3rds fall just short at Deddington with only nine players!

After a dispiriting week of selection the thirds managed to field a team for their fixture against deddington. Despite the threat of rain we commenced with the match at the normal 45 overs per side. With the whole ground looking like a desert the skipper Hewitt would not be hesitant to bat first. However the toss was lost and Deddington unsurprisingly chose to bat. With the last to teams who played us hitting 300 we knew the Deddington batsman would be lining up to hit a ton against us.

The same bowling attack was used, Dogar and Hewitt. However both were hit for boundaries with the deddington batsman using the fast outfield and the gaps between the fielders. Ummer made the breakthrough forcing the batsman to pop one up and taking a catch off his own bowling. Oscar completed his 6 overs which introduced skipper P Hewitt. By now Deddington were 84-1-12. it was looking like another score of 300. However things soon changed.

P Hewitt clean bowled J Roberts and then shortly after forced big hitter N Murphy to smash one straight into the hands of Josef Hewitt. J Watts failed to trouble the scorers as Ummer removed him for his second caught and bowled. In quick succession he had A Bletchley adjudged for LBW. Now we had Deddington 5 down for about 90. After a rain stoppage we preceded to go through Deddingtons middle order, with P Hewitt clean bowling R Holmes and making A cork hit one straight to Josef again for his second catch, and P Hewitt's fourth wicket. Sam Kimber came on to bowl but was taken off due to two no ball beamers. A stupid rule that the OCA must change soon. Sam was clearly very upset but he soon bounced Back. P Hewitt had Williamson adjudged for LBW for his fifth wicket whilst Oscar cleaned up the tail ,clean bowling A Collins. Deddington were bowled out for 132, what a comeback!

Unlike the poor 2nds, we enjoyed an excellent tea with a variety of cakes and sandwiches. we sorted the batting order, and set out to what would be a monumental victory for KCC 3rds.

P Hewitt opened with L Davie. The skipper started hitting straight from the off and was playing more aggressive than usual. L Davie at the other end was playing a perfect anchor role, not doing anything stupid. It was a perfect start, 50-0-14. Until Captain Hewitt played a stupid shot, playing across the line and was dismissed for 34. Lee Davie suffered the same fate by playing the exact same shot, he departed for 11.
some rebuilding was needed. Then the umpire decided to give a no ball (which was the second for the bowler) meaning the bowler needed to be taken off. However the umpire reversed his decision which enraged the KCC Captain. David Mackenzie was shortly caught behind off Williamson who would go on to take the wickets of Sam Kimber and Oscar Hewitt. Josef was unlucky as a ball hit the outside of his pads and ricocheted on to his stumps. Ummer played a great innings of 24 and gave as a glimmer of hope as mark Kimber played some nice shots and tried his best at the end until he got slightly too ambitious and was run out.

todays game was almost cancelled and many people thought it would be best to concede. however we proved why the thirds should stay because we are capable of putting in great performances like today, we fielded excellent , took all of our catches and made little error. We only had 9 players with 3 youth and bowled out a full team of senior players, great effort and we are still looking for that third win.