No . 134 The Trusty Servant tight game , this time an intra-club fixture . The most convincing win was a demolition of The Rifles at St Cross , where Teddy Ridley bludgeoned 113 as OWCC declared at 308-7 off only 43 overs , before another nail-biting finish as we fell 13 runs short against Downside Wanderers rounded off our 2022 season .
The Cricketer Cup side won the toss in their first-round tie against Rugby Meteors and chose to bat on another hot day on Lords . Ollie Mills ( 105 *) and Dan Escott ( 82 ) starred as the OW side finished on a very competitive 302-7 off their 50 overs . A few quick wickets started the second innings well but an inability to contain the run rate and a mammoth 216 run fourth-wicket partnership put Rugby in control . Although the OWs fought back , taking wickets ( Mills 4-54 , Spencer Lee 3-48 ) and forcing the game deep , Rugby got over the line with two wickets and four balls to spare .
The OWCC Legends , the side for the more experienced OW , enjoyed another great summer of competitive , if ultimately unsuccessful , matches . A battling draw with the Brigands was followed by defeats of varying margins to IZ , St Tropez CC , Radley and the Sons of Bacchus , a run of form that continued into our tour to St Tropez . An extensive
Rollo Quinault ( H , 11-16 ) accepts the Jardine Trophy review process will most likely not be conducted over the off-season , but new players would be warmly welcomed .
Please get in touch with the Secretary , Ed Roe edward . roe @ hotmail . co . uk , if you would like to be added to the OWCC mailing list , whether as player or supporter and to receive the fixture list , sign-up sheet and the full match reports every year .
OW Cricket Week Freddie Blackett writes : It ’ s nine o ’ clock on Sunday 10 th July . I ’ m sitting on the balcony of Hunter Tent , overlooking an empty New Field bathed in already-hot sunshine . This majestic view is no longer pocked by the digital scoreboard upstage centre ; Storm Eustice took care of that . Hunter Tent ’ s hanging flowerboxes of annuals are peaking , full of midsummer colour . To my right , the flag of the Old Wykehamist Cricket Club – gold , navy and white – is trying its best to show off its own colours but , like me after three days ’ cricket , it is somewhat struggling to get up in the still heat .
The OWCC flag has faced some stern competition this week , much like its bearers . On Thursday , Gemini hoisted up their Riflesinspired banner and , on Friday , the Hampshire Hogs unfurled theirs , larger than a King-sized sheet . On Saturday , the Butterflies instead brought their take on La Coupe des Mousquetaires , filled with ice and bottles of Peroni . There were no complaints . Today , just our flag will fly for the intra-club game , the final game of the week .
We have been truly spoilt this year . In each game , all four results have been possible right up until the very end . Against Gemini , having earlier skittled their top order Henry Bertlin steered us home to win by two wickets . After inviting us to bat first , the Hogs required just 24 runs off six overs with three wickets in hand . They lost , all out , on the final ball . The Butterflies needed 50 runs with five wickets and plenty of overs still in hand . Two wickets from Jamie Roe , two superb spells of bowling by Jonathan Figy , and a sharp run-out by Rollo Quinault turned it around . We won by 18 runs .
Freddie Egleston deserves a mention for his half century and figures of 3-8 against Gemini . As does James Williams for his three crucial wickets across Thursday and Friday . Tom Perry kept nimbly in tough conditions on Saturday . ( On Sunday , Henry Bertlin bowled 19 overs of “ the best bowling I ’ ve seen this year ”, according to Umpire Roger .)
Scan this to see Henry on his way to bowling a maiden over .
On Thursday , I had welcomed everyone to “ the best week of the year ”. It couldn ’ t have done more to deliver on its promise . Yes , we have been blessed by perfect weather and nail-biting cricket . But there ’ s more to the week than the cricket . For those of us who remember our time at Winchester so fondly , it is as close as we ever get to being back at school . Squeezed onto benches in Hunter Tent ’ s makeshift grubbing hall , spooning sponge with clotted custard . Bumping into a don through Ridding Gate . A pint at the Queen . “ Goive ”. A party on Kingsgate Street . A Reeves sausage roll . A wander up town via Cathedral Close .
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