The OBWCC youth section picked up three league titles and a cup competition in 2025, while our men's 1st and 2nd XI's both consolidated promotions, in what proved to be be another very successful season across the club.
In the adult section the men's 1s and 2s both started their campaigns in new leagues (WEPL 2 and B&D Division Three respectively) with both showing they could compete at their new levels. Meanwhile our ladies' side finished third in Gloucestershire T20 Division One and won the equivalent Somerset league.
But our youth showed once again that the future of OBWCC is bright. Having picked up four league titles and two cup wins in 2024, our age group teams collected another three league trophies and a cup competition, with a further four runners up finishes in 2025. By the end of the season 27 of our youth players were selected for county pathways.
Men's 1s settle into WEPL 2
After back to back promotions in 2023 and 2024, our men's 1st XI went into this season knowing safety was the aim, which they secured on the final day of the campaign.
Gameweek One started positively, with new captain George Harris (sponsored by Avonmead Accountants) winning the toss away at Weston Super Mare and putting the hosts in to bat, before bowling them out for 198 in 49 overs. However, Weston took a wicket with the very first ball of the second innings and 199 to win, turned out to be 51 runs too many.
Gameweek Two saw the team get off the mark with a 3 wicket win at home to Clevedon; former Clevedon player Connor Crane (sponsored by We Dig Landscaping) falling an agonising one run short of three figures as the boys chased down 256 to win. It was June when the boys picked up their next win, which proved a dramatic one away at Golden Hill CC.
Having won the toss and bowled the hosts out for 216, the 1s chased it down with two wickets and just four balls to spare, to take home the maximum 20 points.
Other wins came at home to Keynsham the next week, away at Taunton and against Golden Hill again, with the most dramatic fixture of all seeing the boys draw at home to WSM. In a rain impacted game reduced to 36 overs a side, WSM reached 194-6, with opening bowler Joel Brierley (sponsored by Redink Construction) ensuring the points were shared by hitting two runs off the final ball of OBW's innings, to see the boys finish 194-9.
Finishing with five wins and 10 losses from 18 games, the 1s' safety was secured on the final day when rain ensured very little play was possible across the league.
Top run scorer: Connor Crane - 462 (28.88)
Top wicket taker: Fletcher May - 29 (21.38)
Men's 2s stay in B&D Division Three
The story of the men's 2s season proved similar, having also begun the campaign in a new league following promotion in 2024.
Sadly missing last year's player of the season Joshua Kleu who returned to his native South Africa over the winter, the boys picked up their first win in Gameweek Three at home to Bitton.
Having lost the toss and been told to bat, the 2s amassed 226-6 off their 40 overs with three of the top four all scoring 50's.
It proved far too much for Bitton who managed only 114 all out in reply. Spinner Tom Barrington finishing pick of the OBWs bowlers with figures of 6-0-35-4.
Other wins came at home against Failand and Portbury and away to Brislington in June, before Frenchay were thrashed away from home in July.
Having won the toss and chosen to field, the hosts restricted OBWs to 164-9 off 40 overs, but were then bowled out for just 74 in reply. The match saw Simon Pratt finish with what turned out to be the best bowling figures of the whole season for the team, with 8-1-25-6.
Another four wins in the next five games helped the 2s finish the season in 6th, comfortably staying in the division for 2026.
In all, from 18 games the team finished with nine wins and seven losses.
Top run scorer: Alex Harris - 251 (19.31)
Top wicket taker: Ollie Harris - 22 (18.23)
Men's 3s relegated from B&D Division Seven West
Having had high hopes at the start of the season, 2025 for the men's 3s proved to be a real struggle, with much of last season's side choosing not to play.
Gameweek One raised alarm bells with the boys bowled out for just 35 at home to Nailsea, who had amassed 278-8 in the first innings.
Losses followed for the next three weeks, but the team eventually got on the board with a 27 run victory at home to Shirehampton at the end of May. Eighty eight runs from Mike Du Boulay helped OBWs reach 191-8 batting first, before Shirehampton were bowled out for 164.
The match also saw youngster Kanish Moka make his debut in adult cricket and he quickly showed he belonged, taking two wickets for 9 runs to finish off Shirehampton's innings.
The only other win of the 3's season came towards the end of July at home to Portishead.
Having been put into bat, the team reached 201-9 off their 40 overs with another youngster, James Tagg, top scoring with 62.
Portishead were then bowled out for 178 with young Kanish starring once again. The leg spinner finished his eight overs with four wickets for 36 runs.
While the season featured flashes of brilliance, in the end poor availability proved fatal with the team finishing bottom of their table, with two wins and 13 losses from 18 games.
Special thanks go to youngsters Kanish Moka, Lockie Bostock, Isla Bostock, Jamie Brady, Oscar Jones, Sid Triggol and their parents, whose commitment and willingness to play adult cricket ensured the 3rd XI continues to exist.
Top run scorer: James Diamond - 180 (16.36)
Top wicket taker: Kanish Moka - 11 (25.09)
Ladies secure strong finish in Gloucestershire T20 Division One
Thankfully the men's 3s provided the only blip in an otherwise fantastic all round season, with our ladies' side finishing third in the Gloucestershire T20 Division One and winning the Somerset T20 league.
In the Somerset league OBWs took the title after winning all of the games played, with the rest conceded by their opponents.
In the Gloucestershire league, the girls lost only twice, against Hatherley and Reddings CC and against Cheltenham in July.
The first win came away at Tewkesbury in June when having lost the toss and been told to bat, the team led by Maria Fowler reached 123-5.
While only losing four wickets, the runs regardless proved too much and the hosts fell three runs short of their target.
Brislington were beaten in the next match before Painswick were seen off by six wickets, followed by another victory at home to Golden Hill.
In the end the girls finished the Gloucestershire league with four wins and two losses from eight games with the others conceded in our favour.
Next season will see the side take on a new challenge, entering a longer format 35 over league.
Top run scorer: Maria Fowler - 199 (33.17)
Top wicket taker: Karthika Reddy* - 4 (14.50)
*Jessica Bowers and Amy Court also took four wickets in the season, but at lesser averages of 18.00 and 31.50 respectively.
Youth go from strength to strength
After another strong season from the age groups, you could be forgiven for thinking OBWCC has one of, if not the best youth offering in the West Country.
From U11's upwards across boys and girls, the youth section collected another three league titles and a cup trophy this season.
Titles came from the U11 boys who won their North Somerset league and the U13 girls who won both their Gloucestershire and Somerset leagues.
Indeed the U13 girls were the standout team among the youth, also winning the 100 Cup final and reaching the regional final of the National Knock Out Cup.
On the boys side the U13s finished runners up both in their league and the North Somerset Cup.
Come the end of the season, an incredible 27 players across the OBW's youth section were selected for county pathways.
Top run scorer (U15 boys): Dylan Hounsfield - 50 (25.00)
Top wicket taker (U15 boys): Jamie Brady - 3 (13.67)
Top run scorer (U15 girls): N/A
Top wicket taker (U15 girls): Isabelle Clark - 3 (7.00)
Top run scorer (U13 boys): Kanish Moka - 303 (60.60)
Top wicket taker (U13 boys): Kanish Moka - 13 (15.54)
Top run scorer (U13 girls): Isabella Tryfonos - 129 (N/A)
Top wicket taker (U13 girls): Millie Baker - 7 (7.29)
Top run scorer (U11 boys): Freddie Winchester Snell - 103 (34.33)
Top wicket taker (U11 boys): Sebbie Green - 6 (14.00)
Top run scorer (U11 girls): Jasmine Stone - 58 (29.00)
Top wicket taker (U11 girls): Claudia Griffiths - 6 (7.67)
Thank you once again to everyone who has played a part in the 2025 season for OBWCC. Special thanks go to all the committee members, coaches, team captains and club sponsors without whom, none of it would be possible.We hope you all have fantastic winters and look forward to seeing you in 2026!
We will do our best to get back to you as soon as possible.
