Devon Dumplings v Oxford Tour
W 2 D 1
This year’s Tour was taken in wonderful weather in Oxford at The Queen’s College Ground with not a drop of rain and in marked contrast to last year! Great fun was had both on and off the field with two wins followed by an exciting “sporting” draw! The Tour party had 16 players (one of whom also was an official), 6 officials and 6 supporters. We were well cared for again by Martin Cross and his team who provided both great facilities and good food with lunches, teas, the “Tour BBQ” and bacon butty breakfasts for those camping on the ground! The bar also did good trade. Our first match was not against our usual opponents, The Incogniti, as they were again engaged on their “Western Tour”. Happily, Matt Nichols is a member and match manager for The Wanderers and he brought his “other occasional side” which included another Dumpling, James Ewen, to play us in Oxford in a 50 over a side match. This allowed a 13.00 hrs start making the trip from Devon easier for those travelling on the day.
Tuesday 7th August 13.00 hrs start Vs The Wanderers.
Dumplings won the toss and elected to bat. DDCC 268-4 (50 overs) (Charlie Nielson 95*, James Grady 41, Christian Cabburn 38, Drikus J Van Vuuren 29*, Ben Monk 2-50) BEAT The Wanderers 221-9 (50 overs) (Matt Nichols 78, Ben Monk 40, Bernie Wilson 4-37) by 47 runs. Ben Abrahams (18) and Christian Cabburn (38) put on the first half century partnership of the innings with a stand of 53 before Cabburn and James Grady (41) put on exactly 50 for the second wicket. The third half century was for the unbroken fifth wicket where the hard-hitting skipper, Charlie Nielson (95* off 84 balls) and Drikus J Van Vuuren (29* off 22 balls) put on 56 between them leaving Wanderers to score 269 to win. Wanderers started with difficulty with Dumplings opening bowlers, Bertie Creer and Craig Penberthy bowling sharply and in miserly fashion allowing only 12 runs off the bat in the first ten overs. Good fielding assisted, particularly an excellent direct hit run out by Ben Abrahams for the first wicket before Penberthy removed the other opener at 13-2. The tandem introduction of spin with Bernie Wilson and Paul Berman brought the third wicket at 28-3 before the ship was stabilised for Wanderers with their two Dumplings batting together to more than double the score! James Ewen fell to Wilson for a stubborn 14 off 38 balls leaving Matt Nichols, 9th out for 78, to hold the innings together in partnerships with first Eben Botha (20) and then Ben Monk (40) putting on 71 for the 8th wicket. Wanderers kept trying with their number 10, Luke Minshull scoring 18* with three 4s but there was too much to do. Interestingly Dumplings used nine bowlers. An excellent first match of the Tour ended with Wanderers staying for the Tour BBQ and many camping for the night.
Wednesday 8th August 11.30 start Vs The Frogs who won the toss and elected to bat.
The Frogs 207-9 dec (53.2 overs) (Richard Lawrence 36, Andrew Lawton 73, Stephen Walsh 27, Matt Nichols 2-10, Dominic Tuohey 2-42) LOST to DDCC 210-4 (40.2 overs) (James Grady 105*, Ben Abrahams 36, Charlie Nielson 33, N Trevedi 2-38) by 6 wickets.
The Frogs opening pair started steadily only to be separated by another direct hit runout by James Dann (a Wanderer becoming a Dumpling) with 39 on the board. Dumplings’ Captain, Christian Cabburn, again used 9 bowlers but with spinners Dominic Tuohey (2-42) and Jack Stirling (1-40) bowling nearly half the overs. Matt Nichols (2-10) removed numbers 3 and 4 for no runs in 3 balls bringing in Frogs top scorer Andrew Lawton (73) to join opener Richard Lawrence (36). The best partnership was for the 7th wicket with Lawton and Stephen Walsh (27) putting on 68 together. The innings was topped and tailed by direct hit run outs with the declaration coming at the fall of the 9th wicket with the stumps shattered by Dan Fogerty. Frogs had not quite managed 4 an over, finishing at 207-9. Dumplings tried a pinch-hitting Dan Fogerty as an opener but he was out for 6 with 7 on the board. This brought in James Grady for a beautifully constructed unbeaten century (105*) to manage the run chase at over 5 an over. He and opener Ben Abrahams (36) fell just short of a century together before he brought the score to near parity scoring 68 with Charlie Nielson (33). He finished the game with an elegant stroke for 4 winning the match by 6 wickets.
Thursday 9th August 11.30 start Vs SOA.
Dumplings won the toss and elected to bat. DDCC 256-8 dec (48.4 overs) (Matt Nichols 61, Drikus J Van Vuuren 38, Christian Cabburn 32*, Ben Abrahams 31, Richard Ingram 3-29, Ed Owens 3-36) DREW with SOA 251-6 (46 overs) Hajii Saddiqi 80, Frankie Crouch 35*, Alex Link 35, Matt Nichols 2-30).
The Dumplings innings was notable for four half century partnerships arranged as one for each of the first three wickets and the fourth for the 7th wicket. Matt Nichols (61) featured in the first three significant partnerships with Ben Abrahams (31), Graham White (11) and Drikus J Van Vuuren (38). The 7th wicket partnership of 56 was between Dan Fogerty (23) and Christian Cabburn (32*). The innings ended with a “sporting declaration” at 256-8 by skipper Graham White immediately after the only first ball dismissal of a Dumpling on Tour! Number 9 shall remain anonymous! For the SOA reply Dumplings used only 7 bowlers with 19 of the 46 overs being well bowled by the Creer brothers but with little luck. Three bowlers took a wicket each supporting Nichols’ 2-30 but with yet another excellent run out by Drikus J Van Vuuren! (Dumplings fielding on Tour was excellent.) The innings of the day was by Hajii Saddiqi with 80 off 69 balls putting SOA within a handbreadth of the win. He was well supported by his colleagues, all of whom made double figures with Alex Ling (35) and Captain Frankie Crouch (35*) standing out. Crouch and Jonathan Meardon (19*) pressed for the win with an unbeaten 55 at more than a run a ball with all results possible off the final ball! A draw was perhaps the best result for an excellent and competitive game of cricket. So, another great “Tour” played in wonderful weather and spirit.
Thank you to all. Our Players: Dominic Tuohey ,Jack Stirling, James Grady, Paul Berman, Bernie Wilson, Christian Cabburn, Dan Fogerty, Drikus Janse Van Vuuren, Craig Penberthy, Bertie Creer, Freddie Creer, Ben Abrahams, Charlie Neilson, Graham White, Matt Nichols and James Dann.
Our Officials: David Salter, Wendy Hardy, Derek Hardy, Peter Langford, Paul Berman and Peter Jolliffe.
Our Supporters: Andrew Stirling, Iain Creer, April Marjoram, Judy Jolliffe, Brian Smith and David (Brian’s Brother-in-Law). For 2019 we have the 6th to the 8th of August booked at the ground. There may be a different formula though as SOA are trying to arrange a Cricket Festival including us. There will be three good games whatever!
Tuesday 7th August 13.00 hrs start Vs The Wanderers.
Dumplings won the toss and elected to bat. DDCC 268-4 (50 overs) (Charlie Nielson 95*, James Grady 41, Christian Cabburn 38, Drikus J Van Vuuren 29*, Ben Monk 2-50) BEAT The Wanderers 221-9 (50 overs) (Matt Nichols 78, Ben Monk 40, Bernie Wilson 4-37) by 47 runs. Ben Abrahams (18) and Christian Cabburn (38) put on the first half century partnership of the innings with a stand of 53 before Cabburn and James Grady (41) put on exactly 50 for the second wicket. The third half century was for the unbroken fifth wicket where the hard-hitting skipper, Charlie Nielson (95* off 84 balls) and Drikus J Van Vuuren (29* off 22 balls) put on 56 between them leaving Wanderers to score 269 to win. Wanderers started with difficulty with Dumplings opening bowlers, Bertie Creer and Craig Penberthy bowling sharply and in miserly fashion allowing only 12 runs off the bat in the first ten overs. Good fielding assisted, particularly an excellent direct hit run out by Ben Abrahams for the first wicket before Penberthy removed the other opener at 13-2. The tandem introduction of spin with Bernie Wilson and Paul Berman brought the third wicket at 28-3 before the ship was stabilised for Wanderers with their two Dumplings batting together to more than double the score! James Ewen fell to Wilson for a stubborn 14 off 38 balls leaving Matt Nichols, 9th out for 78, to hold the innings together in partnerships with first Eben Botha (20) and then Ben Monk (40) putting on 71 for the 8th wicket. Wanderers kept trying with their number 10, Luke Minshull scoring 18* with three 4s but there was too much to do. Interestingly Dumplings used nine bowlers. An excellent first match of the Tour ended with Wanderers staying for the Tour BBQ and many camping for the night.
Wednesday 8th August 11.30 start Vs The Frogs who won the toss and elected to bat.
The Frogs 207-9 dec (53.2 overs) (Richard Lawrence 36, Andrew Lawton 73, Stephen Walsh 27, Matt Nichols 2-10, Dominic Tuohey 2-42) LOST to DDCC 210-4 (40.2 overs) (James Grady 105*, Ben Abrahams 36, Charlie Nielson 33, N Trevedi 2-38) by 6 wickets.
The Frogs opening pair started steadily only to be separated by another direct hit runout by James Dann (a Wanderer becoming a Dumpling) with 39 on the board. Dumplings’ Captain, Christian Cabburn, again used 9 bowlers but with spinners Dominic Tuohey (2-42) and Jack Stirling (1-40) bowling nearly half the overs. Matt Nichols (2-10) removed numbers 3 and 4 for no runs in 3 balls bringing in Frogs top scorer Andrew Lawton (73) to join opener Richard Lawrence (36). The best partnership was for the 7th wicket with Lawton and Stephen Walsh (27) putting on 68 together. The innings was topped and tailed by direct hit run outs with the declaration coming at the fall of the 9th wicket with the stumps shattered by Dan Fogerty. Frogs had not quite managed 4 an over, finishing at 207-9. Dumplings tried a pinch-hitting Dan Fogerty as an opener but he was out for 6 with 7 on the board. This brought in James Grady for a beautifully constructed unbeaten century (105*) to manage the run chase at over 5 an over. He and opener Ben Abrahams (36) fell just short of a century together before he brought the score to near parity scoring 68 with Charlie Nielson (33). He finished the game with an elegant stroke for 4 winning the match by 6 wickets.
Thursday 9th August 11.30 start Vs SOA.
Dumplings won the toss and elected to bat. DDCC 256-8 dec (48.4 overs) (Matt Nichols 61, Drikus J Van Vuuren 38, Christian Cabburn 32*, Ben Abrahams 31, Richard Ingram 3-29, Ed Owens 3-36) DREW with SOA 251-6 (46 overs) Hajii Saddiqi 80, Frankie Crouch 35*, Alex Link 35, Matt Nichols 2-30).
The Dumplings innings was notable for four half century partnerships arranged as one for each of the first three wickets and the fourth for the 7th wicket. Matt Nichols (61) featured in the first three significant partnerships with Ben Abrahams (31), Graham White (11) and Drikus J Van Vuuren (38). The 7th wicket partnership of 56 was between Dan Fogerty (23) and Christian Cabburn (32*). The innings ended with a “sporting declaration” at 256-8 by skipper Graham White immediately after the only first ball dismissal of a Dumpling on Tour! Number 9 shall remain anonymous! For the SOA reply Dumplings used only 7 bowlers with 19 of the 46 overs being well bowled by the Creer brothers but with little luck. Three bowlers took a wicket each supporting Nichols’ 2-30 but with yet another excellent run out by Drikus J Van Vuuren! (Dumplings fielding on Tour was excellent.) The innings of the day was by Hajii Saddiqi with 80 off 69 balls putting SOA within a handbreadth of the win. He was well supported by his colleagues, all of whom made double figures with Alex Ling (35) and Captain Frankie Crouch (35*) standing out. Crouch and Jonathan Meardon (19*) pressed for the win with an unbeaten 55 at more than a run a ball with all results possible off the final ball! A draw was perhaps the best result for an excellent and competitive game of cricket. So, another great “Tour” played in wonderful weather and spirit.
Thank you to all. Our Players: Dominic Tuohey ,Jack Stirling, James Grady, Paul Berman, Bernie Wilson, Christian Cabburn, Dan Fogerty, Drikus Janse Van Vuuren, Craig Penberthy, Bertie Creer, Freddie Creer, Ben Abrahams, Charlie Neilson, Graham White, Matt Nichols and James Dann.
Our Officials: David Salter, Wendy Hardy, Derek Hardy, Peter Langford, Paul Berman and Peter Jolliffe.
Our Supporters: Andrew Stirling, Iain Creer, April Marjoram, Judy Jolliffe, Brian Smith and David (Brian’s Brother-in-Law). For 2019 we have the 6th to the 8th of August booked at the ground. There may be a different formula though as SOA are trying to arrange a Cricket Festival including us. There will be three good games whatever!