Page 54 - OM Newsletter - Issue 43 - 2020

OM SPORT
OM CRICKET CLUB
Cricketer Cup Report 2019
The first round match against newcomers, Millfield, was postponed owing to the weather, but a week later at last we had a lovely day for cricket. Malvern lost the toss but were put into bat first - exactly what we wanted! The OM team was certainly the youngest we have ever fielded in the CC with Odge Davey the eldest at 25, our captain Josh Haynes at 19 and the rest of the team around the 21 mark: a big test for these young players against Millfield with many experienced players including recent ex-County players. The Malvern innings started badly with Josh Haynes out in the first over but Zen Malik and Freddie Wynn then played superbly scoring at a very good rate but without chances. Zen went on to make 103 and Freddie 68. Alex Milton came in to join Zen but was run out for 19 after 9 balls when looking in top form. This loss definitely upset the flow but Mark Jefferson did well, scoring 48 in only his second CC match. We finally reached 274 all out in the last over of the 50. No doubt a good score but at one stage we were looking for 325 plus.
Liam Smith and Freddie Wynn opened the bowling; Liam superbly with real pace beating the bat many times. Freddie trapped the dangerous Hamilton-Brown and Liam got two quick wickets to make the score 16-3!!! Soon after rain (again) arrived and play stopped for about 40 minutes - much working out of Duckworth-Lewis!! Millfield resumed with Durston playing very well and
still only 3 down but they were always some way behind the required rate. Our bowling was good, particularly the seamers including Will Sharp. Josh Haynes (orthodox left-arm spinner) bowled well especially in his second spell but the wet ball made it difficult for our leg-spinners Malik and Shah. Durston went on to make an excellent 109 but wickets kept falling at his other end. Millfield were all out for 208 in the 45th over. Josh Haynes took 5 for 35 but special mention to Liam, Will and Freddie who all bowled well. The fielding was outstanding from such a young side and Alex Milton kept wicket, as always, superbly.
On Sunday 30 June the OMCC faced St Edward’s Martyrs in Oxford. Once again we had a really young team but full of very good and enthusiastic cricketers. One of the key elements in our success in the CC over the past 53 years has been the fantastic way our OM cricketers have made themselves available so regularly and from all parts of the country and even abroad on many occasions (John Cartwright kept flying back from Germany to play!). Once again that team spirit is in place with the current group of young OMs who make every effort to play. Josh Haynes won the toss and chose to bat with Zen Malik and Odge Davey opening. At the end of the first over Zen was 18 not out having hooked two short balls into the Woodstock Road. He continued in this vein until out for 71 in the 15th over; the total was 91 and Odge not out 15, and he is normally our fastest scorer! No
other batsman scored 50 but Odge scored 48 and others into the 30s resulting in a good finishing score of 268-8. It was not any easy wicket - slow and low, so fast scoring not easy - except to Malik!
Will Sharp and Liam Smith opened the bowling and Liam struck first in his first over. St Edward’s were going hard at everything but our bowlers kept their good line and length and with four spinners in our attack (two leg- spinners, one left-arm spinner and one off- spinner) it made scoring relatively hard work. The fielding was exceptional once again and an amazing slip catch by Zen and a run-out by Alex Milton were highlights. St Edward’s were finally all out for 168 giving us a winning margin of 100 runs.
Next came Repton in the quarter-final on 14 July at Repton, a day of high drama in the World Cup final at Lord’s between England and New Zealand. The final very much took second place to an absorbing game in front of a strong band of Malvern supporters. Josh Haynes won the toss and opened with Malik and Davey who both played the ball on merit and Malik departed for an aggressive 30 with the score at 55 after 6.2 overs. Davey 37, Haynes 34,Tegg 38 and Ahmed 39 all batted with authority and this allowed Milton to build the key Malvern innings of 115. His splendid footwork and placement gave the Malvern spectators much to applaud and the 50 over total of 338 for 6 was posted.
54 | Old Malvernian Newsletter