Warwick’s run in the One Day Cup came to a halt after a tightly fought contest against Norwich School. A game between two closely matched teams was ultimately decided by small margins on both sides and we were left frustrated that we could not quite get over the line.

Things started well as we won the toss and took 13 off the first two overs, but the pacey opener, Bush quickly tightened his line, and we found it difficult to maintain this rate. After a pair of cheap overs he struck, with Dunning (7) nicking off to an expansive drive. A change at the other end brought some respite as Gupta plundered 12 from the bowling of Bird. Despite Bush’s fourth over (the last of his spell) being a maiden the runs continued to flow more freely at the other end. Unfortunately, the variability of the bowling tempted Thomas to drive at a wider ball and he was well caught by a diving wicket keeper to leave us 46-2 after eight overs. By this point Gupta had found his feet and was striking the ball well, manoeuvring the ball into gaps and striking several crisp boundaries. He found effective support in the form of May (8) who looked at home at the crease until he decided to sweep the first ball of the off spinner, succeeding only in top-edging the ball straight to the waiting fieldsman. At 63-3, with three top-order batsmen having started well and then fall for single figure scores, we needed Gupta to find a partner who would stick around: thankfully he found it in the form of Vitty. Whilst the run rate slowed, they batted together for ten overs and put on 45 runs, helping us to set up the innings for a late surge. It was frustrating that having laid the groundwork both fell at the point that the tried to accelerate. Vitty holed out at deep midwicket for 18: a clean strike, but with just a few yards too little distance on it. Gupta, having raised his fifty, decided to target Norwich’s sixth choice bowler. The rationale was clear and a six demonstrated the possibilities of the approach, but unfortunately the attempt to repeat the feat led to Gupta playing on and departing frustrated having made 61. Having now dipped to 121-5, with both set batsmen gone and just seven overs remaining, there was a danger of subsiding to a sub-par total. Thankfully our lower order has considerable batting ability within it. Robertson (7) was busy at the crease and put on a handy partnership of 16 with Grundy. After he had top-edged a pull to be caught and bowled, Wye strode to the wicket. He would play a more supporting role as Grundy increasingly took charge. Even the return of the previously excellent Bush could not stem the flow, with his fifth over going for as many (9) as his previous four overs combined. A couple more wickets fell towards the end, with Wye bowled for four and Evans departing for a somewhat unlucky duck, the ball taking the inside edge onto his pads and then rolling back onto the stumps. Davis nocked a couple at the end, but it was Grundy’s excellent 38* from just 23 deliveries that impelled us to 178-8 off our allotted 30 overs.

At the interval we felt that we had achieved a competitive total, especially given our strength in the bowling department, but that we had more-or-less reached a par score. We would clearly need to be at our best to complete the victory. Whilst some aspects went well, with this being our best fielding performance of the year so far, it was actually our bowling that proved our undoing. Whilst there were many good individual overs, we gave away too many big overs that released pressure at key moments. Budd, so impressive in other games this season, went for 23 off his two overs, leaving Wye to shoulder the burden of leading the line. It was to Wye’s credit that he rose to the occasion and produced his best performance of the season to date. With Gupta also being uncharacteristically expensive (his first four overs conceding 29 runs) Wye bowled a long spell of five overs for 18. He also got the crucial breakthrough, inducing the dangerous left hander, Longdon, to slice a thick outside edge to backward point ending an opening stand of 48 that had come off just 7.3 overs. When he trapped the number three LBW just two balls later the momentum of the tie seemed to be shifting, but it would take an excellent run out by May to remove the other opener and strengthen our grip on the game, with Norwich slipping to 59-3 after 10.3 overs. Unfortunately, the rest of the 11th over proved very expensive and whilst Dunlop started with his customary accuracy, going for just four off his first two overs, Vitty could not find the form of Monday, conceding 19 from his two overs and allowing the new Norwich batsmen to settle. Their partnership of 111 would be pivotal in the outcome of the game. Whilst they never got far ahead of the required rate, they always stayed in touch with what was needed, the requirement never rising above seven despite Dunlop and Grundy keeping things tight. Grundy was especially good, conceding just 20 runs from his five overs, absorbing the pressure of the situation with aplomb. Dunlop almost made the crucial breakthrough, getting the more aggressive batsman, Hunter, to top edge a ball that flew high into the air. The bowler tried to get under it but could not set himself and the ball squirmed from his grasp. Hunter was on 24 at the time and the drop would prove costly as he eventually recorded a score of 45. A loose final over from Dunlop as he tried for too much went for 12 and Gupta brought himself back on. His second spell was tighter, conceding ten from his final two overs, but with he and Dunlop bowled out, Grundy unable to bowl a sixth due to age restrictions and Budd off injured, the captain faced a dilemma. 26 Overs had been bowled and Norwich needed 26 from the last four overs. They had two set batsmen at the crease, but perhaps not too much to come. The decision was taken to throw the ball to Dunning for his first bowl of the season. Alas, the gamble did not come off. The 27th over went for 14 runs and the equation had now come down to 12 from 18 balls. It may have seemed like hope was lost, but there was still drama to come. May was brought on to try to spin us to victory. His first four balls were good, but all had been effectively worked for singles when things suddenly went wrong for Norwich. Bush had pushed the ball into the leg side. There did not appear much chance of a single but, with the adrenaline no doubt pumping, Hunter had backed up too far. May swooped on the ball and threw down the wickets at the non-striker’s end before Hunter could regain his ground. Perhaps discombobulated by this turn of events, on the very next ball, Bush (60) struck a high return catch to May. Out of nowhere Norwich had slipped to 171-5, with two new batsmen at the crease, and eight runs needed from the final two overs. Wye (6-0-23-2) returned for his final over. After a wide from the first delivery, he then beat the bat three times in a row: seven needed from nine and it seemed that a famous victory may yet be possible. Unfortunately, the swinging bat finally made a clean contact, and the ball sailed straight to the boundary. Whilst nothing came from the final two balls, this left May with the unenviable job of trying to give away no more than two from the final over. It was a bridge too far. Whilst we fought to the end, Norwich were able to sneak across the line with three balls to spare and we were left ruing 18 wides and 3 no balls, a dropped catch, and a few too many loose deliveries.

Whilst there was much to be proud of in the performance, not least the fact that we fought all the way against a strong opponent, we just couldn’t quite sustain our absolute best level across the full game, as is needed to progress deep into this premier cricketing contest. Our run in the One Day Trophy is over for this season: we must now focus on the T20 Cup which begins on Monday.

Man-of-the-match: Grundy, for his all-around performance: runs with the bat, excellent in the field and tight with the ball.

Champagne moment: Wye taking two wickets in three balls to put us in a strong position early in the reply.