combination of Price and Jack Eckersley-Wilson to take 2 more wickets each and bowl Heworth out for 196 in the 38th over.
The Ovo players and supporters were over the moon with the result and the celebrations ran as late into the evening as was allowed by the player’s sore bodies and the fact that it was a school night.
All in all, the first weekend of the 2025 season proved a successful and enjoyable start to the season for the mighty Ovington. We look forward to more and offer a warm welcome to any other players or supporters who want to come along and get involved in any way.
Match reports by Matthew Wright, Simon Rogerson and Dave Warner