What would KCC do without Paul Hewitt?

Sunday Cup fixtures are a perennial nightmare in terms of selection and player availability and throughout the week this one proved more challenging than most. Right until the very last moment it looked as if Kidlington would take the field with only 7 players however with the KCC openers taking strike (fortunately Charlbury chose to field first) the 7th cavalry arrived! This took the form of Paul Hewitt and youth players Josef Hewitt and Saul Samuel. Paul and the boys had already attended a youth team fixture earlier in the day and this level of commitment and effort is outstanding. A club member like Paul is Solid Gold to KCC and the youth set up is the life blood of the club going forward. Add to that the huge effort made by Chairman John Moss as he managed to overcome a difficult set of circumstances to make up a full team by mid innings.
As it transpired this was even more vital as Martin Eagle tore a calf muscle setting off for a run and the team was reduced to ten men by the 5th over. Craig Woods then joined Graham Eagle in what would be a productive partnership. The bowling was good with Barry Nutt(1-34) and particularly Eleanor Norton(2-34) bowling accurate spells but both players were watchful and able to punish anything off line or length. 48 runs were added before Eagle(33) was the first to go. He survived a dropped catch by Nutt at extra cover before being bowled in the same over by Norton when attempting to hit over the top.
Muhammed Usman(4) had a short but sweet stay at the crease, striking a lofted drive to the fence before chipping a catch to cover off Norton. Craig Woods(43) would now be the main hope of a challenging score and the big man did not disappoint with some powerful hitting. Two huge 6's cleared the hedge as he lifted slow bowler Charlie Sinton(3-41) back over his head and also struck 5x4's in his stay before Sinton had the final say courtesy it must be said of a rather dubious lbw decision which went against Woods.
Paul Hewitt(26) then further proved his value to the club as a more than useful middle order batsman. First in partnership with Razwan Dogar(10) who struck 1x6 and 1x4 to move the scoring rate along before holing out on the fence. Then with Christian Blackford(19) as the pair batted sensibly adding 27 before Blackford was caught by Nutt off Richard Nash. Nash(2-40) then bowled Baiju Saleem(0) in the same over. John Moss(7) ran well to get the score ticking before he was bowled by Nutt who had returned to the attack. This gave Paul a chance to bat with his son Josef Hewitt(0 not out) before he too holed out off Sinton. The last word was then had by the youth of KCC as Saul Samuel(1 not out) joined Josef to see out the innings as Kidlington closed on 155-8.

Graham Eagle donned the Keepers gloves in order to allow Craig Woods(0-27) to bowl as Charlbury replied and while Woods showed plenty of pace and effort his direction was off at times as part time bowlers often are.
Pick of the bowlers was his opening partner Christian Blackford ( 2-30) who corrected a tendency to bowl too short and was rewarded with the scalps of Jim Astle(9) trapped lbw and Richard Nash(22) caught behind by Eagle. Saul Samuel ( 1-32) started a little nervously but proved a very hot prospect getting the important wicket of Sinton(31) caught at point by Usmal.
For a time Charlbury fell behind the rate as Dave Cox(5) and Alasdair Harley(7) struggled against Usmal(1-29) and Baiju Saleem(1-15) but after Usmal bowled Cox and Saleem bowled Harley. Barry Nutt(44 not out) took the game away from Kidlington. Aided by Rob Collard(17 not out) he took a toll on tiring bowlers with some good hitting and exploited the gaps left by being a man short. Victory coming in the 38th over when he struck the winning boundary off John Moss(0-15) as the Kidlington total proved short of what was required but the club could take some satisfaction in being competitive throughout with a side drawn together at the 11th hour!