Cambridge Reverse Varsity Fortunes

Cambridge cricket team beat Oxford by ten wickets in varsity match.



Cambridge finally ended a nineteen year drought by beating Oxford by ten wickets.

Cambridge won the four-day Varsity match for the first time since it was introduced in 2000 at their home ground Fenner’s. The Cambridge bowlers produced a masterful display over the first two days to bowl out the Dark Blues for only 152 runs. The Cambridge batsmen then outshone their Oxford counterparts by posting a first innings total of 339. Once again the Oxford batting line up failed to hold its nerve as they could only manage a lead of 42 runs which the Light Blue openers surpassed with ease to seal an historic victory.

The signs had not been good before the match after Cambridge endured an indifferent season and an humiliating defeat at Lord’s in the one day varsity, losing by six wickets. Cambridge Captain Ansari must have used the two day window between the matches well however because the match at Fenner’s saw a stunning reversal of fortunes.

Light Blue bowlers Brathwaite and Probert tore into the Oxford batting line-up on the first day, reducing them to 40-4 at the close of play and the Cambridge attack picked up where they left off the following day. Brathwaite finished with figures of 76-3 off 31 overs and Probert 20-2 off 21 overs.

The heroes of the match were Akbar Ansari and Anand Ashok who both scored centuries to set up a commanding first innings total. Although the rest of the team only put on 60 runs between them it didn’t matter as Ansair and Ashok hit 132 and 112 respectively.

When Oxford returned to the crease their batsmen struggled once more to deal with the Cambridge bowling attack. Only Kruger was able to offer any resistance as he hit 98. The Dark Blues total was never going to be enough and surely the Cambridge openers Grammer and Ashok wrapped up victory on the final day without losing a wicket.