Devon Dumplings v Oxford Tour
Tuesday 09 August 2016 at Queen's College Oxford
P3 W2 L1
9 th August at The Queen’s College Ground:
D.D. 311 for 3 (47.2 overs. D Marais 135*, S Ewen 81) BEAT Incogniti 307 for 9 dec (55.4 overs. A Drew 167*, A Smith 82, A Immermann 4-38, B Wilson 3-35, C Cabburn 2-31) by 7 wickets
. Incogniti won the toss on a beautiful day and batted to find themselves pegged back by miserly opening spells from Adriane Immermann and Christian Cabburn. They imagined some relief when the spinners Jack Stirling and Bernie Wilson came on but three quick wickets from Wilson reduced them to 37 for 4 and facing a difficult climb back. Their fifth wicket pair of Alex Drew (167*) and Alex Smith (82), their Keeper, then put on an impressive partnership of 241 putting them in seeming control and on line for a massive total. That was prevented by the return of the opening pair, Cabburn and Immermann, who took 5 wickets for only 29 runs “at the death”, Immerman taking 4 for very few runs with some quick and hostile bowling.
The Dumplings’ reply got off to a flyer with Corey Sinclair making 36 off 15 balls in the opening partnership of 41 with Dominic Tuohey (25). Tuohey put on another 43 with Sam Ewen (81) before the defining partnership of the reply of 148 between Ewen and Divan Marais (135*). Both played some wonderful strokes with 13 fours each. Marais also hit six sixes some of which were brutal but classically hit! Tom Fogerty joined Marais for a final unbroken partnership of 76 making 23 off 25 balls whilst Marais smashed the other 53. An exciting finish to a really good game, thoroughly enjoyed by both sides.
10 th August at The Queen’s College Ground:
DD. 217 a.o. (42.3 overs. M Nichols 84, S Ewen 44, J Stirling 29) LOST to The Frogs 230 a.o. (49.2 overs. N Fairbairn 103, M Nichols 2028, C Cabburn 2-29, A Immermann 2-40) by 13 runs.
The Frogs had had trouble holding on to a full side and arrived with 9 men. Dumplings had only the one spare player and that only because we were at 10 the evening before and we were therefore joined by the Creer family 10 hours earlier than had originally been planned. Iain arrived with his identical twin 14 year old sons, Freddie and Bertie and Freddie made his debut for Frogs whilst Bertie made his debut for Dumplings!
The Frogs won the toss and elected to bat with their 10 men on a cool but pleasant day with a slow but steady opening partnership of 47. Batting became more difficult and slower as Frogs progressed to 93 for 5 before the Devon Dumpling Neil Fairbairn (103) built partnerships of 60 with Tom Marshall (15) and then 68 with Stephen Walsh (27) taking them to a total of 230.
In Dumplings’ reply batting against the new ball remained complex, difficult and slow except for the slightly over exuberant Corey Sinclair coming in at three and hitting 22 with five fours off 12 balls before becoming Tom Marshall’s third victim at 32 for 3. Matt Nicholls (84) and Sam Ewen (44) put on 69 together before Ewen was out at 116 for 5. Divan Marais looked out of sorts following his efforts of the day before (perhaps it was the night before?), Christian Cabburn got a first ball lbw and then Jack Stirling (29) joined Nichols in a partnership of 52 that gave some faltering hope of success. When he fell Nichols farmed the strike but was unable to make it to the tape falling short as the last man out having watched Bernie Wilson score his solitary run in the season as his number 11! A good knock which deserved a better outcome although Fairbairn played the innings of the day. He (Fairbairne) will try to get back to Devon for Dumplings next year…
11th August at The Queen’s College Ground:
D.D. 271 for 6 (54.5 overs. S Ewen 67, D Marais 56, A Immermann 49*, F Creer 34) BEAT South Oxford Amateurs 223 a.o. (36.3 overs. B Wilson 3-37, A Immermann 2-7) by 48 runs.
Captain Dominic Tuohey won the toss and elected to bat whereupon Sam Ewen (67) and Freddie Creer (34) made an opening partnership of 105 with some very correct technique and skill. Divan Marais (56) then took control losing Ewen at 119 for 2 before a partnership of 54 with Matt Nichols (15). Corey Sinclair (18) went at a run a ball before Adriane Immermann (49* off 26 balls) and David Jolliffe (12 off 10 balls) put on 52 in about five overs before the declaration at 271 for 6.
Adriane Immermann bowled a rapid and hostile four over opening spell taking 2-7 and SOA were reduced to 28 for 2 and then 66 for 3 and then 4 before James Ellwood counter-attacked at number 5 scoring 55 in 32 balls before falling to Bernie Wilson as the first of his three consecutive victims. Numbers 6 and 7 also fell to Wilson tearing the heart out of the reply.
Tuohey used eight bowlers to finish off the opposition with five each getting a single wicket. A team effort if ever I saw one!
Sam Ewen scored 192 runs on tour and was consistent and a pleasure to watch on all three days. Divan Marais scored 203 runs with only 12 on the second day. More water with it next year Div when celebrating a great century! Adriane Immermann took 8-87 on tour, bowling tightly whilst remaining quick and threatening. A good shock bowler. Bernie Wilson took 7- 111, He remained seemingly innocuous but deadly!
I must record my thanks to the whole touring party who again made the three day tour such a delight and all looked after me so well and in particular made certain that I was never in charge of a score book! Wendy and Derek Hardy kept that particular element of the tour in their capable hands and David Salter umpired the first and last day’s matches leaving me the middle day to have “the best seat in the house”.
Thank you all those listed below: Players Paul Berman, Dominic Tuohey, Matt Nichols, Bernie Wilson, Jonathan Bennett, Christian Cabburn, Tom Fogerty, Jack Stirling, Steve Bourke, Sam Ewen, Adriane Immermann, Divan Marais, Corey Sinclair, Bertie Creer, Freddie Creer, David Jolliffe, Officials David Salter, Derek Hardy, Wendy Hardy, Supporters April Marjoram, Judy Jolliffe, Brian Smith, Jean Smith and Iain Creer
