HAC big win vs Oxford Authentics

The 1XI recorded a stunning victory in their debut fixture against Oxford University Authentics on Sunday, chasing down 235 runs 3 wickets down, off of just 42.2 overs.
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Winning the toss, Captain Liam Casey opted to chase on a wicket that looked as though it had potential to be slightly two-paced. Opening duo Nish Mittal and Ash Santimon were soon into their work, some balls skidding through from back of a length; both unlucky not to break through in the early exchanges.

The Oxford openers continued to grind out in the sun, the run rate hovering around 4 an over, until Seanparry got the wickets column moving at last, bowling Douglas with an arm ball at the start of the 17th over. The scoreboard continued to tick, with @willnoble prizing the wicket of opener Kenningham in the 21st over, LBW for 32, leaving the Authentics 108-2 at the break.
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A fine lunch of pie and mash meant the men of the #HAC returned to the field in a carbohydrate-induced daze. Some dubious fielding efforts meant Oxford began to score more freely. @rxa82 trapped the impressive Choudary LBW for 44 (147-3) to arrest the momentum. Parry continued in a mammoth 14 over spell, returning 2-69, before Amit Bahl produced a superb spell of seam bowling, taking 3-20 from 4.4 overs. A late run out by Noble saw Oxford declare on 235-8 from 49.4 overs.
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Ed Jones and Dan Sherlock got the @ chase off to a steady start, seeing off the opening pacemen and applying themselves against some tidy first-change spin bowling - the HAC reaching tea 66-0. The resumption saw a charcuterie-based wobble, both Jones and Sherlock perishing in the 21st. When Alauddin was ran out in the 24th over (92-3), chances of a victory felt as though they were slipping away.
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Needing 144 from 19 overs, Casey (68*) and Parry (83*) played with great application and resolve, manipulating the field and taking advantage of an equally dubious short-bowling ploy. The pair continued to up the run rate, and when a couple of sharp chances went to ground, an unlikely HAC victory suddenly felt inevitable. Turning the screw, Parry finished the chase with a back-to-back 6 and 4 over/through cover.

Match report by Ross Carter.

https://hacc.play-cricket.com/website/results/6006881