Sunday 27th April v Free Foresters

Free Foresters 244 for 8 decl (Ben L 3 for 36)

Sherborne 246 for 7 (Sam G 61, Will T 72*)

Won by 3 wickets

Some superb batting brought the 1st XI victory over Free Foresters on The Upper on Sunday, as a large crowd enjoyed both the glorious weather and a thrilling match.

As is customary, Free Foresters batted first and the Old Shirburnian opening partnership of Tom Gibbs and Barney Talbot-Williams got them off to a very positive start with a 52-run stand. However, Ben L now made the first of several telling interventions as two dismissals in quick succession both prompted a rebuilding job and also proved – again – the truth of Geoff Boycott’s maxim that the scoreboard always looks a little different with the addition of two wickets. This was also the cue for the spinners to settle in for a long bowl, which they did to good effect, and the pressure told with a run-out from Oliver LB before Charlie R had the dangerous Ed Atkins caught in the deep. Lunch was taken after an absorbing morning’s play, with the score nicely posed at 129 for 4 from 34 overs. After lunch, our opponents played with greater freedom – helped by some rather slipshod fielding – and advanced to 245 for 8 before declaring. Gibbs’ well-paced innings of 83, and a quickfire half century from Alistair Carman were the key contributions, leaving Sherborne with a tough target in a maximum of 36 overs, compared to the 55 we had bowled.

It was apparent to all that the pre-tea session would be crucial, and Fergus O’C and Sam G had clearly received the memo! They set about the Foresters’ attack with gusto and, at the interval, the score had already reached 70 for 1. Nonetheless, the target was still looking somewhat distant – especially after Sam departed for an excellent 61, full of pleasing strokes and rapid running, to the acclaim of the crowd. The score was now 137 for 4 and the required rate was around 8 - a rate that climbed a little higher as a couple more wickets went down. However, the captain, Will T, was now at the crease and he proceeded to play an absolute gem of an innings. With 10 overs left, 71 were still required but Will reached his half-century (off just 28 balls) shortly thereafter and now the target was coming into view. With six overs remaining, it was down to a run a ball – albeit with 7 wickets having fallen. Enter Ben L to join his skipper as they finished off the game with an adroit unbroken partnership of 37, mixing powerfully-struck boundaries and high speed between the wickets. The end came in the penultimate over: another boundary through the covers took the skipper to 72* from 48 balls and brought the home side the spoils. It was an outstanding run chase, leaving those of us who felt the declaration had come a little late left looking a little silly! This was a fantastic opportunity to reflect on the vagaries of cricket once again and to give enormous credit to our visitors for the attacking spirit in which they played the game. Their captain, Tom Atkins – himself an Old Shirburnian – clearly learnt much in his time at school about that crucial sporting willingness to risk defeat in pursuit of victory.

Hugh Tatham