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Pembroke finish OXILP’s Cuppers hopes

The Cuppers quarter final between Pembroke and the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice (OXILP) was a predictable affair, the traditionally successful sporting college claiming a 27-run victory over the University-affiliated underdogs.

OXILP, with a male population of just fifty, had perhaps over-stretched their resources after beating St. Catz and Green: a spirited and gritty performance never saw them promise anything greater than a dignified defeat, a series of spilled catches summing up their never-quite-there persona.

They started well, winning the toss and choosing to bowl under overcast conditions. Simon Manterfield and Dan Barnett coupled accurate bowling with a low pitch to stifle the Pembroke openers Mike Hills and Geoff Baines.

Hills was content to play the role of anchor, as Baines attempted to hurry the score along. In Barnett’s fourth over he tried and failed to pull a creeping delivery, before missing a slash at the next.

Relief was not forthcoming until the 10th over, when Hills contrived to loft a ball over the in-field for the first boundary, the score a paltry 25-0. Baines was soon after caught at first slip by Carroll off Barnett. Both opening bowlers worked through their allotted overs in one spell, by which time Pembroke were 43-1 off 16.

OXILP should have had greater impact. Hills and new bat Shephard were both dropped in Woods’s first over, and Hills then unwisely tried to turn Luke Vassay’s controlled leg-spin and was dropped by Shea.

The score was 59 before a catch was finally taken, Shephard at fine leg off Vassay, bringing in Finch, who notched up a few boundaries in taking the score to 90 off 26 overs before being bowled by the same bowler.

The hundred and Hill’s half-century came up in successive overs, highlighting Pembroke’s reliance on their opener, especially when Butcher swung at and fell over a looping Vassay delivery before being stumped by Robinson next ball.

As Pembroke stepped up their search for quick runs, OXILP’s fielders could not take advantage: a run out chance was squandered and new bat Oakes was dropped at mid-on before launching Jerrum over mid-wicket for a long six.

When success did come, it was unexpected. Boulton, fielding in the deep, returned an accurate long throw to impressively run out Oakes and render the score 132-5 off 34 overs.

The same player then bowled Durbin, and Shea, in his only over took the wickets of Ainsworth and Horrocks. Woods returned to finish off the Pembroke innings in the 38th over by bowling Patel and Rodrigues, leaving the score 165 and Hills stranded on 66*.

On a stolid pitch this was a reasonable total, and OXILP were never really in the hunt. Shephard bowled accurately to restrict the scoring, and had Boulton caught behind by Patel in his third over. At the other end Finch was threatening but erratic, and was replaced by the left-arm Butcher, who bowled Vassay in the 12th over: 19-2.

Jerrum and Shea could not break the pressure; the former edged a four through the slips before being bowled by Shephard, the latter could not overcome the low bounce to score from tempting loose deliveries in Butcher’s third and fourth overs.

Shephard bowled through to finish with fine figures of 8-5-10-2, leaving the score 27-3 off 15 overs. Carroll managed a straight six off Oakes but had his off-stump rearranged by a Butcher delivery that nipped back and was almost unplayable: 37-4.

Shea’s desperate attempt to break the stranglehold saw a resounding four off Durbin over mid-wicket but was followed by a misjudged sweep and smashed stumps. By now OXILP were batting to survive rather than win; Barnett played delicately, a nice drive off Horrocks trickling for just two.

Once Robinson scooped a return catch to Finch it was 97-6 off 35 overs. Pembroke were content to allow the last few overs to drag out, there being no chance now of an OXILP victory. Barnett was bowled by Oakes for 20 and Chinery enlivened proceedings with a spirited 19, and ludicrously ran out Manterfield, before being stumped off the final ball.

OXILP finished 138-9 off 40 overs, a dogged and defiant effort but one that never truly threatened. Pembroke’s main worry was the 39 extras they conceded: a tighter performance will be required for the semi-final.

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