Captain Sam returned from holiday to take up the reins again following a successful run by Vice-Captain Mike (Eadon) standing in for him.

Unfortunately, Mike was unable to return to his duties as Vice-Captain for this match as, apparently, ballet lessons intervened. On his arrival at the ground later in the afternoon Mike was reticent about this when questioned.
However, there are reports of him practising his Bourrees and Pique-turns in the changing room.

After the recent pleasant weather, it was a shock to return to a Sunday afternoon in mid-June that was cold and breezy.

Barford won the toss and elected to bat first.

Opening bowlers Sam and JP bowled tightly and cheaply and each took a wicket early, leaving the visitors on 17-2 after just 7 overs.
Stuart got into the action with a couple and Tom found an edge for ‘keeper Graham to finish it off. 57-5 after 18 overs.
After half of the allocated 40 overs the visitors were on 61-5. Slightly over 3 per over.

Although there was another wicket in the 21st over, batsmen No’s 7 & 8 then put together a meaningful partnership of 75 runs before Stuart broke it with caught and bowled. 136-7.
Barford had batting in depth and on completion of their innings had reached 182-9, a total that seemed very unlikely at the 20-over mark.

6 of the nine wickets taken were catches. 3 of them by velcro-handed James and 2 C&B’s off Stuart and Sam. Graham took one behind.

And so to tea:-
Tea was prepared by Rachael and Amanda with Liz helping. It was right up there with Napton’s usual top-quality traditional cricket teas.
Neatly cut and tastily-filled sandwiches with a variety of other savouries followed by an assortment of home-made cakes and chocolate bars. The sponge cake and coffee ‘n walnut were ‘finger-lickenly’ good.
Napton CC is extremely fortunate that this important part of village cricket is so well catered for.
The mugs of steaming tea were welcome not just for drinking but warming very cold hands !!!

With only just over 4.5 runs per over required, the home team were in with a chance.

Joe and Stuart opened.
Joe smacked a boundary off the first ball and set hopes high.
However, scoring then slowed to a snails-pace.

After 10 overs Napton had just 24 runs on the board. Even basic maths reveals that is well below the required run-rate.
Joe gradually upped the rate but had lost two partners by the 20th over with Napton on 65-2. Still below the required rate but about the same as the visitors had been at this point.

Soon after his half-century Joe was dismissed by a brilliant catch that was taken on the boundary as the ball was six-bound.
Tom then took up the mantle and along with Sam edged the score onwards and upwards.

Unfortunately Tom was caught behind in the 37th over. 159-5.
24 runs required off 3 overs.
JP was then the victim of a most unlucky run-out. Sam had hit the ball back towards the bowler who on attempting a catch inadvertently knocked the ball onto the wickets. JP who had been following up was out of his ground.
Sam, now joined by Graham, was nurdling in his inimitable fashion and pushed Graham to his sprinting limits for opportune runs.
8 runs required off the last over with the Captain facing.
Dot ball.
2 runs
2 runs
2 runs --- Graham is now gasping for breath !!
2 runs --- Just enough with one ball to spare.
Napton 183-6 off 39.5 overs.

Batsmen in double- figures:
Tom Hancock 54 runs 8 boundaries inc. 1 six
Joe Alsop 50 runs 8 boundaries inc. 3 sixes.
Sam Sensecall 37 runs Not Out 3 boundaries
Stuart Alsop 12 runs 2 boundaries
Another ‘get out of jail free’ card for Napton. A really close game.
The big hitters Joe and Tom provided the platform for Sam to hold his nerve and nurse it through the closing overs.
An excellent win against a strong team.