Batting Is 1st XIs Downfall

With Captain Richard Walker on holiday, Dan Farrant took over and didn't hesitate to bowl on a slightly damp wicket, overcast conditions and damp outfield! Farrant and Steve Litten opened the bowling for KCC and started brilliantly restricting the dangerous S.Armstrong and N.Himpson well with good accurate swing bowling! As Marcham struggled along at 1 an over inside the first 10 overs, Litten managed to take the prize wicket of Armstrong who leading edged a swinging delivery to point where Johnny Boyes took a great diving catch! Farrant took the next wicket for KCC as he found the outside edge of Himpson and had him caught behind by John Pratt. This brought two new batsmen to the crease in J.Cox and K.Watkins who were happy to play their shots early on. Farrant and Litten were both replaced after a brilliant opening 16 overs left Marcham struggling on 30/2. Muhammad Usman and Sam Britton came on to bowl but both struggled early on with Cox and Watkins dispatching anything over pitched to the boundary. As the runs began to come easier for Marcham, Britton the wicket of Watkins as he tried to pull a ball that was too full. T.Mooring joined Cox who was going nicely in the middle and struck an early boundary before being bowled by Britton as he again tried to smash the ball to the boundary! Marcham were on 70/4 when captain T.Barratt joined Cox and he raced to 10 before Edd Willmot, who had replaced Britton tempted him into a big shot but was caught by Waseem Azad on the boundary at mid on. When A.Horseman was stumped by John Pratt off the bowling of Willmot, KCC were in a commanding position with Marcham on 100/6. Usman had began to bowl a better line and length and he was rewarded with the wicket of Cox who had easily top scored for Marcham but was bowled through the gate! J.Woodley and A.Buckland occupied the crease and tested his luck as he was twice dropped off of the bowling of Willmot, firstly a swirling catch by Farrant at point and then a diving catch by Litten on the square leg boundary. With 9 overs remaining, Farrant replaced Usman and immediately took a wicket having Buckland caught and bowled before striking again in the same over, deceiving Woodley with a slower ball the hit middle stump. Edd Willmot then wrapped up Marchams innings as he had P.Jeacock stumped by Pratt leaving A.Chalmers stranded with no partners and Marcham all out for 128.

After the usual excellent KCC tea, Andy Oliver and Muhammad Usman opened the batting for Kidlington chasing the lowly target of 128 on what looked a good wicket as it had dried throughout the day! The pair added a quick 10 before Usman was the first wicket to fall as he top edged a short ball from Cox and was caught by Himpson at mid on. After A.Chalmers had to come off from bowling as the umpire refused to stand up to the stumps to allow him to bowl around the wicket, Armstrong came on to bowl a devastating spell that turned the game in Marchams favour. When he removed Oliver LBW with a ball that looked to be drifting down leg side, KCC were struggling in 14/2. Chris East and Edd Willmot occupied the middle, both in good form but when East was caught at short extra cover by Buckland off the bowling of Armstrong Kidlington were in trouble. Waseem Azad and Willmot added 40 vital runs before Armstrong again took the wicket of Azad with another LBW which looked to be drifting down leg with his left arm around action. A 12 over spell taking 3 wickets and only going for 19 runs had put the pressure on the Kidlington lower order and when T.Mooring took the wicket of Craig Woods, Kidlington desperately needed a partnership! Johnny Boyes was Moorings next victim as he missed a straight one. John Pratt joined Willmot in the middle with KCC still needing 35 runs to win with only 3 wickets remaining. With Willmot looking assured, he was the big wicket, however when he fell to a straight Mooring delivery and Steve Litten went the very next ball, Dan Farrant walked to the middle facing a hatrick ball from Mooring, after taking a hatrick away at Marcham himself earlier in the season! Farrant and Pratt added 10 runs before Farrant was Moorings 4th victim again missing a straight ball! Sam Britton joined Pratt with Kidlington only needing 10 runs to win. Pratt tried to farm the strike protecting Britton but on the last ball of Moorings sixth over, Pratt attempted a leg side shit but was caught behind by Horseman as Mooring secured his 5 wicket haul and a memorable win for Marcham as they completed the double over Kidlington this season and closed the gap at the top of Division 4!