Taking your eye off the ball

The 2nd XI can claim a moral victory but came up short of an actual win on Wednesday. As one of the few schools that believe a draw should be a possible outcome, Bilton’s fixture with Oakham’s U12B side ended in that result. Despite the best batting display of the season, and some tight bowling, it was in the field that the 2s let themselves down with six dropped catches.

Bilton lost the toss but got the result they wanted when the visitors sent a reunited 2nd XI in to bat. After a week off, Walilay and Brumpton saw off the opening bowlers before giving up their wickets. A mix-up saw vice captain, Sam Bennett, run out and the game started to take on a familiar look. It was when Sebastian Jenks and Edmund Krarup were united at the crease that the 2nds began to look like winners: Edmund held up his end and contributed runs while Sebastian began to punish any wayward deliveries. The pair took the run rate up from just over 4 at 15 overs to well over 5 after 30: a total of 161 is the highest this team has posted in two seasons. Sebastian made the side’s first half-century this season, caught on 61.

He then opened the bowling too, and bowled a very good line and length to keep Oakham’s run rate down. Sebastian bowls from quite wide of the wicket and the ball comes in at the batsman, often taking wickets purely on accuracy. With most bowlers doing well, the wickets started to tumble. Fergus Carmichael bowled a dangerous looking 5th batsman and the race was on to get the last wickets within the 30 overs.

It was not to be. The undoing of Bilton was the catching. Bilton dropped six, five of which were fairly straight-forward. A possible run-out was also eschewed by a wayward throw. Oakham batted out the remainder, never looking threatening, and ending on 123-7. Only a few weeks ago, similar statistics meant that we lost at Maidwell. Yesterday, with a draw as an option, Oakham left more satisfied then their hosts.


Tags: Cricket, Prep, Sport