CRICKET: Farcical tie for Over 50s

10:23pm Sunday 3rd August 2008

IN a situation resembling a Brian Rix farce, Oxfordshire Over 50s tied their rain-shortened match against Hampshire in the last 16 of the ECB 50-Plus Championship at Great Tew yesterday.

In reply to Oxfordshire's 225-7, Hampshire were 100-7 after 20 overs when heavy rain ended play.

After a phone call to Lord's it was deemed that because the sides had an identical run rate of five per over, the match was a tie and should be replayed.

The teams will now try and get a result at Great Tew next Sunday.

The final stages saw Hampshire batsmen throw their wickets away in an attempt to get a winning rate after 20 overs.

Two batsmen were run out in the 20th over, bowled by Alec Cunningham, with four runs being scored.

Immediately after the over, the teams came off the field.Earlier Cunningham had been Oxfordshire's top scorer with 49, while good support came from Paul Tew and Phil Garner both with 35.

Afterwards, Oxon skipper Andrew Wingfield-Digby said: "In the circumstances, the fairest thing was to play again, as Hampshire had lost several of their wickets because of the situation."

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