PRESIDENT IN LANDSLIDE VICTORY

24/06/03: The OLCC crashed to their fifth defeat in six matches as the President's XI won by 87 runs at Leighton Park.

OLCC Honorary members Ed Carter (78) and Eric Jackson (50) set up a President's XI total of 248, which proved too much for the 'home' side as they were dismissed for 161, Andrew Moss top scoring with 59.

The day had begun so promisingly for the OLCC after a late start due to overnight rain, as Phil Samuels sent back Chris Straw with only his second ball of a hostile 10-over spell that created numerous problems for Dayalan Doraisamy and Tom Carter.

And with veteran paceman Julian Shackel producing another excellent display of swing bowling at the Main Hall End, it took some excellent batsmanship from Doraisamy and Carter to put on 67 for the second wicket.

Doraisamy had progressed to 42, having hit one superb six off a rare leg-side delivery from Shackel, when a drinks break and a change of bowling undid his concentration and he was bowled by John Crosfield's first delivery which he attempted to scythe into the swimming pool.

His departure heralded the OLCC fightback, with Tom Carter (26) then being adjudged lbw to Shackel, who claimed the prize scalp of John Acland-Hood with his very next ball, a cheeky off-spinner to which the batsman padded up.

If the President's XI were wobbling at 71-4, they were soon reeling at 85-5 when David Bibby's mistimed hoick off Crosfield ballooned into the hands of Phil Samuels and he was on his way for 1.

A further 10 runs were added before lunch was taken after an excellent morning's work for the OLCC - but their fortunes were to change dramatically after the interval.

Ed Carter and Jackson took charge of the game with a magnificent stand of 125, which ended only when Jackson reached his 50 and in doing so felt a twinge of pain in his leg and opted to leave the field.

His retirement brought Simon Best to the crease and his long vigil of over two hours' waiting to come in cost him dearly as he edged his first ball from Moss straight to Robert Stein in the gully.

Robert Harvey (6) then played a quick cameo before giving Adrian Boult a catch on his OLCC debut and he was followed back to the pavilion by Ed Carter, who finally fell for 78 as he attempted to push on for a century.

Geoff Samuels' quickfire 13* then pushed the total up towards the 250 mark, but the President's XI fell two short of that target as the President himself (2) fell lbw to wicket-keeper Tom Gillmor's first ball.

The timing of the last wicket left the OLCC with a tricky five-over spell to face just before tea, and it was one which neither opener was to survive.

First to go was Gillmor (13), who was trapped plumb in front by Acland-Hood having just hit the same bowler for six into the forest, and Ed Ball followed when he failed to avoid a trademark swinger from Geoff Samuels.

The score was thus 17-2 when the teams adjourned for tea, official photographs and a trip to the hall to watch some of the jazz that formed part of the OL events that had been running all day.

The game recommenced after an hour and a half's break and soon the President's XI bowlers were celebrating again.

Simon Best made the first breakthrough, the unlucky Crosfield (10) chopping down his own stumps, before Doraisamy followed up with the scalps of Julian Fitter (bowled for 4) and Jason Thomas (coolly caught in the deep by Tom Carter for 6).

Stein then walked out for this first appearance of 2003 and immediately embarked on a fighting stand with Moss that was characterised by some surprisingly sharp singles and some lusty hits to the midwicket boundary.

The partnership had just reached statistical significance (52) when Stein's defiance was finally ended on 14 by Straw, whose lbw appeal was answered in the affirmative by umpire John Dykes.

Another stand of 52 followed, this time between Moss and Phil Samuels, and it took the introduction of Tom Carter into the attack to make the breakthrough when he induced Moss to cut the ball onto his stumps from a delivery that kept low and end his fine innings of 59.

Debutant Boult followed Moss back to the hutch the next ball having missed a straight one, then Paul Chalmers was caught behind - also off Tom Carter - for one.

Last man Shackel brought an end to proceedings with the score on 161 when he played on to an Ed Carter leg-break, meaning a fifth defeat in six matches for the OLCC.

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