Match Report – Outwood Blazes @ Oxted’s Grub Street
SWCL Div 3 – Sunday 13 July 2025
Pitch: Drier than the Sahara, with about as much bounce as a sun-dried crispbread.

There are away days… and then there’s playing cricket on a pitch so dry you could grate Parmesan on it. The Outwood Blazes headed to Oxted’s Grub Street, where the turf had clearly lost a long-term custody battle with the sun. With sunglasses on, spirits high, and dust clouds worthy of a Mad Max sequel, the Blazes took to the field — and history was made.

Three Amigos Ride In

For the first time ever, the Outwood ladies fielded three Under-14s: Grace Wylie, Florence Burgess, and Florence King — or as they’re now known, the Three Amigos. And what a debut as a trio. All three bowled with composure well beyond their years, causing all sorts of chaos for the Oxted batters. Flo King (aka the silent assassin) bagged another wicket in what's turning into a dream debut season — calm, clinical, and cooler than a cucumber sandwich.

Backing up the trio was Blazes star bowler Rachel Walters, doing what Rachel Walters does: taking wickets like she’s collecting stamps. Her haul of 3 included the crucial scalps of Becky Kirk and Beth Kilgour — the latter having rudely top-scored with 43.

Despite a flurry of late runs and some seriously generous extras (Maz decided to bowl like she was trying to find a postcode rather than the stumps), Oxted finished on 166 from their 25 overs. A good knock, but chaseable.

Chasing the Mirage

166 off 25 overs was always going to be a test, especially on a pitch where the bounce was anyone’s guess and dust was a constant seasoning. But the Blazes weren’t fazed.

Opening the innings, Rachel and Ness got things going nicely with a 37-run partnership before Ness was bowled by Beth “Can Do Everything” Kilgour. Enter Skipper Maz, who’s more consistent than the British rain in April. Together, she and Rachel added a classy 45-run partnership, with Rachel eventually undone by, you guessed it, Kilgour again.

But if Oxted were thinking they’d seen the back of the Blazes’ threat — think again.

Maz and Caroline Bradby turned the screw, piling on another 53 runs in a partnership full of guile and grit. Maz, ever the run machine, was forced to retire after chalking up yet another 60 not out — complete with 11 sizzling boundaries, one cover drive so savage it may have dislocated her bicep! Maz was hitting the ball so cleanly the Oxted fielders looked like they were playing "Guess Who?" with every shot.

Final Overs – The Great Escape That Wasn't

With wickets in hand and heads held high, the Blazes tried to push for a final surge. But as the overs ticked by faster than drinks at the club bar, the target proved just a touch too far. A couple of late wickets, including Caroline getting run out in the chaos, meant the Blazes finished 31 runs short at 135 for 4.

Final Thoughts

It wasn’t a win, but it was a performance packed with progress, pride, and some seriously promising young talent. The Three Amigos made their mark. Maz continues her dominance. Rachel was deadly as ever. And the team chemistry is fizzing like a shaken Lucozade bottle.

The Sahara pitch may have won this round, but the Blazes? They’re only getting started.

Onto the next one — bring the shade, and maybe a water roller.