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Ickleford III (A)
It was a rather wet morning – so wet, Mally (first to arrive) took it upon himself to ring the majority of the team to tell them just how much it was raining at the venue and was particularly grumpy due to the ‘wasted journey and no chance that we’d play’. The rain duly turned to drizzle, then cleared, the covers came off and the game was on. Though the late start meant Geoff could do some sightseeing – somehow taking a 30 minute detour! – and the game was reduced to 38 overs.
Given the sogginess, conditions and the toss would be key – so Willo lost it and we were batting on a weather affected wicket. DB and Boris negotiated this, and the variable bounce that came with it, well, however the runs were not free-flowing. Boris departed, caught, but not before the 50 partnership. Geoff didn’t last long, foxed by the old double bouncer trick – a great way to get out, particularly on, technically, your 1st XI debut! Deleep, was busy, running well, until he got a bit too busy, being rightfully sent back. Kash, Cam (6 and out… again!) and Fawad, all departed too quickly as our innings faltered. However some late biffing from Tayyab, and DB completing his 50, saw us reach 154 off our overs.
This was a defendable score, but we’d need regular wickets and to stay on top. Unfortunately, their opener had other ideas, and some sloppy fielding, saw them off to a flier. He drove well, utilising a couple of lives and soon their worm was well ahead of ours. Willo and Fawad didn’t bowl badly, but by this time the wicket had dried a bit and was playing much more consistently. The breakthroughs eventually came when Mally was introduced, bowling well for 3 wickets, but ahead of the rate their batsmen waited for the bad balls. Tayyab and Cam, bowled well at the end, but only slowed the inevitable chase. A good effort, especially given we got the worse of the conditions, but we need to take our chances in the field.
Rickmansworth III (H)
This week we hosted Rickmansworth who have averaged nearly 200 every game so a tough game ahead.
Willo lost the toss and we were put in the field! Willo started well getting an early wicket with Tayyab taking a sharp catch at gully. After this early break through Rickmansworth batted well taking advantage of the shorter boundary at one end making 100 - 2 off 21 overs with their number 3 scoring well. Willo opened with 6 overs for 17 and 1 wicket good start from the skipper, while Fawad form the other end kept it tight as well. Just as number 1 and 3 looked dangerous Mally bowled to number 1 as he came down the track missing it as some extra bounce was extracted from Mally and Ben did the rest breaking the partnership with his first stumping.
This brought their number 4 to the crease as he continued the good start from Rickmansworth while Sam came on to bowl but couldn't find his length this week unfortunately so was replaced by Bill. Bill seemed run up well on his first ball but seemed to run in awkwardly in his second as he picked an injury up in the run but soldiered on to complete the over.
Tayyab then replaced Bill. Mally once again provided he next breakthrough with
Hoddesdon IV (A)
We arrived at Roydon CC expecting a tough match against Hoddesdon IV’s, who like ourselves had won their first 2 games. The sun was out and the wicket looked like one to bat on first, so Willo was disappointed to lose the toss. However, we knew that if we could restrict the oppo to under 200, we would be confident in chasing it down.
Bilal and Willo opened up, with both finding a good line and offering the openers few chances to play shots and when they did our fielding was solid. The pressure built and the breakthrough came when No 1 cut hard at Bilal and set off for a run. However, his slightly slower partner wasn’t interested and sent him back. A great pick up and textbook return right over the top of the stumps from Fawad saw him short of his ground. Willo then bowled the No2 before the number 3 who clearly hadn’t been watching Fawad’s fielding chanced a sharp single with the same result, another great return and Ben did the rest. 3 down for 20 odd and a great start.
Bilal finished his excellent spell (9-1-24-0) and was replaced by Mally with Cameron replacing Willo down the hill. 4 & 5 batted well rebuilding the innings, rotating the strike and hitting the odd bad ball to the boundary. A couple of chances went down behind the stumps (one difficult and one not so) but Ben was to redeem himself later. Drinks came with the score 60 odd for 3. The skipper ordered more of the same, keep it tight and the wickets would come, and so they did. Straight after drinks, Ben took a sharp chance behind off Cam to remove no. 5 and then no 4 top-edged and thought he had got away with it but Ben sprinted to take a fantastic diving effort. This would normally have been the catch of the match but Mally was having none of it. After nudging his way to 20 the oppo skipper tried to hit Fawad over the top but didn’t get all of it. Mally back-pedalled uphill at mid-off and lost his balance falling backwards. However, he still had the awareness to stick out his right arm as he fell and took an incredible one-handed catch while almost lying on his back. Both amazing and hilarious.
Despite the efforts of the number 6 who mixed some quick singles with some hard-hitting across the line, the lower order couldn’t stay with him with Fawad taking a couple more, and Mally returning to take one. Willo returned to bowl an eventful last over which went for nine, (4 more than his previous 7 overs), however, he did bowl the number 11 with an attempted yorker that actually landed on top of the stumps and may well have been a no-ball but wasn’t called by either umpire. Hoddesdon was all out for 151 with a couple of balls to spare.
After a good tea (Mally was particularly impressed with the old school china teacups), we were confident we had enough to chase down 152. However, we hadn’t accounted for one of the best opening spells many of us have seen in any division let alone Div 10A. The Hoddesdon opener thundered down the hill bowling at a great pace and after DB had hit a couple of fours off the more sedate opener at the other end, he had his off stump well and truly removed. Ben came and went 3 balls later in an almost identical fashion (just a couple more cartwheels for the off stump and a few more expletives). That brought in Al who immediately took a liking to the slower opener and dispatched him for a number of fours. He then tried the same to the quick but the ball nipped back down the hill and the off stump was removed for the third time. Kash arrived to join Boris who had skilfully managed to remain at the non-striker's end and avoid the carnage. After a careful start, Kash was tempted by the slow but deadly accurate first change bowler. A huge swing, Kash missed and the bowler hit. 40-4 and in trouble.
Cam joined Boris and together they set about rebuilding. Carefully they took us to drinks and then continued rotating the strike, they saw off the accurate no 3 bowler. This brought the changes and with them came a few more deliveries to score from. They upped the pace and punished the bad balls. The opener returned but the pace was slightly down and Boris and Cam were set, so managed to see off his remaining 3 overs. Boris reaches a very well made 50 but couldn’t quite see us over the line holing out for 52. Fawad joined Cam and very unselfishly blocked out an over to allow Cameron to reach his 50, but not before he chipped straight to midwicket who shelled a dolly. Cam hit the winning boundary as we reached the total 5 down with 7 overs to spare.
A very good performance and 30 points sees us top of the table as the only unbeaten team in the division.
Hoddesdon pushed us all the way though and there were a few lessons we can learn particularly from our batting, where we need to be a bit more patient and wait for the scoring opportunities to come. Hopefully, we can take this into next week when Rickmansworth visit Hadley Field.
It was a rather wet morning – so wet, Mally (first to arrive) took it upon himself to ring the majority of the team to tell them just how much it was raining at the venue and was particularly grumpy due to the ‘wasted journey and no chance that we’d play’. The rain duly turned to drizzle, then cleared, the covers came off and the game was on. Though the late start meant Geoff could do some sightseeing – somehow taking a 30 minute detour! – and the game was reduced to 38 overs.
Given the sogginess, conditions and the toss would be key – so Willo lost it and we were batting on a weather affected wicket. DB and Boris negotiated this, and the variable bounce that came with it, well, however the runs were not free-flowing. Boris departed, caught, but not before the 50 partnership. Geoff didn’t last long, foxed by the old double bouncer trick – a great way to get out, particularly on, technically, your 1st XI debut! Deleep, was busy, running well, until he got a bit too busy, being rightfully sent back. Kash, Cam (6 and out… again!) and Fawad, all departed too quickly as our innings faltered. However some late biffing from Tayyab, and DB completing his 50, saw us reach 154 off our overs.
This was a defendable score, but we’d need regular wickets and to stay on top. Unfortunately, their opener had other ideas, and some sloppy fielding, saw them off to a flier. He drove well, utilising a couple of lives and soon their worm was well ahead of ours. Willo and Fawad didn’t bowl badly, but by this time the wicket had dried a bit and was playing much more consistently. The breakthroughs eventually came when Mally was introduced, bowling well for 3 wickets, but ahead of the rate their batsmen waited for the bad balls. Tayyab and Cam, bowled well at the end, but only slowed the inevitable chase. A good effort, especially given we got the worse of the conditions, but we need to take our chances in the field.
Rickmansworth III (H)
This week we hosted Rickmansworth who have averaged nearly 200 every game so a tough game ahead.
Willo lost the toss and we were put in the field! Willo started well getting an early wicket with Tayyab taking a sharp catch at gully. After this early break through Rickmansworth batted well taking advantage of the shorter boundary at one end making 100 - 2 off 21 overs with their number 3 scoring well. Willo opened with 6 overs for 17 and 1 wicket good start from the skipper, while Fawad form the other end kept it tight as well. Just as number 1 and 3 looked dangerous Mally bowled to number 1 as he came down the track missing it as some extra bounce was extracted from Mally and Ben did the rest breaking the partnership with his first stumping.
This brought their number 4 to the crease as he continued the good start from Rickmansworth while Sam came on to bowl but couldn't find his length this week unfortunately so was replaced by Bill. Bill seemed run up well on his first ball but seemed to run in awkwardly in his second as he picked an injury up in the run but soldiered on to complete the over.
Tayyab then replaced Bill. Mally once again provided he next breakthrough with
Hoddesdon IV (A)
We arrived at Roydon CC expecting a tough match against Hoddesdon IV’s, who like ourselves had won their first 2 games. The sun was out and the wicket looked like one to bat on first, so Willo was disappointed to lose the toss. However, we knew that if we could restrict the oppo to under 200, we would be confident in chasing it down.
Bilal and Willo opened up, with both finding a good line and offering the openers few chances to play shots and when they did our fielding was solid. The pressure built and the breakthrough came when No 1 cut hard at Bilal and set off for a run. However, his slightly slower partner wasn’t interested and sent him back. A great pick up and textbook return right over the top of the stumps from Fawad saw him short of his ground. Willo then bowled the No2 before the number 3 who clearly hadn’t been watching Fawad’s fielding chanced a sharp single with the same result, another great return and Ben did the rest. 3 down for 20 odd and a great start.
Bilal finished his excellent spell (9-1-24-0) and was replaced by Mally with Cameron replacing Willo down the hill. 4 & 5 batted well rebuilding the innings, rotating the strike and hitting the odd bad ball to the boundary. A couple of chances went down behind the stumps (one difficult and one not so) but Ben was to redeem himself later. Drinks came with the score 60 odd for 3. The skipper ordered more of the same, keep it tight and the wickets would come, and so they did. Straight after drinks, Ben took a sharp chance behind off Cam to remove no. 5 and then no 4 top-edged and thought he had got away with it but Ben sprinted to take a fantastic diving effort. This would normally have been the catch of the match but Mally was having none of it. After nudging his way to 20 the oppo skipper tried to hit Fawad over the top but didn’t get all of it. Mally back-pedalled uphill at mid-off and lost his balance falling backwards. However, he still had the awareness to stick out his right arm as he fell and took an incredible one-handed catch while almost lying on his back. Both amazing and hilarious.
Despite the efforts of the number 6 who mixed some quick singles with some hard-hitting across the line, the lower order couldn’t stay with him with Fawad taking a couple more, and Mally returning to take one. Willo returned to bowl an eventful last over which went for nine, (4 more than his previous 7 overs), however, he did bowl the number 11 with an attempted yorker that actually landed on top of the stumps and may well have been a no-ball but wasn’t called by either umpire. Hoddesdon was all out for 151 with a couple of balls to spare.
After a good tea (Mally was particularly impressed with the old school china teacups), we were confident we had enough to chase down 152. However, we hadn’t accounted for one of the best opening spells many of us have seen in any division let alone Div 10A. The Hoddesdon opener thundered down the hill bowling at a great pace and after DB had hit a couple of fours off the more sedate opener at the other end, he had his off stump well and truly removed. Ben came and went 3 balls later in an almost identical fashion (just a couple more cartwheels for the off stump and a few more expletives). That brought in Al who immediately took a liking to the slower opener and dispatched him for a number of fours. He then tried the same to the quick but the ball nipped back down the hill and the off stump was removed for the third time. Kash arrived to join Boris who had skilfully managed to remain at the non-striker's end and avoid the carnage. After a careful start, Kash was tempted by the slow but deadly accurate first change bowler. A huge swing, Kash missed and the bowler hit. 40-4 and in trouble.
Cam joined Boris and together they set about rebuilding. Carefully they took us to drinks and then continued rotating the strike, they saw off the accurate no 3 bowler. This brought the changes and with them came a few more deliveries to score from. They upped the pace and punished the bad balls. The opener returned but the pace was slightly down and Boris and Cam were set, so managed to see off his remaining 3 overs. Boris reaches a very well made 50 but couldn’t quite see us over the line holing out for 52. Fawad joined Cam and very unselfishly blocked out an over to allow Cameron to reach his 50, but not before he chipped straight to midwicket who shelled a dolly. Cam hit the winning boundary as we reached the total 5 down with 7 overs to spare.
A very good performance and 30 points sees us top of the table as the only unbeaten team in the division.
Hoddesdon pushed us all the way though and there were a few lessons we can learn particularly from our batting, where we need to be a bit more patient and wait for the scoring opportunities to come. Hopefully, we can take this into next week when Rickmansworth visit Hadley Field.
Reed IIIs (H)
The second game of the season saw Reed III’s make the journey down to Hadley Field where they won the toss and surprisingly decided to bat first.
Bilal and Willo opened the bowling, with Bilal striking first bringing the dangerous left hander, identified by his strong air forward defences on the boundary, to the crease. Mally replaced Willo and the no. 3 was finding the boundary fairly frequently. Cam replaced Bilal and after an expensive first over, took the no. 3’s off stump after a quick 30 odd. At drinks Reed were 90-2 and looking comfortable. A fantastic effort in the field after the break saw the remaining 8 wickets fall for not many. Mally had the no 4 caught at point. Cam was looking dangerous at the other end picking up two more wickets and with a few dropped in the slip region (Boris & Ben). Meanwhile DB had replaced Mally to pick up 5 wickets in the lower order including a hat-trick (all bowled) and a well taken catch by Al at mid on as Reed ended up on 121 all out. A superb effort after drinks to limit Reed to a modest score.
DB was joined by Cam to open things up for Compton. Cam continued his record this season by getting off the mark with a 6 off the fourth ball of the innings only to be bowled the following ball. 6-1 of 1 over and bringing Mr Chairman to the crease. They both saw off the opening bowlers and got the scores ticking along. The change bowlers produced less of a threat as DB saw his runs start to flow including his first league 6 ever! Boris however looked to get out at every opportunity and was given a few lives. DB reached 50 with a well timed sweep shot and Boris shortly after. Together they brought up the 100 run partnership then with some horrible slog/moo’s from Boris mostly as we chased down with 9 wickets in hand and 15 overs to spare.
Big shout out to DB, who took 5 wickets, a hat trick and scored a 50 - but only bought ⅓ required jugs!! Boris for his first half century of the season and Mr Heaney for wearing his pads for 30 overs waiting for a wicket to fall!
Onto next week!
The second game of the season saw Reed III’s make the journey down to Hadley Field where they won the toss and surprisingly decided to bat first.
Bilal and Willo opened the bowling, with Bilal striking first bringing the dangerous left hander, identified by his strong air forward defences on the boundary, to the crease. Mally replaced Willo and the no. 3 was finding the boundary fairly frequently. Cam replaced Bilal and after an expensive first over, took the no. 3’s off stump after a quick 30 odd. At drinks Reed were 90-2 and looking comfortable. A fantastic effort in the field after the break saw the remaining 8 wickets fall for not many. Mally had the no 4 caught at point. Cam was looking dangerous at the other end picking up two more wickets and with a few dropped in the slip region (Boris & Ben). Meanwhile DB had replaced Mally to pick up 5 wickets in the lower order including a hat-trick (all bowled) and a well taken catch by Al at mid on as Reed ended up on 121 all out. A superb effort after drinks to limit Reed to a modest score.
DB was joined by Cam to open things up for Compton. Cam continued his record this season by getting off the mark with a 6 off the fourth ball of the innings only to be bowled the following ball. 6-1 of 1 over and bringing Mr Chairman to the crease. They both saw off the opening bowlers and got the scores ticking along. The change bowlers produced less of a threat as DB saw his runs start to flow including his first league 6 ever! Boris however looked to get out at every opportunity and was given a few lives. DB reached 50 with a well timed sweep shot and Boris shortly after. Together they brought up the 100 run partnership then with some horrible slog/moo’s from Boris mostly as we chased down with 9 wickets in hand and 15 overs to spare.
Big shout out to DB, who took 5 wickets, a hat trick and scored a 50 - but only bought ⅓ required jugs!! Boris for his first half century of the season and Mr Heaney for wearing his pads for 30 overs waiting for a wicket to fall!
Onto next week!
Holtwhites III (A) - The Season Opener
The first league finally came after all our off season waiting! Willo won the toss and put us the opposition into bat.
Things started well with Aditya taking an early wicket. 1 and 3 then stuck around as Willo looked to Mally to make the break through...he delivered multiple break throughs ending the day with a 5 wicket haul. As he and later D Brandon who finished with 3 wickets in 1.4 overs helped by others cleaned up Holtwhites Trinibis for 83 all out.
In reply R Wallis and D Brandon made their way towards a 50 run partnership before Robbie was caught behind and then Ben came in and two balls later he was making the walk back! Al came in next and took us with Dave towards the total before Al chipped on to mid off while in the teens and Dave was run out for a good thirty odd! Cam finished the win with a 6 and 4 while Deleep stood at the other end
The first league finally came after all our off season waiting! Willo won the toss and put us the opposition into bat.
Things started well with Aditya taking an early wicket. 1 and 3 then stuck around as Willo looked to Mally to make the break through...he delivered multiple break throughs ending the day with a 5 wicket haul. As he and later D Brandon who finished with 3 wickets in 1.4 overs helped by others cleaned up Holtwhites Trinibis for 83 all out.
In reply R Wallis and D Brandon made their way towards a 50 run partnership before Robbie was caught behind and then Ben came in and two balls later he was making the walk back! Al came in next and took us with Dave towards the total before Al chipped on to mid off while in the teens and Dave was run out for a good thirty odd! Cam finished the win with a 6 and 4 while Deleep stood at the other end