It was wonderful to welcome back Old Bloxhamists for the 2022 Cricket Festival here at Bloxham. We are very grateful to Jolyon Griffiths, OB Society Chairman and cricketer, for the following report:
The OBs welcomed South Oxfordshire Amateurs on a gloriously day with Bloxham showing at it’s sunny best. The OB side being studded with three Gurneys for the first and hopefully not the last – the latest of the Bloxham cricketing dynasties!
SOA batted first and scored 221 for 6 declared off 45.2 overs with Kieran Coyne top scoring with 63, Alistair Short making 53 and our old friend Ed Phillips chipping in with 36. Jonny Wilkinson coming on with his spin towards the end of the innings was the pick of the OB bowlers (1.2-0-5-3) though Ben England (14-4-45-2) and Zac Wilton (11-1-40-0) did most of the work.
In Act II the OBs were quickly two down with just 14 on the board, Kyle White (18) and Tom Gurney (83) rebuilt. Moving into the last twenty overs the OBs were well placed with Gurney accelerating before holing out leaving the OBs at 126 for 6. Harry Smith (48) and George King (20) took up the baton and got the OBs to 193 eight down with some very clean striking. Into the last over 23 needed and two wickets, Harry struck a four first ball game on. Harry then holed out and then Zac Wilton was caught on the boundary going for the first of the sixes needed to win the game.
As ever, this fixture was played in a wonderful spirit and both XIs retired to the Elephant and Castle to relive present, past and future glories.
On the Sunday we welcomed Oxford Downs where the OBs first XI managed to hold on for the draw nine down on the main field.
Over at Park Close, the OBs second XI took on the Elephant and Castle XI. With a mixed team of sixteen male and female players between them the captains agreed an eight-a-side 15 over game with batters retiring at 20 and three overs max per bowler. The OBs batted first and scored 150 with Callum Horne (36 NO), Sam Manning (35 NO), David Best and James Ramm all getting their 20. In reply the E&C batters initially struggled against some tight OB bowling with three of their batters making twenty and retiring though not getting in again, Simon Finch came in at number eight and hit three large boundaries to get their score up to 137 at the close. Special mention must be made of OB Sarah Greene who batted for both teams only a couple of weeks after having her appendix removed!