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as5680 · 12-05-2021, 10:46 AM

TOURNAMENT REVIEW: 1874 VARSITY SERIES

The University of Oxford have evened up the all-time record in the Varsity Series at three wins each after taking the title away from Cambridge in a dramatic three-game series. In the first game at Oxford pitchers dominated, with James Gulliver of Clare College for Cambridge and Percival Lambert of New College for Oxford both in fine form. The game entered the sixth inning with no score, but an error from pitcher Lambert allowed Cambridge to get a runner to third with nobody out. Ernest Norton of St John’s came up to bat and hit a ball deep into the outfield, far enough for runner James Thomas of Jesus College to come home after the catch.

In the seventh, Cambridge pitcher Gulliver then aided his own cause, when he came to bat with runners and first and second and two out. His base hit allowed Joe Arnold of St Catharine’s to score and give Cambridge a 2-0 lead. Oxford only once managed to get a runner to third base, and their chances of a comeback vanished in the ninth when the first three batters were able to reach base for Cambridge, with Mark Dutton of Jesus College coming to bat. He recorded a hit which brought two runners home, extending the gap to 4-0. Although Oxford escaped the inning with no further damage, they could not find any reply in their half of the inning and slipped one game behind in the series.

Oxford had to win the second game at Cambridge to keep the series alive, and again the pitchers were dominant early on. This time there was no scoring until the seventh inning, but unlike the first game it was Oxford who struck first. Brasenose man Edwin Morphett opened up with a three-base hit, and Balliol’s Clarence Briggs followed that with a hit of his own to bring Morphett in to score. Cambridge looked for an immediate response and in their half of the seventh, Oxford first baseman Gilbert Dinning made what appeared to be a crucial error. He allowed Percival Hickmott of Cambridge champions Trinity to reach base with one out, and Mark Dutton immediately found a two-base hit to bring Hickmott in and level the score. With two out and Dutton still at second base, Joe Arnold produced a crucial hit to allow Dutton to score, giving Cambridge a 2-1 lead and putting them two innings away from another series win.

With only one run against Cambridge pitcher James Gulliver in sixteen innings, Oxford were in trouble but from somewhere, they found three successive hits to open the eighth inning. The third of those, from Brasenose’s Andrew Norman, brought Ralph Aplin of New College in to score, bringing Oxford level at 2-2. Later in the inning, with three men on base and only one out, it was Clarence Briggs again who produced the crucial hit as two more runs came in, moving Oxford ahead at 4-2. Cambridge managed to put two runners on in the ninth, but Oxford pitcher Lambert recorded the strikeout he needed to end the game and tie the series at one game each. With a third game needed, Cambridge as reigning champions were permitted to call the coin toss but their call was wrong, meaning a journey back to Oxford for the decisive game.

For the first time in the series, the third game produced a run in the early innings as Frederick Richardson of Jesus College started the third inning with a hit. His team mates then moved him over to third base by the time Trinity’s Percival Hickmott came to bat with two out. His hit brough Richardson home to give Cambridge the lead, but they were not able to add to that one run advantage. Pitcher Gulliver was again in fine form for Cambridge, as Oxford recorded just two hits in the first six innings and couldn’t get a man past second base. With time running out however, they found their form in the seventh.

Frederick Adair of St Edmund Hall opened the inning with a hit and then advanced himself to second, before reaching third when a careless pitch from Gulliver evaded catcher Robert Humphries. With one out, Merton’s Gilbert Dinning provided the hit to bring Adair home and tie the score at 1-1, but Oxford were not finished there. They moved Dinning over to third as well before pitcher Lambert excelled with the bat, bringing Dinning home to give Oxford the lead. With two men on and two out, Magdalen man Patrick Harris followed up with a hit of his own, bringing in another run to move Oxford ahead 3-1. In the eighth, Cambridge had two runners on with two out but Lambert was able to record the crucial third out, before easing through the ninth without allowing a runner. Cambridge had lost their crown and Oxford regained the title that they lost a year ago.

Oxford’s Lambert was named as Best Pitcher for this year, while Percival Hickmott’s university career ended with the Best Player award, despite being on the losing team. We wait to see whether he will appear in a club competition next year.

12-05-2021, 10:46 AM	#154
as5680 All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Didcot, England Posts: 1,426	TOURNAMENT REVIEW: 1874 VARSITY SERIES The University of Oxford have evened up the all-time record in the Varsity Series at three wins each after taking the title away from Cambridge in a dramatic three-game series. In the first game at Oxford pitchers dominated, with James Gulliver of Clare College for Cambridge and Percival Lambert of New College for Oxford both in fine form. The game entered the sixth inning with no score, but an error from pitcher Lambert allowed Cambridge to get a runner to third with nobody out. Ernest Norton of St John’s came up to bat and hit a ball deep into the outfield, far enough for runner James Thomas of Jesus College to come home after the catch. In the seventh, Cambridge pitcher Gulliver then aided his own cause, when he came to bat with runners and first and second and two out. His base hit allowed Joe Arnold of St Catharine’s to score and give Cambridge a 2-0 lead. Oxford only once managed to get a runner to third base, and their chances of a comeback vanished in the ninth when the first three batters were able to reach base for Cambridge, with Mark Dutton of Jesus College coming to bat. He recorded a hit which brought two runners home, extending the gap to 4-0. Although Oxford escaped the inning with no further damage, they could not find any reply in their half of the inning and slipped one game behind in the series. Oxford had to win the second game at Cambridge to keep the series alive, and again the pitchers were dominant early on. This time there was no scoring until the seventh inning, but unlike the first game it was Oxford who struck first. Brasenose man Edwin Morphett opened up with a three-base hit, and Balliol’s Clarence Briggs followed that with a hit of his own to bring Morphett in to score. Cambridge looked for an immediate response and in their half of the seventh, Oxford first baseman Gilbert Dinning made what appeared to be a crucial error. He allowed Percival Hickmott of Cambridge champions Trinity to reach base with one out, and Mark Dutton immediately found a two-base hit to bring Hickmott in and level the score. With two out and Dutton still at second base, Joe Arnold produced a crucial hit to allow Dutton to score, giving Cambridge a 2-1 lead and putting them two innings away from another series win. With only one run against Cambridge pitcher James Gulliver in sixteen innings, Oxford were in trouble but from somewhere, they found three successive hits to open the eighth inning. The third of those, from Brasenose’s Andrew Norman, brought Ralph Aplin of New College in to score, bringing Oxford level at 2-2. Later in the inning, with three men on base and only one out, it was Clarence Briggs again who produced the crucial hit as two more runs came in, moving Oxford ahead at 4-2. Cambridge managed to put two runners on in the ninth, but Oxford pitcher Lambert recorded the strikeout he needed to end the game and tie the series at one game each. With a third game needed, Cambridge as reigning champions were permitted to call the coin toss but their call was wrong, meaning a journey back to Oxford for the decisive game. For the first time in the series, the third game produced a run in the early innings as Frederick Richardson of Jesus College started the third inning with a hit. His team mates then moved him over to third base by the time Trinity’s Percival Hickmott came to bat with two out. His hit brough Richardson home to give Cambridge the lead, but they were not able to add to that one run advantage. Pitcher Gulliver was again in fine form for Cambridge, as Oxford recorded just two hits in the first six innings and couldn’t get a man past second base. With time running out however, they found their form in the seventh. Frederick Adair of St Edmund Hall opened the inning with a hit and then advanced himself to second, before reaching third when a careless pitch from Gulliver evaded catcher Robert Humphries. With one out, Merton’s Gilbert Dinning provided the hit to bring Adair home and tie the score at 1-1, but Oxford were not finished there. They moved Dinning over to third as well before pitcher Lambert excelled with the bat, bringing Dinning home to give Oxford the lead. With two men on and two out, Magdalen man Patrick Harris followed up with a hit of his own, bringing in another run to move Oxford ahead 3-1. In the eighth, Cambridge had two runners on with two out but Lambert was able to record the crucial third out, before easing through the ninth without allowing a runner. Cambridge had lost their crown and Oxford regained the title that they lost a year ago. Oxford’s Lambert was named as Best Pitcher for this year, while Percival Hickmott’s university career ended with the Best Player award, despite being on the losing team. We wait to see whether he will appear in a club competition next year.