2010 News
Monday September 2010 - npower Village Cup Final - Sessay v Shipton-under-Wychwood
Played at Lords Cricket Ground, Sunday September 12th
After almost 4 weeks of build up, the big day finally arrived and the biggest game in the history of Sessay Cricket Club could begin. Stephen Langstaff won the toss, incidentally made at 10.00 am, one hour ahead of an 11.00 am start, and asked Shipton-under-Wychwood to bat first on a green surface. Stuart Peirse, bowling from the Pavilion end, and Richard Till, from the Nursery end bowled tidily in the opening overs, Till especially going past the bat of Andy Hemming, billed as Shipton’s most dangerous performer, on several occasions without finding the edge.
Shipton reached 29 without loss from the first 10 overs, and Sessay turned to Mark Wilkie and Stephen Langstaff in search of a breakthrough. Wilkie ought to have had Hemming caught on the mid wicket boundary but the chance was spilled and the scoring rate steadily increased to the extent that at drinks, Shipton were 81 without loss. Stephen Langstaff finally struck when the left handed Brain played on for 33 with the score on 88 in the 22nd over, and in the next few overs Sessay restricted the Shipton run rate without being able to make further inroads as the Oxfordshire outfit looked to capitalise on their sound start. Opener Hemming fell in the 26th over when he was spectacularly caught high to his right by keeper Nick Harrison for 59 off the returning Richard Till, and after 30 overs Shipton had moved on to 128 for 2.
The scoring rate began to pick up as Tim Senior made a brisk 18 before being caught at the wicket off Stuart Peirse with the score on 151, but Shipton then went on the rampage as 49 runs came from the next three crazy overs as the burly left hander Jason Hunt peppered the Mound and Tavern Stands with a flurry of sixes as the game threatened to run away from Sessay. Mark Wilkie returned in the 37th over to have Hunt smartly stumped by Harrison for 38 (5 sixes, 1 four), made from only 13 balls, but the pre-match favourites looked to be posting an imposing total as number three batsman Steve Bates continued to score steadily, being unbeaten on 46 when the innings closed on 227 for 5. Of the Sessay bowlers, Stuart Peirse emerged with the best figures finishing with 2 for 39, including a morale boosting last over which cost only 4 runs.
Opinions varied as to Sessay’s chances during the luncheon interval – having conceded 99 runs from the final 10 overs, spirits were dampened in some quarters, but lifted again by the thoughts that the pitch was true, the outfield fast and had a short boundary which would now be in Sessay’s favour.
When the reply began, Mark Wilkie and Matthew Till took a sedate 6 runs from the first three overs, as they got used to the famous slope and pace of the pitch, but the fourth over saw the innings start to flow with 16 runs taken with both openers finding the boundary. The score continued to move along briskly as the pair took a liking to Charles Brain who conceded 20 from 2 wayward overs. Wilkie, cover driving exquisitely and playing neatly and effectively off his pads, and Till, discarding his helmet in favour of the more familiar wide brimmed hat, continued to dominate and the 10 over mark saw Sessay on 63 without loss, improving to 90 without loss after 15 overs as no bowler was allowed to settle. Shipton’s skipper Paul Hemming rang the changes to the extent that he had used 6 bowlers by the 16th over, but to no avail as the brilliant opening partnership continued to blossom. Till was now finding the boundary with increasing regularity, including a searing on drive to the pavilion fence, and Jason Hunt and Paul Hemming were both put to the sword. However, just before drinks with the partnership worth 127, Hemming had a measure of revenge when Till was caught at deep square leg by a juggling Tim Senior for 56 (12 fours). Nick Thorne joined Mark Wilkie and Sessay continued to close in on their target with Wilkie still batting fluently and Thorne sensibly playing himself in with a series of driven singles before Wilkie, later named Man of the Match, fell in the 27th over when he top edged a sweep and was caught for a superb 78 (11 fours).
Nick Harrison joined Thorne, and it was Thorne who then maintained the tempo as he began to take charge, striking a massive straight six off Shaun Miller and helping himself to another into the Tavern Stand off Hemming as Sessay reached 200 in the 33rd over. With just 18 needed, Thorne was stumped for a well made 42, giving John Flintoff the opportunity to join Harrison. A scampered single got the veteran off the mark, and he followed this with two cracking offside boundaries off Chris Panter. At shortly after 4.30, Harrison, batting calmly as ever, on drove Panter to the boundary and Sessay had clinchéd the most memorable of victories with 17 balls to spare, sparking emotional scenes amongst Sessay’s enthusiastic travelling support which numbered about 300 of the crowd of a thousand.
This stunning victory at a stunning venue on a glorious September day will live forever in the memory of those fortunate enough to witness a perfect day for Sessay Cricket Club.
Shipton under Wychwood
A Hemming c Harrison b R Till 59
C Brain b Langstaff 33
S Bates not out 46
T Senior c Harrison b Peirse 18
J Hunt st Harrison b Wilkie 38
P Hemming b Peirse 7
T King not out 1
Extras 25
Total (5 wkts) 227
FOW 1-88, 2-126, 3-151, 4-200, 5-224
S Peirse 9-1-39-2, R Till 9-1-48-1,
S Langstaff 9-0-45-1, M Wilkie 8-0-37-1,
M Till 5-0-47-0
Sessay
M Wilkie c Brain b P Hemming 78
M Till c Senior b P Hemming 56
N Thorne st Jennings b Hunt 42
N Harrison not out 22
J Flintoff not out 13
Extras 17
Total (3 wkts) 228
FOW 1-127, 2-159, 3-210
C Panter 8.1-2-35-0, C Lambert 2-0-21-0, C Brain 2-0-20-0,
S Miller 9-1-51-0, J Hunt 5-0-32-1, P Hemmings 9-0-51-2,
T King 2-0-13-0
Sessay won by 7 wickets
Match Report: Keith Houlston
