SOMETIMES you just have to hold your hands up and say well played and Saturday was certainly one of those days for Congresbury.

SOMETIMES you just have to hold your hands up and say well played and Saturday was certainly one of those days for Congresbury when they were demolished after being on the wrong end of an outstanding assault from Winterbourne's Jon Oakes.

Perhaps persuaded by recent Internet results rather than the playing conditions, Congresbury won the toss and elected to field first. This decision brought anxious glances from the fielding side after the home openers proved they could hit through the line confidently from the start on a typical Winterbourne road.

Oakes and Tovey scored quickly but not dramatically, taking the score past 50 and Congresbury breathed a sigh of relief as Oakes suffered a back spasm just when he was getting into his stride and had to be helped from the field. The introduction of spinners Andrews and Evans slowed the rate and the dismissal of Tovey for 36 and Paul for three brought Congresbury back into the game, before a partnership of 70 between Purnell and Nayak took Winterbourne to 150 in the 30th over and looking at a total of around 250 to 275, which may have been around par in the conditions.

However, this reckoned without the reintroduction of Oakes, who returned with a runner and hampered by his injury just went for everything. In what was a fantastic display of hitting he struck 15 sixes and 17 fours in a total of 186 not out off only 90 balls as Winterbourne struck 214 in the last 15 overs taking the total to 372-4.

Oakes was well supported by Purnell who made 74 in 72 balls. The Congresbury bowlers showed a lot of effort in extremely difficult circumstances, but were unable to find effective variations and ways of slowing the scoring rate. Unfortunately, the bowlers' efforts were not backed up by some of the ground fielding which was way below the standard required.

Congresbury made a reasonable fist of batting second in the circumstances. Their final total of 223 in 39.3 overs was still less than should have been expected on the wicket however, and it was particularly disappointing not to pick up the final batting bonus point as a number of wickets fell to poor shot selection, which Congresbury will need to watch does not become an issue. Mike Fisher found some form with 91, while Kieran Palmer and Tim Baker continued promising starts to the season, both striking 30s.

Congresbury's man of the match was Steve Baker, for sensibly deciding to give this one a miss.

On Saturday, there is a home game against Twyford House.