CAREER-BEST GRANNY SAVES OLs

11/07/03: Simon Best was the unlikely hero as the OLCC grabbed a draw after a batting collapse against Incogniti.

Responding to the visitors' 224 all out, in which Nick Head took 4-26, the OLs salvaged a draw on 166-9 thanks to last man Best's defiant knock of six not out.

After being asked to field first, the home side enjoyed success with only the fifth ball of the day when Osborne's square cut off Paul Newell Price was superbly caught by David Bibby at gully.

Bibby then claimed the second wicket to fall, having Young well stumped by Dominic Beer with the score on 67, and skipper John Acland-Hood surprisingly bagged the third with only his second ball as Furness missed a half-tracker and was bowled.

The runs continued to mount and although Acland-Hood removed opener Edmunds caught and bowled for 52, the visitors took lunch in good shape at 137 for four.

But there was a double breakthrough straight after lunch with Head claiming the scalps of Pocock, caught behind by Beer off a thick edge, and Bryan who was bowled by a ball of full length.

Woods and Whickman then added 23 for the seventh wicket but both were sent back by Head as the OLs took the upper hand at 167-8, but Barnes and skipper Dugdale then combined for a partnership of 43 to take the visitors' score past 200 before Geoff Samuels pulled off a fine pick-up and throw to run the latter out for 15.

Barnes continued to 33 before looping a catch to Bibby off Acland-Hood to give the bowler eyebrow-raising figures of 3-29 and bring the Incogniti innings to an end at 224.

With a chase for 239 falling just nine runs short the day before against Bromley Town, hopes were high of a successful hunt for runs as Dayalan Doraisamy and Andrew Moss opened the OLCC innings.

After a patient start, Doraisamy finally succumbed to Bowen for eight but Acland-Hood joined up with Moss to carry the OLs to 24-1 from 13 overs at the tea interval.

The pair maintained their good progress upon the resumption and with Acland-Hood opting for a heavier bat after scoring just two runs from 29 balls the momentum started to gather.

But the skipper fell for 26, having scored 24 runs from just 20 balls with his new blade, when he skied a simple return catch to Woods to leave the score on 69-2.

Bibby and Moss then added a rapid 22 but the former was given out lbw once again as he shuffled in front of his stumps in an attempt to hoick the ball behind square on the leg side.

From 91 for two before Bibby's dismissal the OLs were to lose their next five wickets for just 14 runs. After Bibby went Moss, who was terribly unfortunate to be run out at the non-striker's end after a fierce Samuels drive was deflected onto the stumps by the bowler, but had the consolation of having made a fine 50.

Samuels (3) himself followed in the same over, skying a simple catch to extra cover, and debutant Peter Straw was comprehensively stumped after making a gutsy three and keeping senior partner Paul Newell Price away from the strike. The dismissal of Head, superbly caught by bowler Woods the following over, left the home side in dire trouble at 105 for seven.

But Newell Price and Beer, the men who had put on 125 for the third wicket against Bromley the previous day, combined for another good stand that gave the hosts a glimmer of a chance until Beer (10) offered up another simple chance, the eighth wicket falling with the score on 144.

The ninth went with just one more run added, Neil Dey-Bell failing to fulfil his promise to block everything, and with six overs still to go it looked as if the OLs were about to register their seventh defeat of the season.

But Best dug in impressively for his six not out, which featured a glorious lofted drive for two and a cheeky leg glance for four, and together with Newell Price (39*) he saw the OLCC home to a draw and salvaged some sort of pride.

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