Another glorious Saturday on the Cheshire circuit, and it was the turn of Oulton Park to pay a visit to the fortress that Georgians call home, Cromley Road. With a 100% win record at home this season, and Oulton Park struggling to overtake their competition in the relegation zone, it was another great opportunity for the 2XI to continue their fantastic winning streak.
Stand in skipper Sam Bailey was to lead this week, with the absence of both Dodd and Kilbride, the former ensuring to keep the squad updated with candid photos of his wedding crashing antics throughout the afternoon. With the approach of not changing a winning formula, and a brief discussion between captains, an uncontested toss confirmed that Georgians would again field first.
As has made for familiar viewing this season, front man Friel (or Prof as he has recently been baptised by his teammates) marked out his run and set about destruction of the Oulton Park top order, on this occasion partnered by a young Max Bailey at the other end, keen to impress both selectors and his older brother. In similar fashion to the previous week, the breakthrough came for Prof in the fifth, as Wakefield took a tidy catch behind the stumps to reduce Oulton Park to 16-1.
With encouragement to further kick on from some of the senior figures in the side, and some tight bowling lines, the pressure continued to build and this time, in the eighth, it was the turn of the Bailey Boys to claim the next victim. A good length delivery from Max, confidently caught by his brother Sam at mid-off, leaving the visitors starting to worry at 20-2. Fired up from claiming his first, Bailey confidently strode back to his mark, and with a touch of extra pace, attributed to the flow of adrenaline, a fantastic delivery was to dismiss the new batsman LBW for a golden duck. 20-3 and two in two for the youngster. As is customary on a hat-trick, fielders flooded the square either side of the wicket, and an increasingly large cordon began to form. A good delivery from Bailey, but it wasn’t to be as ball was tentatively prodded into the offside for a dot.
After a great start from Georgians, signs of resilience began to shine through from the Oulton Park batsmen amidst some quality displays of seam and swing bowling from the opening duo. A frustrating partnership started to develop but after adding a respectable 41, amidst an array of air shots and near misses, it was Bailey who struck again, finding a thick edge into the safe hands of Keogh at third slip. A tidy catch and a much needed breakthrough leaving the visitors 61-4.
Despite some excellent bowling, it was time for a change and Hussain was introduced for Friel, who reluctantly relinquished his end for a very respectable spell of eleven overs, picking up 1-33. After some discussions at the drinks break, and Tilley growing increasingly impatient in the cordon, itching to get stuck into the middle order, it was agreed that Bailey would continue from the Railway end, searching for that next wicket to take him ever closer to the desirable 5fer. The right decision, as in the over after drinks, he struck again, caught Kibble at first slip and reducing Oulton Park to 93-5. Bailey ended his day with an impressive 4-62 off his 15 overs.
Hussain joined the party with his first wicket, and it was now the time for spin to takeover, as Tilley joined him to try and rattle through the lower order as promptly as possible. They approached their task without delay, Tilley taking only 4 balls to open his account. A handy caught and bowled to dismiss the remaining danger man Torlop, for 41, leaving the visitors in disarray at 100-7.
Despite his day being over with the ball, Max Bailey was not finished just yet, as he proceeded to take a good catch off Tilley at a short extra cover to dismiss the left handed Wilson, followed up in the very next over with a stunning one-handed grab at short mid-wicket off Hussain (2:31:55 on the livestream for the badgers among you). Tilley cleaned up with the last, caught by the skipper, returning figures of 3-15 and dismissing Oulton Park for just 116. Hussain finishing with a very tight 2-6 off his seven overs.

After a short break for lunch, and amusement at the news that Harry Brook had been given a chuck in the test match, it was time for Georgians to finish the job and confirm the 25 points. Some discussions in the changing room, and off the back of his fine form on Tuesday in the T20 cup game vs Premier Division Hyde, it was decided that Wakefield would again open the batting, accompanied by the very considered Toby Jones.
The pair started well, with some good running between the wickets, and after posting a solid 36 runs in the initial six overs, a low runner trapped Jones in front of all three for 8. Kibble was the man to join the inform Wakefield, but it wasn’t to be his day, with an elegant and forceful cover drive finding the fielder who, to Kibble’s dismay, managed to hold on. A lift in the mood of the fielding side as Georgians were reduced to 36-2, and a glimmer of hope that a result may be possible.
Keogh was the next man in, and was chomping at the bit to take hold of what seemed like an elusive opportunity to bat this season, given the form of the Georgians openers. Disappointingly, another variable bounce trapped him LBW for just 4, as the age of the pitch was starting to show, with opportunities beginning to present themselves to the bowlers.
Next in was the skipper, Bailey. After pleading with the injured Ashton to borrow his bat, and with a puffed out chest and a spring in his step, the captain took to the crease, determined to lead from the front and get his team across the line. And he did, with a 68 run partnership between Wakefield and Bailey, Georgians romped home in just 24.3 overs, with Wakefield finishing on 67 from 77 balls, his fourth half century of the season, and Baily supporting well with a respectable 28 from 35 deliveries.
Business as usual for the Georgians, making it eight wins from nine this season and maintaining a 31 point lead at the top of Division 1. Next week sees a more difficult challenge as the 2XI welcome third placed Widnes to Cromley Road, but equally presents an excellent opportunity to really establish a position in the promotion places at the top of the league.