Messrs Duckworth & Lewis, where were you when we needed you most ??

On a sunny afternoon at Manor Park Road OG 1^st XI entertained the crowds in a seesaw tussle against Charlesworth.

Invited to bat first the visitors started well, putting on 40 for the first wicket, before Guest left one too many straight ones and was bowled by King for 27.

The Charlesworth skipper Elliott, batting at 3, built upon a shaky start but then settled into his task and moved the score along in partnership with his middle order colleagues.

After a couple more wickets fell, the score stood at 127 for 4 with 15 overs remaining.

The OG attack shared out the wickets with Eyrey picking up 2 for 33, with accompanying fine outfield catches from King and Cannon, and Coops proving his worth at this level with 2 wickets for 39, the total was pegged back from what was on the cards at one point.

King returned to claim the wicket of Elliott (53) and bowled the last few overs in teaming rain to finish with 5 for 49, and Charlesworth ended up on 181 for 9 at tea.

The OG players frantically pushed on the covers in what was now an almighty downpour, seemingly centered solely over the Manor Park Road ground!

Tea was consumed but play couldn’t continue with the rain continuing to pour and around 45 minutes lost as a result.

At this point, the farcical rules relating to time lost for weather came into play with OG still expected to chase 182 for victory but in around 15 overs less than their opponents. Surely the league can sit down and address this lubricous situation.

In any case OG started poorly, or rather Charlesworth started well, picking up 4 quick wickets for just 15 runs. Littlewood (3 for 34) bowled a hostile opening spell from the Pyegrove end claiming Eyrey and JC in consecutive balls.

At the other end, Morley (2 for 41) bowled Inzy (who later claimed that his bat was trapped behind his pads? Doh !!), and Macca fell for a duck playing all around a straight one.

At 15 for 4 OG looked to consolidate and understandably Charlesworth crowded the bat and put pressure on young Mikey Parker and George ‘The Terrorist’ White.

They both coped admirably, showing a solid defence, and with the extensive slip cordon in place they managed to accumulate runs in the outfield to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

A partnership of 67 resulted with both Mikey and George looking good, and playing some excellent strokes against the Charlesworth attack.

During this partnership the clock ticked over to 7 o’clock and the overs remaining dropped from 35 to 20.

A bowling change resulted in Mikey falling to a lofted drive for 24 off Elliott, and this brought Ste James to the wicket. He was starting on minus 10 after a below average fielding display and was obviously keen to correct this.

A further partnership of 83 ensued with George picking up the pace, moving to 50 and beyond and looking in the mood to knock the runs off on his own. The Charlesworth field started to spread, and Coops provided constant updates of the required run rate from the OG balcony.

With  2 overs remaining George was run out attempting a quick single, and his 82 had given OG real hope of victory. Jammy (25) was unlucky to be adjudged LBW to Littlewood’s left arm over the wicket, and Lenny and Kingy were now the two new batsmen at the crease needing 15 to win off 7 balls.

The first ball of the final over (final over of the 30 OG were allowed that is !!) saw King run out and OG now 168 for 8. A dot ball and then a single came next, and Adderley and Allsopp ensured that OG’s promotion hopes remained intact by not losing the game and OG finished on 169 for 8.

Charlesworth get 14 points and OG 13 points, and the league no points for their rain-based rules!

OG remain in a Seb Coe type position in the league, just waiting to pounce and timing their promotion challenge nicely.