4s vs Hook 4s 10.05.25

It was back to LS for the 4s for our first game of the year, welcoming our neighbours from across the M3. Chaos early doors, with Charlotte and Stenners arriving on tea duty to find food was lacking. Thankfully Stenners and Charlotte put in a heroic stint to ensure we had tea arriving on time.

A lost toss saw us batting first and Matt and Aidy striding out to the middle. The pair started slowly but laid solid foundations, and Aidy (20) was starting to get going before he cut one straight to point, 58-1 (13.3).

St John was next in, and keen to impress his fan club who were enjoying the summer sun. That, or he was in a hurry to get back and join them for a beverage, as he came flying out the traps and punishing any lapse in length.

One six from St John over midwicket approached Aidy Green who was stood in front of his car. Aidy stepped forward to take the catch, before realising he was encroaching on the boundary while the ball might not clear the boundary. Aidy then bailed out of the catch to allow the ball to go for six, before watching it disappear into the bushes and requiring a search party to retrieve it.

St John brought up his 50 to the delight (disdain) of his fan club, but was on his way back soon after missing a straight one. Forty six of his fifty four runs were scored in boundaries, as St John injected plenty of pace into the innings.

Matt (41) accelerated from here but was caught trying one boundary too many, and Netty (4) followed soon after falling victim to the Long Sutton ghost, as the bails seemed to fall off from what looked like an edge for four, as we slipped from 140-1 to 160-4.

Next in was Stenners and Nic Riches. Both struggled to get going at first, before Nick crunched one to square leg, clearly sending a warning shot to his father Dave who was rather helpfully umpiring at the time (thank you Dave!). He managed to avoid his Dad but not the fielder, who stopped the four, before Nic crunched one down to long off for his first league runs. Nic (9) was bowled looking to get on with things, before Stenners (22*) and Charlie (20*) fired us towards a handy 228-5, Stenners peppering the cars parked at Cow, and Charlie hitting hard down the ground.

After a fantastic tea from Charlotte and Stenners, we were keen for an early breakthrough. The skipper turned to Joe and Drew, who both threatened but couldn't stop the early boundaries. Drew (1-33) did concede five boundaries in his first two overs, but Merlot stuck with his vice skipper, and bowled the dangerous opener, 43-1.

Charlotte and Merlot were next into the attack as we looked to wrestle back a bit of control. Three wickets in three overs saw Hook go from 62-1 from 9 to 67-4 from 11.2 as the pair ripped the heart out of the Hook top order. Things could have been even better, as the first ball Merlot bowled to the leftie was put down at long-off. Let's hope it wasn't costly…

The pair couldn't find another wicket, so Nic and Charlie were into the attack. Nic found the edge in his first over to collect his first league wicket, thanks to cymbals behind the stumps, Hook 92-5.

Unfortunately things again unravelled after drinks as we struggled to break the partnership. The leftie in particular was brilliant at finding the boundary, while the youngsters at the other end rotated the strike while punishing the bad ball.

Merlot turned back to Joe and himself as we started getting desperate for a breakthrough, and Joe struck immediately bowling the youngster through the gate. Merlot (2-33) unfortunately struggled for the consistency of earlier, while Joe somehow missed out on another wicket.

Charlotte and Nic were back on, as a game of cat and mouse ensued as we tried to keep the leftie off strike. Charlotte (3-29) and Nic (1-43) both bowled brilliantly to keep us in the game, and Charlotte taking two wickets as part of an outstanding death spell (ten runs and two wickets in three overs). Unfortunately the leftie was too good and saw Hook over the line by one wicket.

A really frustrating one, we should have won from the position we were in before drinks. At least the Shots won at Wembley the next day to lift this author and a number of club members’ spirits. I understand that the there are some historic ties between the Shots and OGCC, and I reach out to anybody in the know who can educate me on this.

Player of the Match - Charlotte Schooling - unreal effort to save teas before bowling a brilliant spell at the death to nearly snatch us the win

Muppet of the week - Charlie Green, latest graduate of the Jamie Le Roux school of leaving kit at home

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