Bloxham School 11 June 2025

Manager Craig Foster

Won by 54 runs

SOA 191 for 9 dec (Dave Eaton 58, Shiraz Husain 45, Fred Price 26, Ed Phillips 22)

Bloxham School 137 all Out (Danny Dawson 6-2-11-3, Dave Eaton 3-3-0-2, Chris Phillips 3-1-17-2, Liam Evans 5-1-37-2)

On a lovely day at Bloxham, with probably the only green outfield in the county, SOA batted first and were given a good start by Fred Price and Shiraz Husain, who put on 45 for the first wicket. Ed Phillips kept the score ticking over, before three quick wickets brought in Dave Eaton, who produced a swashbuckling 58 not out. The rest of the order contributed little before the declaration at 191-9.

Then it was off to the school canteen for a lovely two-course lunch of belly of pork and sticky toffee pudding (it's no surprise that this fixture is always easy to fill).

We opened the bowling with Ben McCure and Andy Capel, who bowled well without luck. First-change bowlers Eaton, who took a wicket with his first ball, and Danny Dawson then shared four wickets to dismiss to Bloxham top order. Chris Phillips, Dawson and Liam Evans then took out the middle order, before numbers nine and ten, with 30 and 45 respectively, brought the school back into the game.

The manager took the last wicket to give SOA a 54-run victory; then it was off to The Elephant for a full debrief and a beer.