Witney Mills 28 July 2020

Manager Alex Wildman

Match Drawn

SOA 217 for 3 (F Crouch 66, J Ellwood 55*, T Scrase 48)

Witney Mills 170 for 8 (C Foster 4-42, H Welch 2 -41)

The delay to the season, and this game had robbed SOA of their regular manager for this fixture as James Florey was up to his shoulders in his cows on the sunny Tuesday afternoon that brought us to the always welcoming Witney Mills ground.

James' previous diplomacy benefited stand in skipper Alex Wildman when Ben Madden the Mills captain suggested SOA bat first in the sun. Presidents Current and Immediate Past opened up with a first wicket partnership of 107 before Frankie Crouch was caught for a dashing 66 from less than 50 balls. Tom Scrase eventually fell 2 short of a well deserved half century, providing a platform for James Ellwood and Ed Phillips to capitalise on. James' big hitting 55 not out included fives sixes in an unbroken partnership of 73 with Ed before the declaration came on 217 at the end of the 38th over.

An unexpected result of enforced covid measures is the introduction of tea envy, where the less organised owner of an M&S (or heaven forbid picked up from the Esso garage round the corner from the ground) ham sandwich competes with the "homemade by the girlfriend" sausage rolls, eaten from a china plate. The conclusion of tea brought the start of the Mills innings, an expected 42 overs or so for them to chase 218 to win.

Colin Allen and Matt Warner opened the SOA attack. Colin bowled tight lines with good shape with his 6 overs conceding only 20 and was unfortunate to go wicketless. Matt bowled with good variety , his cross seam delivery seeing the hard hitting Buckfield on his way, bowled. Witney progressed well from 47-1 to 101 without drama before Craig Foster tempted Maymo with a very full delivery that was stunningly caught by Ellwood at long off. Foster's figures of 4-42 from 12 overs saw regular wickets fall, perhaps testament to extreme flight over extreme spin. Henry Welch bowled 11 overs of quality leg spin in two spells taking 2 wickets, one a sharp stumping from Goodliffe, the other clean bowled. Witney fought hard with the bat and in good spirit were chasing aggressively until their eighth wicket fell in the last over, match drawn.

Our thanks to our umpire Andrew Moss and scorer Susan Moss for marshalling us through an excellent afternoon of cricket, also to our hosts for looking after us so well.