Tail holds nerve to seal crucial second win

When you are selected for the 5th Team you receive a text from Skipper Aaron which includes a motivational message. This week it read ‘ There are no limits to what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your thinking’.
We needed to embrace this positive message as we faced the side currently 3rd in the league Oxted and Limpsfield CC, at St Albans Road. We started this match propping up the bottom of the league.

Aaron won the toss and asked the visitors to bat first. The wicket looked as if it would offer some encouragement to the bowling side. Andy Hoad and Matt Van Staden opened the bowling attack. Andy bowled with pin point accuracy and offered very few chances for the batsmen to score. Matt adopted a more unpredictable approach in terms of line and length and quickly picked up 2 wickets, one was a fine catch at gully by Brijesh Patel and the other bowled. Oxted and Limpsfield were 14 for 2, with the bowlers on top. Matt (2-30) was replaced after 12 overs, with Andy Hook coming on to bowl an accurate spell. Oxted built a strong third wicket partnership of 72 taking the score to 96, before Simon Morris got the wicket of the visitors number 4, clean bowled. It was the breakthrough Priory needed. Peter Friend and Tom Gregson-Hill were now bowling for Priory. Pete bowled the opening bat for a top scoring 39.

With the runs drying up Priory were now right back in the game. A sharp stumping by keeper Jonny Wickes, off the bowling of Pete, accounted for the 5th wicket. Sam Parker, with a sharp bit of fielding, threw the ball in to secure a fine run out. Andy came on for his second spell of controlled and accurate bowling. Brijesh took a catch that belonged to circus act, juggling the ball above his head before taking the catch. Andy Hoad ( 1 for 21 from 12 overs) had his well deserved wicket!! Pete took 2 quick wickets with a caught and bowled and catch for Sam Gregson. Simon threw in for a regulation run out and Oxted and Limpsfield were all out for 140. Pete ended with figures of 4 for 20 from 11.1 overs.

Brijesh Patel and Jonny Wickes opened the batting for Priory. They both looked comfortable having put on 51, before Brijesh was stumped off the bowling of Curson for 18. Sam Gregson was next in to bat. Jonny was out LBW for a fine 45 and Priory were looking strong at 78 for 2. Sam Parker unfortunately got a nick off his first ball and was caught behind. Hooky then joined Sam. They took the score to 100 before Sam was stumped for 18. Hooky was striking the ball really well with five 4s and one 6 from his 27 runs before he was caught by a fine catch on the boundary. Fortunately the fielder took the catch, preventing the ball going into a group of picnickers on the boundary, including Hooky’s family.

120 for 5 and needing 21 runs with 5 wickets remaining. Should be straightforward! Not this season, as we again put ourselves under pressure as we lost 4 wickets for 14 runs. With the score on 134 for 9 Pete joined Andy for a really important last wicket partnership. After a tense couple of overs Pete hit the four that finally won the match for Priory.

Oxted and Limpsfield CC included a number of youngsters in their side and to their credit they bowled and fielded exceptionally well, hence the tight finish.

Priory moved up and out of the relegation zone with this win and now hold 7th place in the league of 10. We are away to Wimbledon next week, thinking/believing that we can win the game and climb even further up the league.