Tiddington 1st XI vs Cumnor 1st XI – Saturday 9th June

After losing the toss on what seemed to be a grassy one at Tidd, we were asked to take the field. Lutto and Jordy bowled well with good control early on, as the Cumnor openers reached 30-0 from their first 10 overs.

The introduction of the ever-reliable Neil brought about the first wicket, trapping opener Bull on the crease, deceived by a subtle change of pace for 20. The visitors tickled the score along until a procession of wickets with the score on 54, 54, 56 and 66 left them teetering on the precipice at 66-5.

After getting hit for 2 unconvincing boundaries in his first 2 balls, Weymo didn’t drop his head; he removed the other opener Finch after he skyed a pull shot which was pouched by Archie well, and then followed it up 2 balls later with a snorter that Dale feathered behind to Goody. Some excellent pressure from both ends catalysed a suicidal run out; Ben Smith took the ball on his right hand before firing a pinpoint throw right above the stumps for Goody to remove the bails, Hodder-Williams left 4 foot short!

Ackland joined Davies at the crease and they provided a bit of a resurgence, picking their balls well and working the singles about nicely compiling a partnership of 54. This was brought to a halt by the father/son Smith duo with the score on 120; Neil tossed one up enticing a false shot from Ackland; the ball skying up, and after Ben got his feet sorted, he plucked it off the brim of his cap.

With further wickets falling on 122, 123 and 127 the visitors were almost done. Pykett took one of the easier catches he’ll take to remove Bambridge, Hodder Williams went back to one from Ben Smith and was hit right in front, and Ben also removed Davies before he could really get going, caught behind trying to lift one into the cow field.

Some decent hitting from De Verteuil at the end provided some rear-guard action as he and Herbert put on 41 for the 10th wicket, finally bowled out for 168 from 46.4 overs. Neil Smith the pick of the bowlers finishing with 4-33 off 17, backed up well by Weymo 2-35 off 10 and Benny 3-48 off 8.4.

We set about chasing the score down with a wicket in the first over, Goody missed an innocuous straight one and was cleaned up. Charlie came to the crease and watched Archie hit it to all parts of the ground before Charlie ran one to 2nd slip to become Hambridge’s 2nd victim.

Shrew joined Archie before getting one from Mannering that spat and turned, causing him to harshly pop it back to the bowler.
With Archie still raining boundaries one end, Benny Smith wanted to join the party, and for that, needed the strike. Didn’t want to give the strike away and tried turning a 1 into a 2 and was left short of his ground. Pykett came to the crease with the score at 54-5 hoping the replicate last weeks’ effort. Archie delivered a few more lusty boundaries before he chipped one to mid-wicket for 59, out of the team’s total of 76, a fine innings that gave us a fighting chance. Johnston came to the crease to steady the ship before drilling one back to Mannering who took a very sharp return catch.

At 102-6 it was anyone’s game! Lutto took time to get used to the bowling and the pitch before the fireworks began. Pykett could only watch the other end as Lutto rained boundaries consisting of 4 sixes (one nearly clearning the new riot net) and 4 fours on his way to a quickfire 52 from 48 deliveries. Together he and Pykett (39*) put on an unbeaten 67 for the 6th wicket, seeing the boys home with over 4 overs to spare.

Another 25 points for Tidd which moves them up to 4th in the league…