Singin’ in the rain …….

After two defeats in two weeks the 1^st XI were keen to bounce back against mid-table Broadbottom.

Winning the toss Andy King felt forced to insert the visitors after two abject batting displays in recent weeks. The track was hard and flat and the OG bowlers were left to toil in the heat.

At 135 for 1 after 25 overs OG were staring down the barrel and looking like they would have to chase down a total in the region of 270.

Openers Andy King and Lenny Allsopp had extracted some early pace from the wicket and were unlucky not to make an early breakthrough.

King was replaced (0 for 17) by Declan Hall who came and went (at his own request) after 4 overs which yielded 30 runs.

Paul Eyre had more success with his accurate slower stuff and picked up 4 wickets. Run outs, and the odd wicket for here and there, accounted for Broadbottom at the end of their 45 overs – 222 for 9.

Broadbottom skipper, Dodd, scoring a hard hitting 50, and their young opener a classy 83.

In reply, on a still hard batting track, there was just no application shown from OG.

Demidh bowled well for Broadbottom but we still played some poor shots and the first 5 batsmen were all caught out going for big uns.

Desperate to avoid defeat Andy King (22 no) and Ste James (22) batted defiantly with OG 8 wickets down to move the score from 60 to 118 before the rain started to fall.

The umpires decided to stop play, much to the dismay of the Broadbottom players, and in truth this probably saved OG from defeat as there were 20 overs remaining.

However, it finished as a draw with OG picking up 10 points and not losing ground on the leaders.

Much work to be done in the nets………….