1st XI Carry On From Where They Left Off!

On a beautiful sunny day at Stratfield Brake, Richard Walker won the toss and had no hesitation in asking Deddington to bat first on a damp wicket.

Dan Farrant opened the bowling from the Pavilion end, whilst new signing Mohammed Imran opened from the Brake end. Both bowled exceptionally well for their first game of the season restricting Deddington to less than 2 and over inside the first 13 overs. Imran took his first wicket for KCC with a beauty that nipped back and clipped the top of offstump leaving the batsman stranded offering no shot. He was in the wickets again thanks to an early contender for catch of the season from Craig Woods, who leapt to his right to pluck the ball out of the air whilst fielding at gully. Imran was replaced by Waseem Azad and Farrant by Chris East after a fine opening spell leaving Deddington on 25/2 after 13 overs. Both new bowlers carried on where Farrant and Imran had left off, bowling a tight line and good length keeping the run rate down below 3 an over and at drinks Deddington found themselves on 50/2 from 22 overs. Imran was brought back on for Azad and bowled well but was struggling with a muscle injury and only managed 3 overs before Farrant came on to bowl from the Brake end. Farrant bowled his remaining 5 overs extremely tight picking up his only wicket of the game having the batsmen caught by Andy Oliver at short backward square leg. After Farrant had bowled out and also East, who was unfortunate not to claim any wickets after bowling a brilliant 12 over spell, Imran came on to bowl the remaining overs from the Brake end and Edd Willmot replaced East at the Pavilion end. Both ending the innings as it had begun bowling a tight line and length and both were rewarded by taking wickets. First was Imran who had one caught at mid off by Rich Walker, Willmot took the next with one that turned through the gate between bat and pad and hit middle stump before Imran was in the wickets again having another caught at mid off, this time by Farrant. After Deddingtons 45 overs were up, they closed on a below par 118/6 leaving KCC a good chance of starting the season with a win!

After a much missed cricket tea, KCC were hoping for a solid batting performance chasing down Deddingtons total. Andy Oliver and Waseem Azad opened the batting for KCC and battled their way to 30/0 before Azad was harshly adjudged to have gloved one behind although it looked as if it had turned off of the pitch. Jack Desmond joined Oliver at the crease, who was content with maneuvering the field with singles letting Desmond strike the boundaries including two huge sixes. He quickly caught up with Oliver who just couldn't find the boundary in a slow damp outfield but was looking as solid as ever at the crease. Oliver was next to go though after being bowled by one that moved off of the pitch leaving KCC on 85/2 after just 23 overs. Tom Bozman joined Desmond and looked in fine form hitting an early boundary straight back past the bowler and took the score over 100 before Desmond was adjudged LBW with Kidlington needing only 6 runs to win. Chris East came to the crease but didnt need to score a run with Bozman ending the game after clipping the ball through the mid wicket and securing KCC their first game of the season.

Great team performance and in the field and with the bat and hopefully a catalyst towards another successful season! Also a welcome to the team for Mohammed Imran who had a brilliant start to his KCC career taking 4 wickets and also to John Pratt, who wasn't needed with the bat but was excellent in the field and set the standard high for the season!