ONE OF THE GREATS
19/06/05: Graham Carter and Andrew Moss rewrote the record books as the OLCC triumphed at Waltham St Lawrence.
Carter's robust 46 not out and a watchful unbeaten 30 from Moss saw the OLs race to their target of 117 without loss, making it only the second-ever 10-wicket victory in the club's existence.
A strong-looking OL side had earlier been invited to field first in sweltering conditions at the Shurlock Row ground, but they were given an early tonic when captain Geoff Samuels accounted for Owen with one of his trademark swingers.
However, a stand of 56 followed as Samuels and Doraisamy went unrewarded for some probing bowling, and it took the introduction of Honorary member Ed Carter, coming on in the unfamiliar role of second change, to make the breakthrough.
His fiery spell brought the wicket of Wood and with Pinney falling to Richard Newell Price shortly afterwards the OLs were firmly back in the game at 59 for three.
More resistance followed though, in the shape of Johnson and Connor, but once the former had been dispatched lbw by Doraisamy, the floodgates opened as the hosts lost their last seven wickets for 20 runs.
Doraisamy followed up his initial success by having Connor caught by skipper Samuels and when Newell Price also claimed his second wicket - bowling Rodrigues first ball - it was 98 for six and the cards were stacked in the OLs' favour.
Thereafter it was the John Crosfield show: the wily chairman of the board sent back Rockwell and Ashwanden in successive balls, put an end to Atkins' resistance then mopped up last man Clarke in a mesmerising spell of four wickets for four runs in seven deliveries that gave him impressive figures of four for 11 and shot the hosts out for 114.
On a pitch offering some interesting bounce to the bowlers, it was a target that looked achievable if perhaps slightly tricky, but Carter and Moss rolled back the years with a vintage stand that rightly earned them a place in the history books.
Moss played the more patient knock, seemingly content to find the gaps in the field with unerring precision in order to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Carter however started briskly and was soon into his running, slamming a couple of magnificent cover drives before advancing down the pitch to crash the ball to the long-on boundary.
Aided by a hatful of extras, Carter and Moss's superb stand took the game away from the home side and it was with 21.2 overs to spare that the winning runs - four byes - set the seal on a memorable day for the OLCC.
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