Thame U13 Boys rounded off their season in style on Monday evening, with an impressive victory over league leaders Goring at a sun-scorched Church Meadow.
Facing a strong Goring side sitting top of the Hundred Oxfordshire Pool 1 table, Thame knew they would need one of their best performances of the season to secure a result.
After winning the toss, Thame elected to bat first, but found themselves under immediate pressure from a fast and disciplined Goring attack. Early wickets saw Constant, Loftus and Hancock dismissed cheaply, leaving Thame struggling at 19 for 3.
It was then that Butler steadied the innings. Displaying great composure, Butler retired unbeaten on 10 from his maximum 25 deliveries, helping to halt Goring’s momentum. He found valuable support from Avery, who played one of the key innings of the match, striking 17 from just 18 balls, including three boundaries.
The pair guided Thame to 49 for 4 before Avery departed, shortly followed by Beazley, who endured an unusually quiet evening with his bat. At 59 for 5, Thame were in danger of falling short of a competitive total.
However, Swain and Hartridge had other ideas. The pair launched an excellent counter-attack, swinging the momentum firmly back towards the home side. Swain led the charge with a superb top score of 24 from only 17 balls, including four well-struck boundaries with his new birthday bat, while Hartridge played the perfect supporting role, contributing 4 from 13 deliveries. Such was the counter attack pressure on Goring who started to bowl loosely and gave away extras which along with the partnership helped propel Thame to an impressive 109 from their 100 balls.
The total felt competitive, but against a Goring side packed with batting firepower, there was still plenty of work to do. Goring’s reply began ominously. Their opening batter looked very powerful and experienced and helped his side race to 17 without loss from the opening set of five.
Recognising the danger, captain Constant made a bold tactical change, introducing Hartridges moon ball into the attack. The change immediately paid dividends. Looking to dominate the slower pace, Goring’s powerful opener charged down the wicket only to misjudge the delivery and edge behind to the ever-reliable Hancock, who completed the catch.
The breakthrough proved crucial. From that moment, Thame’s bowlers and fielders applied relentless pressure. Wickets fell at regular intervals as Goring slipped to 63 for 8. Loftus and Constant both chipped in with key wickets, while the Cathcart brothers claimed three victims between them.
Orchard was unlucky not to get among the wickets himself but delivered an excellent spell, conceding just five runs from his ten balls and helping keep the visitors in check. Just as victory appeared within touching distance, Goring mounted a spirited fightback. Edges flew through the field, byes accumulated and some loose bowling and fielding from Thame allowed the visitors to creep back into contention. Suddenly Goring had advanced to 92 for 8 and the game was very much alive again.
Calls from the coaching staff on the boundary urged calm heads and a return to controlled cricket. Fortunately for Thame, Avery answered the call making a superb run out to take the opposition to 93-9 allowing the coaches to put the defibrillator back in its box.
Goring crept onto 97 but were running out of balls and needed 12 runs to win with only two deliveries remaining, once again Avery produced the decisive moment, removing the final batter with a nut which ripped sideways off the surface and clattered into the stumps on the 98th ball of the innings to seal a memorable victory.
The win was a fitting end to the season and an excellent reward for a side that has embraced the Hundred format for the first time this year. Thame finished the table in a respectable 3rd place just behind Didcot in 2nd and Goring who finished top on net run rate. But most satisfying was finishing above Aston Rowant!
More importantly, the season has been another successful chapter for this talented group of young cricketers. The U13s have played more than 25 competitive matches alongside a number of friendlies, continuing the excellent development of the squad of 27 players.
Under the leadership of coaches Dan Constant and Justin Avery, the U13 team has gone from strength to strength this season, while several new players have settled seamlessly into the group. The Year 8 U13 players will now prepare to move up to the U15 age group next season, where they will rejoin the ‘golden boys’, their very talented mates in the year above, and will continue to help build the next generation of home-grown talent at the club.
If this group can stay together, continue enjoying their cricket and make the most of everything the club offers, the future looks exceptionally bright for Thame Cricket Club.
The season will conclude with the club’s Junior Awards Night on Friday 4 September, from 5pm to 8pm at the club. Players and families from all eight junior boys’ and girls’ teams U9s to U17s will come together to celebrate another enjoyable year, with a barbecue, bar and plenty of activities for everyone.
A wonderful season, and a memorable final victory to finish it.
Written by Matt Swain
