1 more to Robbo

By Rogers and Out
April 8 2015

Rogers and Out once again, beyond the call of reasonable duty reports on a promising start for us , ruined by a middle order collapse.   Plus we hear of remote visions regarding our AGM     

When the fixtures for this season were published, I noted that our last match before the season proper was a three day friendly at the Parks against Oxford MCCU. Having seen the second day of a very one sided encounter at the same venue last season, I was in two minds whether or not to attend this time, but I was swayed as it was another chance to visit the fine city of Oxford.

I travelled west via the Oxford tube coach. It was an uneventful journey, save for the wailing of a dog behind me who appeared to be pining for his master who had gone to avail himself of the on board facility. The weather on arrival at Oxford was sunny but with a chill breeze. I had taken a position on one of the several park benches scattered around the ground and was joined before start of play by stalwart supporter Dingy Bags. We had a good old gossip about various matters, but it was mostly about the A.G.M. that evening, which DB was attending.

There were no public address announcements at the Parks, so it was from the internet that we discovered that Oxford had won the toss and elected to bat. Dex and Ollie were the two to miss out from the originally named thirteen and Nick Compton was today's captain, with Simpson rather than Balbirnie as 'keeper.

Murts bowled the first over from the Norham Gardens end and opener Steve Leach opened the students' account with a single. However from the fourth ball of that same over, Dial M induced an edge from the bat of Hughes and Dawid Malan took a simple catch at first slip.

Steve Finn operated from the Pavilion end and It was from his bowling that Leach clipped Oxford's first boundary. Finny had the last laugh, however, when Leach edged him to first slip and Mala took another comfortable catch. Two balls later, he claimed another victim as Robbo snaffled Paternot at second slip, leaving Oxford 15/3 in the eighth over. It got worse in the next over for the University when Murts trapped Sabin leg before and a repeat of last season's score in the fifties looked a distinct possibility from the current score of 15/4. However, new batsmen Luke Webb and Malcolm Lake managed to steady the ship and see off the spells of Murts and Finny without any further calamity. Lake in particular made hay against change bowlers James Harris and Tom Helm. Harry's first over went for double figures with some good strokes by the young Zimbabwean. Tom was also dispatched to the boundary by Lake, who was undoubtedly the best batsman of the day. The Oxford pair had put on a creditable 51 when Robbo took another catch at second slip, this time from Tom Helm's bowling to remove Webb.

Wicket keeper Ed Ellis replaced him at the crease and although he played second fiddle to the excellent Lake, the score was ticking along nicely for the students. Lake completed a fine half century, but just before lunch, Ellis was caught behind by Simmo from the bowling of Hi-Fi. Oxford took lunch on 103/6 and DB and myself retired to the nearby Lamb and Flag pub. Although we were not too late back from lunch, we managed to miss the next three wickets. Lake went for a very good 66 to Murts and both Weller and Sakande fell cheaply to James Harris. At this point, DB departed for the A.G.M. and a last wicket partnership of sixteen saw Oxford close on 124, strangely enough the same score they made against Worcester last week. Stirlo took that last wicket, bowling Jack McIver for four.

Nick Gubbins and Sam Robson opened the batting for us against the strike force of Abidine Sakande and Sam Weller. If batting had proved difficult for Oxford, it was equally so for us with both bowlers keeping it tight and Weller, in particular, showing aggression. We were able to score a bit more easily from Jack Grundy, with Gubbo hitting him for consecutive boundaries before tea, which we took on 37/0 after 16 overs. Robbo drove Grundy for a couple of boundaries after the break and Gubbins struck a straight four off Lake as we looked to increase the tempo. Unfortunately, soon after the fifty stand was raised, Lake pinned Robbo LBW for 24 and we were 54/1.

Captain Nick Compton was next in but we still found it hard work scoring runs. Nick Gubbins' painstaking innings eventually came to an end when he nicked Weller to 'keeper Ellis for 32. Dawid Malan came in at number four and although he pushed his first ball for a comfortable single, he perished leg before to the delighted Grundy three balls later and we were 74/3. Compo had not looked his usual assured self in this innings and was really scratching around for runs. He finally succumbed to the returning Sakande, fencing a catch behind to Ellis for nine from forty five balls. Stirlo had played a couple of forcing shots to the boundary but tried one aggressive shot too many and skied one to McIver, who just about clung on at mid off. We had now slumped to 85/5 and although Balbirnie hit Sakande for four through cover, he was clean bowled by him soon after. 54/0 had become 91/6 in quite quick time. Simmo and James Harris saw us to the close at 98/6 from 44 overs. It certainly hadn't been our finest hour with the bat but credit should go to Oxford who were most enthusiastic in the field and with the ball, and in Malcolm Lake, they had the player of the day.

I ended my day by trying to explain to a local lady the difference between MCC and Middlesex CCC, so I felt I'd more than earned a trip to the Rose & Crown at close of play.