Abingdon School 20 May 2026

Manager Danny Dawson

Match Drawn

Abingdon School 203 for 6 dec

SOA 203 for 5 all out (Alex Ling 69*, Sam Collins 39)

The skipper was determined to try and put together a side that were Alumnus of Abingdon School given that it was likely that a significant draw would be playing with a cadre of familiar faces against the old enemy at the War Memorial ground. Some six Abingdon old boys took the field, including an Abingdon foundation alumnus (more of him later), and a current Abingdon School sponsor (!), plus a carefully curated list of guests and overseas professionals.

On a mild, but windy day, SOA won the toss and elected to field on what looked like a slightly green-tinged grassy wicket. 

Logan and Wren opened the bowling for the SOA, Logan showing true Aussie grit by taking himself off because it was a tad too breezy after 5 overs. Wren despite some probing overs could not quite entice a determined opening pair to do anything rash. It was time to insert the Lings, Alex and Ben, into the attack. Not a moment too soon, as Ben Ling had been entranced into some early afternoon torpor which had meant that anything hit into roughly the same postcode would pick him out for some charitable work in the field.  With the score at 56, Ling B. picked up a caught and bowled, the former element of the dismissal being a surprise to us all. 

Alex Ling toiled and was rewarded with two wickets at the other end. Then came more fun. Knowing that Will Owens was playing for the School and Ed Owens was playing for the SOA meant there had to be a one on one, an unflinching merciless bouncer aimed at his brother’s head was pouched by Wren at long leg, and thus Ed Owen’s mission was successfully completed. Will trudged off avoiding his brother’s smug gaze. Meantime the Pres picked up two good wickets, the prized being Golding who had batted sublimely for 61.

There then followed a great partnership between Corbin and Mercer, Corbin being particularly dismissive of most offered to him. After 40 overs Joe Botha the skipper for the school called it a day, with 203 for 6 on the board.

After tea it would be the second SOA set of brothers, Sam and Toby Collins to open the batting. Shiraz had by this time been spending most of the game wracked in a rictus of pain in the smallest room in the pavilion, having rather overindulged in a pre-game lipid rich lunch.  No such indigestion for the Collins’ who tucked into the Schools’ rapid but misguided opening bowling to establish a solid 50 partnership. After their respective dismissals Al Ling would light up the innings with lots of singles and two’s to keep us on target in full knowledge that we’d probably get roughly 30 overs or so back. In this effort he was ably assisted by Andrew Russell who had kept us entertained thoroughly while keeping wicket in the first innings, with his stories of recent dating experiences.

After the field was pushed back it seemed that all might be lost, and a tense period ensued. This caused the skipper to chew the edge of his cap and wring his hands at the prospect of a loss. He need not have worried; in front of a baying crowd Ben Ling and Harry Wren saw us creep up with the run rate, a few lusty blows, and at the last ball scores were level. Despite best efforts, and an attempted scrambled single, the score remained even. 203 per side! A draw, and almost the perfect game!

Players retired to the pub after a few beers at the School to be regaled by the skippers’ litany of ‘run ins’ with the law. A rum Kentish turkey indeed.

As usual the school were wonderful hosts, laid back, polite gentlemen to a man, and good cricketers to boot.