WITNEY RFC AMBUSH THE AMBUSH

The Ambush line up against Witney RFC

(Standing l-r: Stuart Duff, Mick Donegan, Chris Grain, Geoff Hoare, Cam Newton-Grain, John Grain, Baz Floyd, Rob Webb, Ed Juszczak. Kneeling l-r: James Harrison, Robbie Nicholson)

A new season, new opponents but same old result for the SpecialEffect Tigers as the Ambush picked up where it left off from the 2011 season. 

After a wet week and doubts as to whether the game would go ahead, the Tigers and Witney RFC finally gathered on a bright and breezy Sunday afternoon at Monoghan Way (home of Kilkenny CC), Carterton.

Witney RFC

Witney RFC won the toss and elected to bat on a soft wicket.

Charlie Bennett and James Elwood got the Witney RFC innings off to an excellent start. Bennett bludgeoned his way to 23 before Tigers' John Grain, bowling slow, straight and flighty, finally sent the big man on the long walk. Bowled for 23.

While Elwood took runs at his leisure, the Tigers started to experience some success at the other end. Young Cameron Newton-Grain taking his first official wicket for the Tigers to despatch Will Hook while dad, John Grain, sent Todd and Monks following close behind.

The dismissal of Monks brought Witney RFC giant Simon Copperwheat to the crease. Just as the Tigers thought they'd managed to stem the rugby lads' run rate, Copperwheat reminded them that they were bowling against strong lads with excellent hand-eye co-ordination. In no time at all, big Simon had helped himself to 22 runs and the Tigers found themselves struggling again.

Lets just stop there though. While Simon was pretty pleased about his rapid fire 22, the Tiger who bowled him celebrated his first wicket. Ed Juszczak, buoyed by his initial success joined John Grain to mop up most of the Witney RFC tail end. Robbie Mills avoided having a Tigers name against his wicket by running himself out leaving the rock-like Elwood and tail ender Henry Lamb to see out the 20 overs.

 Ed Juszczak 

3-0-17-3

The star men of the Tigers bowling attack were John Grain (4-0-28-4) and Ed Juszczak (3-0-17-3) while Bennett (23), Elwood (57no) and Copperwheat (22) piled on the majority of Witney RFC's runs. 

 Simon Copperwheat, James Elwood and Charlie Bennett

22, 57 not out and 23 respectively

Witney RFC finished on 134-9 leaving the Tigers needing 6.7 an over. Very respectable but with a strong batting line-up, the Tigers felt quietly confident of knocking up the runs. 

How wrong can eleven Tigers be?

After a cracking runs and wickets tally for his village side Combe, Tigers debutant Robbie Nicholson never really got going. Frustrated, he charged Todd only to look back to see keeper Andi Merriman taking off his bails. The Tigers new young star dismissed for a duck. 

Nicholson's opening partner, the reliable James Harrison, was Todd's next victim. Bowled for three. The ambush were being pinned down and picked off by the Witney RFC bowling assault.

As the overs ticked by, Tigers skipper stood firm but just couldn't find runs as easily as he usually does while his partners disappeared in an effort to thrash up the run rate. Hoare stumped by Merriman off Robbie Mills for five, Floyd caught by Owen Fowler off Hook for a duck and John Grain bowled by Robbie Mills for three. The Tigers batting had stalled and was now collapsing.

Mick Donegan, Stuart Duff and Cameron Newton-Grain followed quickly. All bowled by Hook for ducks. 

Chris Grain meanwhile had toiled his way slowly to 26 before a misunderstanding with new batsman Ed Juszczak resulted in him being run out. With Tigers numbers 10 and 11 at the crease, all but the most optimistic felt the battle was lost. And so it was.

Ed Juszczak and Rob Webb knocked up a couple of runs each before Juszczak was finally bowled by Charlie Bennett. The Ambush had failed. All out for 51 off 16.5 overs.

Yes, the result could have been better but the Tigers lost to the better side on the day. And we couldn't have lost to a better bunch of blokes. 

Well done Robbie and the lads of Witney RFC. We look forward to making this a regular fixture. Who knows, our batting might even put up some resistance next time.

Cheers guys! Fantastic day.

 Yeah! Lets all do an impression of a Tigers batting collapse

Witney RFC win by 83 runs

The Tigers would like to say thank you to David Wann and Kilkenny (Carterton) CC and Jacqui at Nexus (Carterton) Leisure Centre for helping to make sure the game went ahead.