STONEY FACES ALL ROUND
24/05/04: A below-par performance resulted in the OLCC slipping to a crushing eight-wicket loss at Middleton Stoney.
On a slow, low pitch, the OLs failed to get going with the bat and after losing wickets at regular intervals ended up declaring on 131 for nine from 43 overs.
The hosts then had little trouble in knocking off the runs, cruising to a convincing victory with more than 10 overs to spare.
After captain Richard Newell Price won the toss, the OLCC were in trouble early on as openers John Acland-Hood (5) and Chris Straw (12) were bowled by Starr to leave the visitors 24 for two.
Jon Shingles (13) and Andrew Moss (8) started to rebuild the innings but were both back in the pavilion with the score on 63, then another mini-revival ended as Tom Gillmor (23) departed, swiftly followed by guest Tom Wilson for a duck, as the OLCC stuttered to 79 for six.
However skipper Newell Price (13) and Geoff Samuels (33) came together with a partnership of 42, the former playing a watchful knock while the latter took a number of calculated risks to accumulate runs.
But Newell Price finally departed caught at the wicket, John Crosfield was run out for one and Samuels himself perished, superbly caught at long on in an attempt to up the run-rate, and the visitors' innings was in tatters at 127 for nine. Peter Straw (2*) and Ed Sugden (1*) added a further four runs before the declaration followed at tea.
The total of 131 did not seem to be enough and it came under immediate attack from the Middleton Stoney openers, who put on 70 before Shingles finally broke through, and although Chris Straw's catch at midwicket gave Tom Gillmor his 10th wicket for the club, they were the only two successes as the hosts eased to victory.
The eight-wicket defeat ended the OLCC's five-match unbeaten run but spirits in the OL camp were lightened by a superb barbecue and a late visit from the man from Del Monte.
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