Revisiting the 2016 Blues Season
In this latest article of the OUCC Archive, we are revisiting an incredibly successful season for the club in 2016. This was the first year that the Men's Blues achieved the treble (3 from 3 victories against Cambridge), and the Women's Blues also achieved the double in that year.
With thanks to Bob Marsden (Blue, 1982), father of Johny (2016 Men's Blues captain), we now have a bank of photos we are able to share in the club archive.
First off in the Varsity match season was a combined Men's and Women's Blues T20 Day at the Parks on 20th May. These two games were characterised by two standout innings; first by Sian Kelly's 102* in the women's T20 and secondly Matty Hughes' 75* in the Men's game. Economical bowling in the men's game secured a comfortable 38 run victory. In the women's game there was an even bigger margin of victory - the Oxford bowlers blowing away the Cambridge line-up for 42, winning by 162 runs. This day must have been even more special for the fact it was watched on by a large crowd at the Parks.
After the great successes in the T20, next up were the dual Lord's One-Day matches - with Men's Blues and Women's Blues on 1st July. In the women's game, Sian Kelly again scored an excellent 118, ably supported by Christina Gough's 71. In reply, Cambridge struggled to 58-7 off their 30 overs - Sarah Attrill's 4-11 being the highlight. Meanwhile, in the rain-affected men's game Oxford batted first and with contributions right throughout the ordered managed their way to 192-9 off 40 overs. In reply, Cambridge were 140 all out despite the efforts of Angus Dalgleish with 77. The pick of the Oxford bowlers were captain Marsden and Owain Jones, the latter responsible for removing Dalgleish as the last wicket in the 35th over.
Looking to complete the treble, next up for the Men's Blues was the final match of the season - the First-Class University Match. Oxford elected to bat first at the Parks and number 3 Matty Hughes piled on the runs, scoring 116 of Oxford's first innings 267. In response, Cambridge's first innings was stunted by an excellent 5-41 by Johny Marsden opening the bowling. Cambridge conceded a first innings deficit of 85 runs, compounded by a wonderful century on first-class debut by opener Daniel Escott. Supported by 76 again from Matty Hughes, Oxford pushed the scoreboard on to 316/5 before declaring to give themselves the best chance of bowling Cambridge out for victory. Cambridge put up a dogged effort, with 500 balls faced between the top 3 batters alone. However, Escott backed up his batting performance with 6-71 in the second innings to leave Cambridge 9-down going into the last hour of the 4th day's play. Fittingly, just when it seemed like Cambridge would survive for the draw - Johny Marsden stepped up and took the last wicket to complete an historic treble victory for the Oxford side.
Links to all of the scorecards from these fixtures can be found below;
We do hope you enjoyed reading this latest edition of the club archive. If you have any other photos from 2016, particularly from the Women's Blues team - please send these through to us and we will happily post these on the website.
