Old Millfieldians win the Cricketer Cup for the first time at Arundel Castle

Oundle Rovers 202-7 (40 overs), Greg Smith 63, Amartya Kaul 50, Charlie Fernandes 37, Ali Easton 3-39

Old Millfieldians 203-5 (35.2 overs), Nick Pang 84 not out, David Scott 79

(Full scorecard on Cricket Archive section of the website)

An absorbing and fluctuating Cricketer Cup final saw Old Millfieldians win by 5 wickets to take the trophy for the first time. Rain through most of the morning conjured up visions of an abandonment and replay, but, as the rain abated, the grounds staff at Arundel worked wonders to get the pitch ready for a 2.30 start, the match being reduced to 40 overs per side.

Oundle Rovers won the toss and batted, reckoning that runs on the board and a likely 8.00pm finish would put pressure on the side batting second. Ben Graves quickly showed attractive strokeplay but was first out for 30, with the score at 45-1 in the 14th over. George Johansen was smartly stumped by Jamie Baird, but Greg Smith, Oundle’s captain and outstanding batsman, now dominated a stand of 87 with Amartya Kaul, who was third out for a patient 50 off 90 balls with the score at 135-3. Only 8 overs of the innings now remained, but Smith and Charlie Fernandes, with plenty of wickets in hand, were able to play a variety of exciting shots, including reverse sweeps and ramps. Smith went for 63 off 57 balls, but Fernandes was last out for 37 off only 21 balls to take the score just over the 200 mark. Old Millfieldians had a balanced attack, with Scotland T20 left-arm seamer, Brad Currie, impressing with 2-38, and off-spinner Ali Easton 3-39. A second off-spinner, David Scott, successfully contained with 1-16 in his 8 overs.

A target of 203 seemed to neutral observers to be a little over par, and it certainly looked that way when Millfield floundered to 23-3 and 66-4, with nearly half their overs gone, against a largely spin attack. It was Nick Pang, who now came in at number 6 and played a match-winning innings, in the company of David Scott, who was by then 28 not out. Pang’s forte was clean hitting straight down the ground, which brought him six 6’s and five 4’s in his 84 not out off only 53 balls, while Scott supported him well in a partnership of 135, until run out for 79 with only 2 runs to get. Oundle relied on an attack of four off-spinners, one slow left armer and a solitary seamer. Will Street, with 2-42, was the best of the off-spinners, but Pang quickly gained the measure of an attack which needed more variety and he peppered the straight boundary. With the clock well past 7.30, it was fitting that the Millfield captain, Nick Brothers, came in at the end to secure the victory with nearly 5 overs to spare, for he has done so much to impress on his school the importance and fun of alumni cricket.

Cricketer Cup President, Nick Pocock, former Hampshire captain, presented the cup to the winners on a day enjoyed by over 300 spectators whose faith that the rain would stop was well rewarded.