1st XI Scrape Through To Quarter Finals

On a sunny day in Fringford, Kidlington found themselves up against Division 3 opposition as they returned to the scene of their Cup win in 2012. On a fairly green wicket, captain Richard Walker didn't hesitate on opting to bowl first on winning the toss! Dan Farrant and Steve Litten opened the bowling as Fringford found it tough to start with against the new ball pair. However Litten bang to struggle with his length at times as the Fringford openers began to punish any slightly lose bowling. As the score moved past 30, Farrant thought he had the breakthrough, a swinging delivery caught the edge of R.Bacons bat, but KCC saw the ball fly between Walker and Willmot at first slip! However, Farrant didn't have to wait long for his first wicket as he had Bacon out next ball. A slower ball wasn't picked and as Bacon skied a drive, Walker came from behind the stumps to take the catch and secure the breakthrough for Kidlington. Litten was struggling with his line and length now and was replaced by Muhammed Usman who was looking to build on his first 5 wicket wicket haul the previous week. Usman bowled well with good control but it was Farrant who thought he had Kidlingtons second wicket as squared A.Measday up and hit him on the pads , the whole off KCC went up with the bowler as they were convinced the ball was hitting all three stumps, the umpire had other ideas however and called not out. Farrant was brought off for Edd Willmot as KCC went in search of wickets. Willmot delivered almost immediately, or atleast he thought he had. Measday edged behind to Walker and as Kidlington celebrated, Measday stood his ground, the umpire gave not out and KCC were infuriated at the batsmans lack of gamesmanship especially as the square leg umpire admitted hearing the edge! Measdays innings didn't last much longer though as Willmot finally had his man caught at gully by the returning Craig Woods! When Willmot took the wicket of T.Bacon with a sharp caught and bowled and Usman claimed the wicket of E.Blight, Kidlington had 86/4. That was soon to become 86/5 as Willmot took his third wicket, turning one past the edge of D.Macdonalds bat and saw the ball clip offstump! The Fringford skipper T.Burcham knew he needed a captains innings as they were in danger of posting a below par score. He obliged as he took the attack to the Kidlington bowling. Anything slightly short he was quick to pounce on it and score boundaries through the short offside boundary. He was losing partners quickly though, when Willmot took his fourth wicket after a brilliant low catch by John Pratt as he removed M.Bynoe. With the score on 97/6, T.Burcham needed a partner but when C.Mann was removed by Usman after another good catch by Waseem Azad at gully, he was in danger of being left stranded. I.Headley was the man he was looking for as they put on 40 valuable runs for Fringford as they moved the score to 153 before Farrant, who had replaced the bowled out Willmot took the wicket of the Fringford captain. Sam Rodway was on for Usman and struggled bowling at the end of the innings as anything slightly loose was punished, Fringford finally finished their innings in 164/8 as KCC were disappointed they allowed possibly 20/30 runs more than they would have liked.

After tea, Kidlington knew they needed to bat well to chase the required target. Waseem Azad and Andy Oliver opened the batting, but Kidlington soon found themselves on 13/1 as Azad was out caught after trying to repeat a previous drive that went to the fence. Oliver looking in good touch and dispatched anything short to the boundary but when Craig Woods was next out caught behind, Kidlington found themselves in trouble on 23/2. Steve Litten was promoted up the order to try and take advantage of the fielding restrictions. He struck two early boundaries with crisp drives through the covers, but was the next wicket to fall when he mistimed a shot and was caught in the covers. Edd Willmot joined Oliver and the pair set about getting KCC close to the target. They added 50 runs with some good running and beautifully timed shots around the ground, even after Oliver had injured himself and required a runner! Unfortunately for KCC, this partnership wasn't to last, Kidlington went from 80/3 to 84/5 as Willmot and Oliver went in successive balls, Willmot caught at cover and Oliver bowled. Hari Lehal and John Pratt managed to steady the ship with Pratts' counter attacking style paying dividends as he added 18 quick runs before chipping one to mid off! Lehal was occupying the crease well as he was joined by skipper Walker. The pair added another 15 runs before Walker was the next man out, missing a straight one and adjudged LBW. Sam Rodway joined Lehal as KCC were struggling on 117/7. Lehal was looking in control playing steady, but a mad couple of overs was the undoing on him as he went into attack mode and missed a straight ball, seeing it smash into his middle stump. Dan Farrant joined Rodway with the score on 120 in the the 33rd over. The young pair looked calm and set about working their way towards the required total. Farrant struck a six through mid wicket as he and Rodway looked like guiding Kidlington to victory! However with 25 runs still required required Rodway was out caught and bowled as he tried to work the ball for a single. Farrant was joined busy Muhammed Usman, who knew he had to play solid and feel in his attacking instincts. Farrant ushered the partnership well keeping the majority of the strike and scoring boundaries including a flick for four through midwicket and a pull shot through square leg, as the runs required moved below 10, Fringford brought the field in and tried to get Usman inn strike, after a few more singles, KCC needed just 3 runs as they went into the 41st over. Wit the field in close, Usman was on strike and with a short pitched delivery, he smashed the ball over mid on for four and secured a brilliant recovery for KCC and move them into the Quarter Finals of the Cup, which sees them face Stanton Harcourt at Stratfield Brake!