Chearsley 5 July 2024
Manager Pete King
Match Drawn
Chearsley 195 for 7 dec
SOA 140 for 2 (Shiraz Husain 54)
Cricket, Chaos, and Clouds: A Soggy Saga of Chearsley vs South Oxfordshire Amateurs
Chearsley and South Oxfordshire Amateurs (SOA) found themselves not just battling each other, but also the ever-fickle British weather.
SOA won the toss and chose to field
Chearsley's Innings
The star of Chearsley's show was undoubtedly Leigh Tomlinson, who played with great gusto and freedom, notching up a magnificent 69* off 70 balls. His innings, peppered with 10 fours and a six, was more explosive than a post-match curry.
While Tomlinson was busy hitting it to all parts, his teammates provided entertaining sideshows:
Ryan Biggs (20 off 21) and Vinnie Connolly (15 off 32)
Alex Ross decided 29 off 31 was enough excitement for one day, hitting 5 fours before being clean bowled by the SOA President and all-rounder – Ed Phillips
Abdi Rahman's cameo of 11* off 7 balls SOA's Bowling.
SOA Bowling
The last minute call up of Hamidullah Afghan proved an inspired selection, conceding just 31 runs in 9 overs and snagging 3 wickets.
Jack White and Edward Phillips joined the wicket-taking party.
Chearsley innings declared on 195/7 off 39 overs
Superb tea sourced by Alex Ross
SOA's Reply - Racing Against Rain
As SOA began their chase, the sky began to look as ominous. Undeterred, they set about their task with urgency and extreme focus.
Romance was immediately in the air as one of the SOA’s most glamourous couples walked out to open the batting. Trishan Holder the star of the show with 31 off 34 balls, comfortably outplaying her batting ‘partner’ Trevon Burgess.
Bharat Ramanathan joined the party late but made up for lost time, smashing 26* off 22 balls.
Shiraz Husain played an innings smoother than a well-oiled cricket bat, scoring a rapid 54 off 48 balls.
Chearsley's Dampened Spirits
Chearsley's bowlers tried their best to stop the SOA onslaught, to no avail.
Abdi Rahman managed to snag a wicket.
Jamie Wright also claimed a scalp.
Just as SOA were cruising at 140 for 2 in 21 overs, looking set for a comfortable victory, the heavens opened up and both teams retired to the club house to watch the European Soccer thing and have a few pints.
Match Drawn