1st XI Undone By Poor Batting Display

After early morning drizzle, the start of the game was delayed until 2pm. KCC Captain Richard Walker won the toss and inserted Deddington on a green uneven wicket and damp outfield.

Dan Farrant opened the bowling along with off spinner Tom Bozman and both started well. Farrant got the early breakthrough having the batsman LBW. The other opener was the more aggressive swiping at anything too straight yet struggling on the offside. Farrant took his wicket when the batsman tried a swipe across the line to a ball on off stump and was bowled with a send off from Farrant. Tom Bozman then got in on the act, after being struck for a six, the batsman top edged high in the air with Jack Desmond there to take the catch at short mid on. With only 10 overs per bowler, Farrant was replaced by Jim Blackford who bowled his ever dependable swing bowling perfectly, picking up his only wicket with a plum LBW reducing Deddington to 40/4. Bozman took his second wicket in his final over with a quicker ball catching the batsman out as the ball smashed into middle stump. Chris East replaced Bozman and after finding his line and length , had the batsmen in all sorts of trouble, as he varied his pace and turned the ball on the green wicket. East took his first wicket when the batsman mistimed a drive to John Pratt at mid off. East took his second wicket with ball that went straight on and hit the batsmen in front of all 3 and was given LBW by the umpire. After East took his 3rd wicket after a smart catch by Ralph Bishop at point, he then took his 4th with a ball that pitched a long way outside of off stump as the batsman attempted leave the ball, only for it to turn sharply and be bowled. Farrant came on for Blackford and bowled 3 tight overs before Waseem Azad came on to bowl at the death and took his sole wicket and wrapped up the Deddington innings after a good catch by Andy Oliver, leaving Deddington on 119 all out.

Kidlington began their chase in not ideal fashion as Andy Oliver was out in the 1st over after missing a straight ball trying to be aggressive early on. Jack Desmond joined Richard Walker at the crease and both settled down the innings before the KCC captain had to retire hurt and be taken to hospital after a ball popped on a length on the green wicket and caught the shoulder of his bat and smashed into his eye. Walker refused to leave the field knowing that if he left, he would not be able to return to the innings but was eventually talked around with blood gushing from his eye brow. Chris East came to the wicket but was another caught out by the uneven bounce as he middled one straight to mid off and KCC were struggling on 12/2. Ralph Bishop and a Jack Desmond steadied the ship for KCC as both batted sensibly and took the score past 50 and to drinks. Desmond was the next wicket to fall as Deddington turned to their captain and off spinner who was turning the ball along way. He bowled one that turned through gate and bowled Desmond clean. Waseem Azad joined Bishop as they moved Kidlington towards victory. Azad was aggressor, as he piled on the runs with a couple of big sixes. He then smashed 21 from one over before he was harshly adjudged LBW in what was just one of 3 decisions made by one umpire in the space of 2 overs with left Kidlington feeling hard done by. Tom Bozman was the next man given out LBW in the same over before 1 over later, Ralph Bishop was again adjudged leg before wicket by the same Umpire. With John Pratt being bowled between these decisions, KCC were now struggling on 95/7 with Dan Farrant and Chris Graham in the middle. Farrant took the score past 100 with a big six before Graham was bowled and Jim Blackford joined Farrant at the crease. KCC needed 9 runs but fell short when Farrant was bowled by a ball that turned between bat and pad as he attempted another sweep shot.

Another poor performance with the bat, along with some questionable umpiring decisions saw KCC lose by 10 runs or less for the 4th time this season!