Scorecard

Berkhamsted Cricket Club 3rd XI v Hertford IV on Sat 15 Aug 2009 at 1:00
Berkhamsted Cricket Club Won by 6 wickets

Match report A home game with fine weather. We won the toss and put them in. Phil (who sang on the Harry Potter sound track) Brown and Ian Sudbery, back from Achilles injury, opened the bowling. Two lefties against two lefties. An early wicket each with the batsmen not really having a look first. The lets double check my guard and ask how many balls are left opener Eric Riddle and the number four then started looking settled. Goughie replaced Phil and had the number 4 in his first over caught by Centurion Alex Hardwicke. They were 50 for 3 after 13 overs.


The enigmatic opener, complete with various profanities and expletives not out of place with army engineers started motoring with the number 5. The idea of having two leftie finger spinners in tandem, in the wind on a wicket not giving much help to the bowlers started looking a little short-sighted. Both will admit they bowled too many mediocre balls, lacking rhythm and length and could not build any pressure to get the run rate under control. Alex came on to replace Ian, started with a wide then bowled Mr Carr driving. Batsmen must think bowling is a doddle. When bowlers try batting and miss a straight one first up it somewhat negates the opportunity to hit the second for a six. It showed a change of pace was needed. The score was 112 for 4 off 26 overs.


Sapper Riddle got to his 50 and started opening up. One weakness seemed to be chipping the ball up to mid on. He had one just over Alexs head and after a 10 yard retreat one drop just in front. Ian replaced Goughie got smacked for 2, 4 and 4 and then had him finally caught by Alex. They didnt have much else 168 for 5 in 37 quickly became all out for 171. Alex bowled very well for 3 wickets and was by far the most economic. Ian cleared up with a four for. A moment of drama when their number 7 was stumped but not given as the umpire could not see. When asked if the fielder was in front of him he stormed off the field to be followed by Charlie with an explanation and apology. We had asked if his vision was obscured not if he was blind.


Another excellent tea. Alex and Will Burgess opened with Will getting bowled in the third over. Tim Buckley came in and between them were well up on the run rate. The conundrum Riddle came on to bowl right-handed, Muralitharan-armed dolly drops. Coming above the eye-line out of the tree had Alex bowled. Maybe Pirtons homework was right and the genius does have a susceptibility to spin. The loop and flight proved too tempting for Tim who having smacked some fours went aerial to be caught at long on it was a good catch and would have gone for six. Toddy, whose social life required an early Bath trip, questioned whether Goughie needed Woofers guidance due to his reticence to call a 12 year on leg-side wides although didnt help himself by adopting a minus 3 legs guard. The Riddle then made a ridiculous appeal with Toddy on the charge half way down the track. Was the Toddmeister psyched out? Next ball was meant to be another big six but was miscued skied and caught at extra cover. A bit of a weak chutney - 70 for 4 but with lots of overs left. Mark Burgess and Ian Putman then put on an excellent 102 partnership which was a delight to behold, with both getting fifties and seeing us home with 10 overs to spare. What sapper induced hole had they dug us out of? What was the worry?


Another top performance for 30 more points. Our thanks to the WAGS and KAPS (kids and pets) that arrived to offer moral support and it was good that Ed dropped in to give us a hand. Our apologies to Romit as he didnt get much of a game. Some of the more awestruck were left wondering if Eric Riddle was related to Tom Marvolo Riddle (I am Lord Voldemort of Harry Potter fame).


Excellent post match news. Pirton slipped up and only drew with 10 points. This puts us alphabetically top of the league and possibly, as we have played one less game, actually top. Three games to go and we could win the league. Pirton have to play teams currently ranking 19, 7 and 4. We have teams ranking 6, 17 and 8. Next weekend more important for us, should be fun.


LEGAL NOTICE: This match report is a work of fiction. Any locations, events and names are entirely the result of the author (Professor Snapes) imagination.

Hertford IV Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
171 (0.0 overs)		     
Riddle ct  Hardwicke b Sudbery 70
Reddy ct  Hussey b Brown 2
Dawston b  Sudbery 5
Birch ct  Hardwicke b Gough 24
Carr b  Hardwicke 44
Jones ct  Putman b hardwicke 12
Osgood ct  Putman b Sudbery 2
Carlson ct  & b Hardwicke 0
Lawrence Not Out  0
B Dawston ct  Hussey b Sudbery 0
   

Berkhamsted Cricket Club 3rd XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Phillip J 'Opera' Brown6.0127127.004.50
Ian Sudbery55.4155413.750.99
Martin Gough12.0063163.005.25
Alex Hardwicke8.031535.001.88

Berkhamsted Cricket Club 3rd XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 4 wickets
0
172		        
Alex Hardwicke b  Riddle 22 3
Will Burgess b  Reddy 4
Tim Buckley ct  b Riddle 14
Aaron Todd ct  b Riddle 14
Ian Putman Not Out  55 2
Mark Burgess Not Out  56
Ian Sudbery  
Charlie Hussey   2
Ben Beard  
Martin Gough  
Phillip J 'Opera' Brown  

Hertford IV Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.