Nomads 16 June 2022

Manager Nick Pykett

Match Drawn

SOA 240 for 8 dec (Junaid Aziz 110, Max Smith 34)

Nomads 189 for 9 (Max Smith 3 for 17)

After a plethora of team changes running up to the start date, The SOA arrived at Tiddington CC on a fine day and to sample the wonderful hospitality on offer.

The SOA lost the toss and were inserted by The Nomads who bowled well with discipline. Junaid Aziz batted beautifully as wickets fell around him leaving the SOA on 57-3 off their first 20 overs. Max Smith joined Aziz and the pair put on 89 for the 4th wicket before Smith became the 1st of what would be 3 victims, to the Left Arm Chinaman, Arora, for a nicely crafted 34.

After a magnificent lunch full of wine, pate, amber nectar, a variety of French cheese and story swapping with some SOA stalwarts who kindly joined us for lunch, the SOA continued on their quest of setting a score.

There were no more real partnerships to note as the SOA looked to increase the run rate, with Aziz still occupying the crease with restraint and finesse. He finally fell after a marvelous 110 off 150 deliveries with the score on 187 in the 49th over. Some lusty blows towards the end of the innings from Gus Watts took the SOA to 240-8 off 56 overs.

The bowling was opened by Gus Watts and Tiddington's Elliott Dales and The Nomads reached 53 before the loss of their 1st wicket, in the 11th over.

Max Smith, the pick of the bowlers took 3 wickets in his 5 overs, for just 17 runs and swung the game in The SOAs favour with the score at 115-5 off 23 overs.

With Alex Davies, the front line spinner being introduced to the attack and his first over being pillaged for 22 by the number 7 Marshall with 4 fours and a maximum, the game looked well in the balance.

Sam Cross quickly replaced Davies and removed Marshall (28 off 11 balls) in his first over, bizarrely bowling him through is legs with a booming in-swinger, with the score now 151-6 off 27.3 overs; Cross finishing with 1-8 off 4 overs at the Nomads looked to shut up shop.

The reintroduction of Davies came as the SOA looked to their avian spinner to turn the screw, with part time seamer Michael Race bowling at the other end pedaling his Geordie-learned seamers which picked up a couple of wickets, including a fantastic catch at 2nd slip from Matt Watts.

From 151-8 the Nomads slipped to 189-9 off 41 overs leaving them 5 overs to negotiate whilst protecting their final wicket. Rouse and Page at the crease faced 41 balls between them for 2 runs as the SOA were unable to prize the last wicket out of them.

With 9 men round the bat it was a fitting end to a nip and tuck game, and on the last ball of the innings the left handed page edged a ball from Davies to Cross at 2nd slip who, it has to be said, came up a touch early and dropped a sharp chance by his boot laces.

The Nomads finished up on 189-9 off 46 overs which kept up the run of draws in this fixture.

Until next year...