Newdigate CC 263-6 beat Oxted and Limpsfield CC 258-8

 Newdigate scramble courageous win

 More drama, more excitement. That's ESCL U11 cricket in 2010 it seems. Newdigate travelled over to the Grub Street venue of Oxted and Limpsfield on this balmy evening with a revamped team, welcoming two debutants in Rufus Watson and Miles Pearce into their starting 10. The visitors hoped to continue their recent unbeaten streak whilst the Oxted and Limpsfield team though lower in the league standings, were intent on turning their fortunes around and on a dry and dusty pitch. The home team's talented captain James Foggin won the toss and as a result had no hesitation in opting to bat whilst Newdigate skipper Finn Osborne shuffled his pack accordingly and elected to open the bowling himself alongside Oliver Turner supported by the usual tight and enthusiastic trademark Newdigate fielding. Both soon had the Oxted openers firmly pinned down and Turner (3-1-6-3) in particular bowled with pace and swing with one ball removing one of the hosts openers off stump bail being truly exceptional. Osborne found he had other options in the bowling department and Wilfrid Hoad (3-0-16-3) stepped up and was rewarded with success for his accurate seam bowling also, narrowly missing out on a hat trick. The pitch played tricks throughout this game in truth as other Newdigate bowlers found the conditions challenging, and extras kept the home team in the hunt. Jacob Purcell and Joe Teague found their rhythm though and the latter with Jack Butler gained further wickets at crucial times later on. A run out engineered by the brilliant throw of Rufus Watson also made life difficult for Oxted and Limpsfield batsmen and it was left to the undoubted ability of Oxted skipper James Foggin to strike the ball confidently and haul their total up to the revised 256 at the turn.

What Newdigate did not realise was that Oxted had several fast and penetrating bowlers waiting and the required total was soon looking rather distant by their half way mark. Hoad, Oliver Ball, Jacob Purcell and Rufus Watson all batted with courage amidst some hostile bowling and fielding restricting the run chase, with Watson himself showing excellent application to fend away. Skipper Finn Osborne (13 not out) as reliable as always strode to the crease and whilst he and partner Teague battled under pressure they managed to put on 19 valuable runs in their 4 overs with Osborne finding the boundary more than once. However Oxted still clearly had the upper hand with bowlers of the ilk of Watts and Lee, the former showing a high class of left handed fast seam bowling on a helpful wicket, but the game did begin to turn during Newdigate keeper Fenton Chambers and Miles Pearce's reign at the crease. This pair began to scamper and push for runs which clearly unsettled the home team's tight fielding and grip on the game. Miles Pearce was exceptional in his courage and the pair teamed extremely well and visibly lifted the nervous Newdigate camp.  However 24 runs were still required when final pair Oliver Turner and Jack Butler walked out and things looked over when Butler manly defending against some very quick bowling skied a catch to mid wicket. That wicket though seemed only to galvanise the pair and with strong support from the stands, they took Chambers and Pearce's role onto another level applying pressure to the fielding side with quick singles, overthrows and byes aplenty. The final over was as intense as any these teams would have played in before, and the fast accurate bowling again of Watts threatened to win the game for Oxted. Butler though cracked an over pitched delivery through mid wicket for four halfway through the over and Newdigate scented victory with seemingly 5 runs required from 2 balls, With a wide bowled and 2 byes taken as well, Turner and Butler saw the visitors home, with the final margin being more than was thought after celebrations concluded.

This was a great win by the U11 Colts, built on courage and teamwork and all Newdigate players ought to be proud of this particular success over an Oxted and Limpsfield team brimming with equal talent and purpose.