OT CRICKETERS LOSE AT MALVERN
In a thrilling finish at Malvern yesterday, the OTs lost their second round Cricketer Cup tie against the Old Malvernians by 2 wickets. Chasing 211, Malvern scored the winning runs off the sixth ball (the fifth legitimate one) of the final over.
We batted first on a track that appeared to belie the perceived wisdom that it would prove difficult to score runs on. We soon lost Rowe, but Chris Walsh and James Beeny (38) built a solid base before wickets began to fall at too regular intervals. Walsh anchored the innings with a patient 90 and Jono Arscott supplied the required acceletation with a rapid 27. Our 210 for 8 looked a reasonable score, but would it be good enough?
The Old Malvernians were off to a flying start with the 18-year-old Gifford, predicted by various Malvern sages to have a future in first-class cricket, taking the lead. Their first wicket did not fall until the score was 84, but the overs were ticking away and our spinners were beginning to tie them down. Malvern still appeared to be in the driving seat until they began to lose wickets late on, only to find a steadying influence in their number 7, Nash, who controlled the end of the innings and found an unlikely partner in the number 10, Kontrarines, a tall left-hander, who hit the ball lustily and scored the winning runs off the penultimate ball with a fine shot through the covers. The pick of the OT bowlers were Jamie Ford with 3 for 41 and Owen-Browne with 2 for 40.
So the OTs' journey is over for this year at least , but we can still be proud of our record of winning the last three renewals.
The Malvern ground with the hills behind - the Old Malvernians are batting in the distance.