Napton CC were pleased to be welcoming Bourton & Frankton again. They have been the most consistent fixture since Napton reformed at the Priors Marston Road ground. A ‘home & away’ has been a permanent entry in the Fixture List each year.

Mike emulated Sam’s recent successes with the flip and elected to give the visitors a go at the crease.

Bourton started slowly but the run-rate gradually increased.
Stuart was on top-form with the ball adding three wicket-maidens to his tally.
Two catches by Mike, including a caught & bowled, one by Tom and some tight fielding dismissed the visitors in 37th over on 142 runs.

Tea was then taken – and what a tea.
Prepared for us by Sonia, Rachael and Jo.
Why should something as good as Napton’s traditional cricket teas be denied to the rest of the cricketing fraternity. Perhaps it should be franchised !!
There was a particular coffee and hazelnut sponge that absolutely hit the spot for this correspondent.
If ever such a cake, or slice thereof, found it’s way to certain white cottage in Napton an old man would be made very happy.

With a target of less than 4 an over Napton must have been quietly confident of overtaking that in less than the allocated 40 overs.

However, after 10 overs only 17 runs had been taken off the total.
After 20 overs it had improved with 58 on the board, but 4 wickets had been lost.
Graham, with a variety of attacking and defensive shots, gave notice that there is a big innings just waiting to get into the scorebook. Perhaps this season?
Tom and Ollie, as batsmen 5 and 6 started to build a respectable partnership until Tom, whilst playing a shot, suddenly stumbled and grabbed his thigh, obviously in some pain.
He had to leave the field for some ice-pack treatment.

Scoring progressed slowly but wickets tumbled too quickly.
With 2 overs left Napton were on 131-8. 12 runs off 12 balls.
Wicket number 9 fell with 9 balls left.
This allowed Tom, although far from recovered, to return to the crease. He scored a single which would give him the strike for the last over if Matt could survive 2 balls.
Matt blocked magnificently !!

3 runs had been scored off the 39th over which left 9 required off 6.
Tom hit a four off the first ball but then 2 dot balls.
5 required off 3.

After leaving Tom’s bat ball number 4 didn’t come to earth until it was well over the boundary line.
Job done with 2 balls to spare.

A very close victory for Napton, but a victory for the stats nonetheless.