Oakley vs Wield, Sunday 20th June

Conditions – Warm & Sunny (just like Dougie!!!!)

Match Summary – A fighting draw played like a Saturday game not Sunday

A great start, Yorkie turns up with 2 players at 2.40 apparently the pre match team talk was a good one but most of us missed it as we weren't at the Yew Tree!!!! So with Yorkie and the other 2 that makes 9 plus my Jack, there was talk of Harry making his Wield Debut but I think Sam would have killed me.......Maybe next year!!!!!!

We lose the toss and we take to the field with almost 10 players and after Ed's first over NO FAST BOWLERS!!!!!!!!

I will try and talk you through the first over......15 balls, 16 runs, 5 deliveries go to first slip (eat your heart out Harmison), 4 goto fine leg and a couple of Beamers.....It was a quality start!!!!

Somehow Ed was allowed to continue bowling (possible because it couldn't get any worse or possible due to lack of resources) 3 overs of half decent spin later and Yorkie came on to partner Dougie.

After 14 overs Oakley were 70-1, including the biggest edge in cricketing history given not out by the umpire (as usual Dougie took the decision with his usual Zen like calmness but the aggro meter was growing), after some tight bowling from our spin twins!! Oakley were 100-3 after 30 overs.

Dougie finished with 1 from 7 runless overs, Yorkie something similar and myself 1 from 4 reasonable tight overs. In proper Sunday tradition we made sure the opposition reached 166 with some friendly buffet bowling at the back end of their innings but we trooped off happy that our stunning batting line-up would be able to chase down the target.

The teas were the best I've ever had outside of the Republic of Wield and after too much food Toby and I opened the batting.....with everyone waiting for the usual Tony & Toby opening carnage!!!! It was not to be as a very eventless partnership was broken when Toby played around a particularly straight one and trooped back off up the hill muttering something about swinging down the legside!!! He was replaced by Ed, buoyed by his bowling and with none of his usual flair Ed hung around until he got a long hop and then passed it straight to cover for 5.

Oakley brought on a genuine fast bowler (for a Sunday anyhow) and Harry B hopped around for a solid innings until they brought on a leg spinner (for a Sunday anyhow) who removed middle peg.

This is where the innings took a downward spiral towards a grudge match!!!

Dougie arrived at the crease to a few choice words and the fun began. Needing 100 from 13 overs Dougie and I began to accelerate the scoring (well Dougie did!!!) somehow Dougie managed to annoy everyone which culminated in the leg spinner throwing the ball at him and one of their fielders refusing to move on the boundary. We were getting closer to the target and closer to a fight when Oakley brought back their fast bowler. After Dougie slog swept him for 6 and slog swept air a few times he finally lost his middle stump sparking Ashes like celebrations and the greatest send off since Ian Healey said to Ranatunga... "You don’t get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat ****!!!"

I was never going to hit 30 off 2 overs (20 overs maybe!!) so with Frostys help we played out the last 2 overs and settled for a draw.

As I dragged myself off I was met with some moaning about jug avoidance (47 not out) and My Harry who on Fathers day greeted me with the loving phrase of "Daddy you cost us the game!!!!!!!"

16 games unbeaten and only one fight ...... Go Wield Go Wield!!!!!!!!!

Tony Robson