Marsh Gibbon CC secretary Matty Mead celebrated a different kind of delivery after having to leave their OCA Division 2 clash with Letcombe in a hurry.

Mead had been due to aid Gibbon’s efforts in chasing Letcombe’s 161 all out, but dashed from the match when his wife Nicky went into labour.

A couple of hours later, baby daughter Darcey was born at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital, weighing in at 6lb 13oz.

Mead said: “She had had a few pains during the morning, but our first child Abbie was a really slow labour.

“It got to about lunchtime and she said just go and play and we’ll give you a ring.

“We fielded first and I left my phone on.

“When we came in, the scorers said you have missed a couple of calls.

“It turned out my wife’s waters had broken and I had to shoot back home.

“It was happening quickly, so we had to call an ambulance.

“We rushed to the JR and had about half an hour to spare. It was pretty close!”

Darcey was born at 6.30pm and is now back at the family home in Upper Heyford.

Mead added: “It had been on the cards as my wife was a bit overdue. We just didn’t know when.

“I did miss a home cricket tea, which I was disappointed about!”

Unfortunately for Mead, his team went on to lose the match by 92 runs.