NCCA Counties

Wiltshire CCC v Oxfordshire CCC @ Corsham CC

NCCA Cluberly Championship - Western Division 1

2nd-4th August 2026

Day 1

Wiltshire arrived at Corsham with plenty of optimism after their comprehensive victory the previous week. A popular venue in the centre of this picturesque Wiltshire town with plenty of local support. The day started well as Ed Young won the toss and chose to bat first.

Jack Mynott (41) and Cyrus Shafi (32) put on 77 for the first wicket but that was as good as it got when the pace attack of was replaced by spinners!! Especially Captain Maxi Mannering (6 for 17) (his best NCCA Championship figures)  who destroyed the Wiltshire batting that had performed so well against Herefordshire !!! Wilts were bowled out for 123 Jake Goodwin (11*) from 47 balls  and Charan Chahal (13  from 31 balls) held on for a while, but Jake was left stranded at the end. Wiltshire had survived for just 36.3 of their permitted 90 overs.

Oxfordshire started well, but had already lost three wickets by the time they were on 60, they lost a fourth on 82 but then a partnership developed between wicket-keeper Freddie Smith (89* at close of play) and Luke Hayes (62) bowled by Alfie Johnson – one of Alfie’s 3 victims (23-5-60-3) Together they put on 139 for the fifth wicket.

Captain Mannering (11*) then joined Freddie Smith and moved the score on to 266 for 6 at close of play and a lead of 143 which they would hope to increase the following morning during the 11 overs remaining.

Day 2

The following morning Captain Mannering was the first to fall as Jake Goodwin took a catch behind the stumps from the bowling of Joe King. Joe then removed the prolific Freddie Smith (93) who only added four to his overnight score. William Rogers (21) moved the score on at a run a ball including two mighty sixes.  He was finally dismissed with a fine catch on the boundary by Tom Cheater to give Joe King a fourth victim (4 for 89). Alfie Johnson (4 for 76) added to his three wickets from Sunday's play when he trapped Jack Warner LBW and ended the Oxfordshire innings with just four balls of their ninety overs remaining and the score on 303, a lead of 180.

Wiltshire began their second innings facing the daunting task of scoring 180 just to make Oxfordshire bat again.  Sadly, this was not to be.  Wickets began falling regularly  despite a determined 55 from Cyrus Shafi who continued with his fine form. Six wickets fell to catches with the other four victims of LBW decisions. Skipper Ed Young had scored 23 with 20 of them coming in boundaries. Unfortunately he misjudged one ball from Jack Warner and hit it high into the air.  The grateful Warner had time to get in position to catch it as it finally came to earth. Jake Goodwin again showed grit and determination as he mustered 37 hard earned runs from 96 deliveries.   Jake watched partners come and go with several falling to Wiltshire’s first innings tormentor, Max Mannering who added 5 for 52 to his first innings tally to finish with the commendable match figures of 11 for 49.  Alfie Johnson was the only other batter who showed considerable defiance as he faced 42 balls for his 9 runs.

The end was in sight as Joe King and Charan Chahal faced the final few deliveries. Joe was Mannering’s final victim, caught on the  boundary by HD Ward. Charan was restricted to the task of spectator for much of his time at the crease – he faced just the one ball – which he promptly hit for six giving him a phenomenal strike rate of 600! Final score 166 all out. No time to brood – tomorrow is another day. Wiltshire have the T20 Super 12s to contest next Sunday 9th August at Exeter CC.  They will play Buckinghamshire in the morning for the right to play Devon in the afternoon to see who becomes the Western Division representative at the T20 National finals at Wormsley on August 30th.  They return to Championship action against Berkshire at Henly CC on 16th/17th/18th August

Roy Honeybone, August 2026