RETIRING Oratory School teacher Ian Jordan took the final wicket of the game as the Old Boys went down by six wickets to end a sun-kissed cricket week.
The school legend and former FitzAlan Housemaster is stepping aside after 29 years having coached a plethora of top sporting talent including professional cricketers Benny Howell, Henley’s Michael Roberts and Dan Housego, England rugby ace Danny Cipriani and Republic of Ireland international football Alex Pearce during his time in Woodcote.
Hampshire and Birmingham Phoenix all-rounder Howell was on hand to try and bolster the OOs as they looked to recover after Sam Boughton and Paddy Hennessy were dismissed cheaply.
With Oxfordshire’s Gaaj Ganagabalan looking in good touch, a decent score looked on course as Howell planted Jake Jackson for an enormous straight six at the end of the 14th over.
However, he fell three balls later to Adi Hector’s off spin, and despite useful efforts from Ganagabalan, Harry Jordan and Peppard Stoke Row captain Owen Simmons, the Old Boys could only post 176-9 in their 35 overs.
Jackson and captain Archie Wild went ballistic early on, 28 coming from the first two overs before the former was bowled from Howell’s third ball.
Wild was unfortunate to be run out and when the final school leaver, Tom Davies, was bowled by Charlie Jordan, the game was in the balance.
Hector, though, produced a useful knock before Jordan induced a false shot, but Charlie Burton, promoted to No. 3 in his last game, made his maiden first-team 50 to usher his side to victory.
The Oratory (319-4) had previously drawn with The Nomads (253-5) in a game where Hector’s unbeaten 202 broke the school record on the Monday, then losing to Incogniti (174-4) by six wickets the following day despite Jackson’s 54.
Another hugely successful Red for Ruth fundraiser provided the backdrop to a draw between the school (179-6) and the MCC (251-5dec), while Thursday’s game saw Jackson (138) record his first Oratory century in a 113-run victory against The XL Club.
Hector (100) also reached three figures in a total of 252-4 declared, the visitors bowled out for 139 as the two centurions claimed three wickets apiece.
