A Review of the 2023 T20 Varsities at Lord’s

After an early morning bus transported 25 players to Lord’s, in an attempt to beat London rush hour traffic, Cambridge University Cricket Club had a successful day out. Despite it being another year of rain-affected play, the men won their game whilst the women secured a tie. 

The Oxford women scored 111 runs off of their 20 overs. The five wickets we took were spread around the bowlers alongside a chaotic one run-out that was the product of a misfield. In only her third game for the University, Aneeqa Ansar bowled very economically, only conceding 16 runs off of her four overs. We came off the field proud of our efforts as we had produced our best bowling and fielding effort after a tricky start to the season. After a pep talk in the incredible home dressing room, we went out to bat. We started well with the momentum seeming to be in our favour at the end of the powerplay but unfortunately the weather struck. A flash of lightning, which I initially thought was a camera in the stands, meant that we had to vacate the field for 30 minutes. In the changing room, there were various debates about the meaning of DLS as we were on the par score of 36. Did this mean a win, a loss or a tie? We were expecting to go back on but unfortunately just as the thirty minute thunder break concluded, the rain began. The umpires convened with both the captains and informed us that it was a tie. An interesting coincidence after last year’s 50-over Varsity tie!  

The men’s game was up next at 3:15pm, with everyone hoping the rain wouldn’t return after their shortened game last year. Oxford started powerfully, with one of their openers accumulating a century, particularly capitalising on the short boundary by hitting 5 sixes.   Two wickets from Uday Modhwadia changed the momentum of the game, alongside some economical bowling from Thomas Masding, who bowled four overs for 20 runs with one wicket. This meant that Oxford ended on 175/5 after 20 overs. Freddie Kottler and Harry Houillon opened the batting for Cambridge, generating a strong opening partnership of 55. Hari Kukreja entered the field next for Cambridge, working well with Houillon in the match-winning partnership. Both of them hit great sixes – Houillon finished with 59 from 46 balls and Kukreja with 51 from 36 balls. Tim Wallace finished the innings off with style, hitting two sixes and securing the Cambridge win with a comfortable 8 balls to spare. Congratulations to the men, who have now won their T20 Varsity for two years in a row at Lord’s. 

Both teams are looking forward to their 50-over Varsity matches on the 17th and 18th June at Arundel. 

Oxford organised a livestream, which is still up on YouTube. The links to the streams are here:

Women’s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw-1GFXc1vM

Men’s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrxJB3HVMP4

Issy Routledge

Women’s Blues Captain 2022-23