Nomads 13 June 2024

Manager Nick Pykett

Won by 13 Runs

SOA 235 for 7 (Shiraz Husain 59*, Trevon Burgess 42, Ryan Greyvenstein 36)

Nomads 190 for 5 

Like most of the summer, forecasted inclement weather was playing havoc with our beloved sport. In the interest of the game, the suggestion of a limited overs situation was posed and both captains agreed that it was the most pragmatic solution to make the best of the day. 

The SOA, with 6 debutants from all corners of the globe, won the toss and elected to bat first. With the South African opening pair from Didcot and Bicester & North Oxford relishing the chance of batting together on foreign soil, took to the crease. The pair put on 27 for the first wicket with some beautiful shots before the in-form Zian Stoop fell to the flat off spin from Ben Butcher. Ryan Greyvenstein put on another 39 for the 2nd wicket before RG fell for a well-made 36 at a run a ball with 2 sizeable maximums.

Trevon Burgess batted with superb calypso flair for his 42 with another 2 maximums in his 42. Shiraz Husain remained not out at the end on 59 scored at a run a ball whilst the rest of the order batted around him, Leo Suter also making his debut made the most of the gap in his acting schedule by scoring 24 off 17 balls at the end. 

The SOA finished on 203-7 from their 35 overs. 

As ever a wonderful spread was provided and enjoyed by players and many an SOA stalwart who had made the drive to converse with old friends, a real pleasure to see. 

The Nomads got off to a rather brisk start, putting on 55 for the first wicket before Mark Richards fell of the bowling of Zac Wilton, to a sharp catch by debutant Imti Hussain at point. After a sharp caught and bowled from Jamie Bates removed their number 3 it brought Ashwani Arora to the crease who showed his class and experience by scoring a rapid 60 from just 42 balls before he was superbly runout by another debutant, Alfred Crewe, with a direct hit at the non-striker’s end. Crewe’s brilliant work changed the course of the game dramatically, and when 156-3 became 162-4 after opener Vic Kandampully fell for 51, bowled by Pat Knightley, the game had swung back in the SOA’s favour. 

Pat Knightley, along with debutants Ziaan Stoop and Leo Suter bowled with real control towards the end of the innings with combined figures of 15 overs, 2 for 44! These figures were abetted by the Nomads Skipper, Tom Brockton, who seemed to have forgotten he’d agreed a win/lose format earlier on in the day, as his rather tepid 9 off 28 deliveries somewhat stifled their chase, and to top things off he remained inexplicably unbeaten at the end as The Nomads finished on 190-5 and 13 runs short of their total. 

It was wonderful for the SOA to take the spoils for the first time in this fixture with previous fixtures being one loss and 7 draws!