Radley 264-4 (55 overs)
Charterhouse 235 (Gallyer 83, Kimmins 55)   Lost by 29 runs

Charterhouse’s first game in this year’s Cowdrey Cup came before the rest of the School had even returned from the Easter break.  The Radley openers put on 136 for the first wicket with the highly talented Nick Gubbins scoring freely on Green for the second time in three days.  In the face of some excellent batting Charterhouse continued to bowl well and got through their overs quickly so that 39 overs were bowled before lunch which Radley reached on 157-2.  Andrew Corridan again was the pick of the home bowlers, getting through his allotted eleven overs for just 31 runs.

After lunch Radley looked to kick on and Charterhouse bowled with considerable control in an attempt to restrict their visitors.  While they bowled well, their fielding had a distinctly early season look to it and Radley took full advantage reaching a formidable 264-4 in their 55 overs.

The Charterhouse reply could scarcely have started worse when Ben Phillips was bowled round his legs by the third ball of the innings.  James Wood followed soon afterwards, with the total standing at 17-2 off eight overs, the situation was precarious indeed.  Jack Ryder-Smith joined his captain, Tom Gallyer, at the crease and the two steadied the ship with a fifty partnership before Ryder-Smith became the third Charterhouse batsman to be bowled on a very benign pitch.  Just as morale was beginning to lift as tea approached, Jonny Gonszor became the fourth wicket to fall and the home team went into tea on 96-4 and with hope beginning to fade.

The game changed significantly after the interval as Gallyer and Charlie Kimmins began to take the game to the opposition, batting with purpose and control, they took the score to 176-4 in the 43rd over and the game was really in the balance.  At this stage a wearying Gallyer fell, caught and bowled by the leg-spinner Hearne for an heroic 83. Kimmins was left as the senior player to try to guide the youngsters home and the challenge proved too much.  When he went for a well-constructed 55, it became simply a matter of time.  Charterhouse battled gallantly but the pressure of an ever more demanding target proved too much and they found a series of unfortunate and entirely predictable ways of getting out, eventually falling just 29 runs short.

Radley had deserved their victory in a match which they had controlled for much of the time. In Gubbins they had the best batsman on either side and the opening bowler, Low’s, haul of 5-35 was something which Charterhouse could only dream of matching, but to Charterhouse’s credit, they made it very difficult for the visitors and reached a point where they might even have been considered favourites until the loss of Gallyer. There was much to admire on either side and both can anticipate good seasons.