Sun Jul 10th Grannies 203-5, DJs 146-8 then rain.
Match report
Match Managers are rarely in a position where their best endeavours to guarantee an eleven are so successful as to actually deliver a twelve on the morning of the match, when the expected late cry off never comes! Clearly discombobulated by this extraordinary turn of events, the Grannies captain, having lost the toss and been inserted, then presented the under strength opposition with our opening bowler in a fit of generosity that in hindsight (some 2 months after the events in question when this match report is being cobbled together) was perplexing if not downright stupid. Fortunately the opposition were unaware of the talents of Dom Ely and so his entry into the attack was delayed until a little into the Grannies innings which gave us a chance to get going.
However batting was difficult for most in the early stages. People were able to get in but not score quickly. Our run rate was further depressed when the cheetah like pace of Sykes was denied to us by yet another batting injury (this time a groin) after one too many sharp (like a blancmange) singles. A caustic observer in the crowd noted that he never seems to get injured while fielding!
Nevertheless, with a fine 50 to his name, Sykes made way for Rowlands who made batting look easy (like he normally does) and swiftly the difficulties the captain was experiencing in determining the declaration were swept away in a flurry of boundaries.
At this point rain started to enter the equation and effectively ruined the match. Demijohns had started at quite a pace and prior to the first rain break had more than kept up with the required rate. However after the pitch had been sharpened a little by the rain, wickets began to fall, famously the younger Ely removing the older Ely for the first time outside the back garden, and suddenly we were in with a sniff.
However the rain returned requiring a renegotiation of the time of stumps to try and make a game of it. More wickets fell but as the DJs shut up shop, numbers 9 and 10 looking very comfortable against a tiring Grannies attack, the rain finally ended proceedings conclusively, with both sides feeling a draw was the fair result.
Match info
James Philpott & Dominic Ely share Match Manager duties.
Location
St John's College Sports Ground,
Woodstock Road,
Oxford,
OX2 7AD
How to get there
Travelling north on the Woodstock Rd in Oxford the turning is on the left after Frenchay Road but before Lathbury Road on the right. It is difficult to spot as it runs between two new (as of 2014) pillars and there is no sign.