Being pedantic we were also 15 wickets short, as the Isle of Wight had bowled out their opposition on each day of the five festival days and Devon had only taken 35 wickets so the Festival would have ended in disappointment. The Inglewood had proved to be the ideal base and Teresa and Jeff Leahy outstanding hosts, providing everything the group needed including the best ever laundry service. We left the rooms in a surprisingly good condition; perhaps last year’s group were a one off but with the uncertainty of whether the festival would be held in 2008 we were only able to make a tentative reservation for 2008. We have never played at Porchfield but we won the Festival there when all games on the Island were rained off. This year we were greeted with an enlarged pavilion, eager club members making the final embellishments on a very attractive rural ground. With an earlier start and it being the last day of a five day festival the warm up is normally geared to a very brief but active session to get minds alert and hands and legs moving. For the first time in fifteen years the coach met a resistance. The players were left to do there own thing with a seething management team. The pre match discussion centred on whether if Peter Moore’s had been present would he have received a similar response, and the Elite Player Development Manager was name dropped and part of his address to the Regional Under 17 squads repeated. It is not now about ability which is taken as read but behaviour and attitude. The side were now invited to demonstrate the right attitude. Oxfordshire batted first and were never really in contention. It was 20-5 after fourteen overs; James Burke bowled Gross after nine balls but withdrew from the attack with a strain. Chris Metters had Samsone caught by Burke at slip, Dibble had the captain caught behind by Smith, Metters bowled Barker and Wood. The sixth wicket put on the highest partnership of the innings taking the side up to 57 after twenty-eight. Metters took his fourth wicket when Gilmour held his first catch and was then removed from the attack to have overs available later if needed. Dent and Gilmour had bowled spells without any success so Dibble changed ends giving Dent his catch of the game, Smith made it two stumpings in the season this one off a wide from Evenden, and Dibble cleaned up having the stubborn Smith (22 off 70) caught by Gilmour and bowling Vaughan. Sixty-six all out off thirty-six overs.

A varied lunch was enjoyed and Oxfordshire opened with a slow left armer, an attacking field and a lid. Williams found the lid second ball, Burke and Bess added twenty-nine in eleven and Burke and Metters won the game with an undefeated stand of 38 off 59 balls. It was appropriate that these two were at the crease at the end of the week as they were both in contention for the Player of the Week award. Burke had averaged 53 with the bat, taken a wicket at 49, held five catches and was involved in a run out. Whilst Metters had averaged 46, and taken 12 wickets at 13 but it was his key match winning innings the previous day that gained him the nod.

It was surprising, in view of their response to the proposed warm up that the football was approached with an enthusiasm that would have been more appropriate to the first day of the festival. If the players had their way floodlights would have been installed but we had a presentation to attend so the season ended on a penalty shot out. The coach now wants proper goals for 2008 to avoid any contentious decisions; he is a bad looser but in fairness he has come second all week. At the presentation Charles Stringer articulately voiced the views of the teams that had been visiting the Island for a number of years and it is hoped that the festival will continue, in the knowledge that it is likely to be more expensive in the future. The early ferry was taken, it was the first balmy summers evening of 2007 and the crossing evocative making everyone appreciate what an awful summer it had been. McDonalds reached and everyone home earlier than anticipated. There is much to build on for 2008 with some important areas to be improved, but the squad were together as a unit at the end of the week - objective achieved.