HOLYPORT SINK UNHOLY OLs

12/08/02: The OLCC's last home game of the season ended in disappointment as Holyport won by four wickets to condemn the hosts to a second successive defeat.

Following on from the gut-wrenching 12-run loss to Bath University Old Boys, an OLCC side showing five changes were keen to rectify matters quickly and sign off from Leighton Park in 2002 with an improved performance and a sixth victory of the campaign - and everything was going according to plan when captain Tom Gillmor won the toss and elected to take first use of a decent wicket.

Andrew Moss went disappointingly early but David Pollard and Jon Shingles combined well to push the home side up to 90 for one when the former was bowled just three runs short of a deserved 50.

But as the OLs looked to up the run rate they suffered a double blow, with first Shingles perishing to Morgan then Doraisamy holing out for a duck to leave the score on 94 for four.

Skipper Gillmor made three before being bowled, but Mike Thomas and Geoff Samuels carried the attack to the visitors, adding 36 for the sixth wicket before Samuels succumbed.

His brother Phil (4) was next to go, before Chris Straw (12) and Thomas led the hosts to 175 for eight, Straw falling on the last ball before tea to a sensational catch.

The tea interval featured a presentation to the LP groundsman by senior pro Moss, who gave a short speech thanking him for his hard work on the pitch throughout the season.

The OLCC fielding got off to a bad start with Straw putting down a chance off Geoff Samuels first ball, but Phil Samuels managed to make the breakthrough with a good lbw shout that was answered in the affirmative.

But a partnership of 105 then took the game away from the OLs, with Holyport's big South African star Wilkin hitting some lusty blows to all corners of the ground.

First change bowler Richard Newell Price came in for some stick and Paul Chalmers went for 14 in his first over, but responded brilliantly to rip out the visitors' top order.

His first scalp came when Phil Samuels took a fine running catch at mid-on, but the best was to be his second - a delightful top spinner that got through Wilkin's defences and knocked over the castle.

Another wicket followed when Geoff Samuels casually took a catch of Holyport youngster Morgan and when the same fielder took a great catch on the square leg boundary off Doraisamy the game suddenly became a bit more competitive at 153 for five.

However the remaining 23 runs for victory proved no problem for the visitors and they finished in style, hitting two successive sixes off Chalmers, who finished with figures of three for 53.

Pride had been restored to an extent and thoughts now turn to the annual pilgrimage to the West Country, which begins on Tuesday August 27 at Uplyme.

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