Scorecard

Berkhamsted Cricket Club 1st XI v Bishop's Stortford II on Sat 19 Jul 2014 at 1pm
Berkhamsted Cricket Club Won by 61 runs

Match report So after seeing off the league leaders in the two previous matches we were pitted against the new league leaders. But the underdog tag has always suited us and after two giant killings we fancied our chances of another upset.

After the searing heat of the week it was Sod's law we would get apocalyptic rain both on Thursday and Friday night. The skipper turned up to the ground at 10am for a pitch inspection. Like a patient with genital warts the prognosis wasn't pretty. A very damp wicket greeted him. An hours wait for the second inspection and things hadn't improved. I was ready to declare the pitch unplayable and cancel the game but a phone call to the opposition skipper and it was agreed to give it another hour. By midday the pitch hadn't shown any improvement so a second phone call was made. We discussed in detail how my 25 years experience told me the pitch would probably not dry and with the weather forecast as bleak as someone starting up the Rolf Harris appreciation society, the chances of play were slim. We once again agreed to give it another hour.

At 1pm the pitch had started to dry but was far from playable. The opposition, probably keen to record 30 points off the minnows of Berkhamsted, chose to come over anyway and give the pitch another hour and a half to dry. At 2.30 I still didn't think the wicket was dry enough to start but the opposition were very keen to play so I relented. They were even more keen to play once they won the toss and inserted us.

I can understand why. The new ball was dancing about more than Brendan Cole's samba. It was all too mesmerising for poor old Joycey who was dancing to a different beat. More house and trance than Latin flavour and before too long he was back in the hutch. So too was Gareth quickly followed by Luke. 12 for 3. James came together with Ollie and steadied the ship for a bit before giving catching practice to third slip. He had been quite active already so didn't really need the extra session.

So we were in a bit of Mark Knopfler. The ball was still doing all sorts and we had lost the majority of the top order. That didn't deter Chad. Out he strolled and batted as if he was at Trent Bridge. He and Ollie started taking the attack to the opposition, playing quite beautifully. Once the two openers were off they tucked into their Chinaman (The left arm wrist spinner not a bloke from China in case I get into any trouble). At this point the very vocal opposition had gone very quiet. Must have started sucking something too early. Both Chad and Ollie got well deserved 50s and pretty much set up the innings only for the rest of us to collapse in an English heap and almost ruin their efforts. We only had 40 overs to bat but were all out after 37. Nonetheless I was quietly confident that 156 was a very good score on this wicket especially with our bowling attack and only 37 overs for the opposition to get them.

After tea, their rather tall opener came out to bat without a helmet. Ollie, riding his luck, suggested he might want to put one on. Soon enough after gloving one of Chad's vicious bouncers an inch from his nose and certain hospitalisation he call for his helmet. I thought at the time it would be a bit embarrassing to call for a helmet only to get out next ball. And so it was with Josh getting him with another short one caught off the glove. Chad was into his boot straps by this point and was ripping through their top order either knocking them or the stumps over. Riaz came on and immediately got turn and grip from the pitch. Chad who was now resting from his spell of bowling at short fine leg pulled off an outrageous catch to make sure he was still part of the action.

Now I'm not saying it was a case of sour grapes but the opposition on more than one occasion claimed we being rather lucky. Firstly they suggested Ollie, after scoring a fine 61 in some of the most testing environments I've seen for a long time, should go out and "buy a lottery ticket. " Secondly their number 9 also claimed we were lucky as he was feeling ill and normally bats 3. I remember Bert Trautmann playing on with a broken neck for Manchester City in the 1956 FA Cup final and making some crucial saves. I wonder what was wrong with the Stortford player?

In the end Chad came back for a second spell and removed the tail in efficient manner to record his maiden Michelle for the club and earn his 1st XI cap. He deservedly won Man of the Match for his all-round performance

A great win against the league leaders which makes it three in a row. Onwards and upwards.

Berkhamsted Cricket Club 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
158		        
Gareth Preedy ct Abel-Smith 3
Andrew Joyce ct Abel-Smith 3
Luke O'Dair ct Abel-Smith 0
Ollie Chinneck ct Dodshon 61
James Wyatt ct Williams 14
Chad Fortune ct Gillard 51 2
Jez O'Neill ct Dodshon 13 2 1
David Smith ct Dodshon 7
Riaz Richards ct Gillard 0
Joshua Roberts Not Out  1
Stephen Dight ct Dodshon 0

Bishop's Stortford II Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Williams12.0243143.003.58
Abel-Smith10.0236312.003.60
Makin2.002400.0012.00
Dodshon6.302847.004.31
Gillard6.0025212.504.17

Bishop's Stortford II Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
6nb  
for 10 wickets
6
97 (33.1 overs)		     
Smith ct O'Neil b Roberts 1
Makin b Fortune 6
Lloyd b Fortune 2
Kelstead ct O'Neil b Fortune 17
Drury ct Fortune b Richards 9
Wasey ct Fortune b Richards 38
Williams st O'Neil b Richards 0
Dodshon b Richards 7
O'Donovan b Fortune 9
Gillard Not Out  0
Abel-Smith b Fortune 0

Berkhamsted Cricket Club 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Joshua Roberts6.0022122.003.67
Chad Fortune12.104458.803.62
Riaz Richards11.001944.751.73
Stephen Dight4.001200.003.00

  • Umpire :
    Richard
  • Scorer :
    Sarah and Ben