In a rain affected game OEC scored 138-8 in 41 overs and despite some tight bowling raising the ask from Hundall to 5 an over from the last 14, we contrived to lose the game with 5 overs to spare.I always enjoy playing at Hundall as you know it's going to be a game against a good side which is heavily populated by ex-Collegiate players. So it was a shame that rain interfered at the start and so reduced the game to 41 overs each.

We were inserted, which was not ideal, on a dampish suspect wicket. However our Terence and Marshy made a good start before Marshy was given the finger by ex Collegiate umpire Nige. Several others have wanted to give Marshy the finger for some time but maybe he didn't deserve it this time. At 75 for 1 we looked reasonably set to build a reasonable total but after our Terence was out for 34, a series of poor shots, indifferent concentration, and good captaincy on the field from ex-Collegiate Hampshire resulted in a collapse, and at the end a by now Mr Livid just about managed to lift the score to a barely respectable 138-8 with 19 off 10 balls.

This was a total at least but required tight bowling. The first few overs produced some good balls but Hundall were still going at 3 an over with ex-Collegiate Badcock still at the crease. Winter (8 overs for 8) and Longley (2-fer) exerted the squeeze and forced the scoring rate up to 5 an over from the last 14, putting a winning draw as favoured result despite the dangerous ex-Collegiate Woodie still being at the crease. At this point Mr Furious was removed from the attack and so become Mr Incandescent With Rage (to use a Thatcherite expression). His mood was not improved as Woodie then was able to bring Hundall home at 9 an over with 5 overs to spare.

Oh dear. You can all come back to Abbeydale Park now.