Scorecard

St Albans Cricket Club 3XI v Great Gaddesden I on Sat 02 Sep 2017 at 12:30
St Albans Cricket Club Won by 46 runs

Match report Saints IIIs finished the season on a positive, recording a third win on the bounce.

There was a late season feel in the air as visitors Great Gaddesden arrived looking for a last ditch win to avoid relegation, against a backdrop of autumn leaves. In opposition, Saints were able to turn out a strong XI, with youth to the fore, in marked contrast to their more mature opponents.

Batting first, Saints faced tight opening spells from Cheeseman and Humphries. However Rudlin and Murray were able to compose themselves and started striking the ball well to lift the run rate. Rudlin provided another invaluable contribution with 52, while Murray outdid that with 62 of his own, as the pair added 115 for the 2nd wicket.

From this foundation, the batting line-up was able to play with more freedom, to lift the score to a 50 over total of 206/9, useful contributions from Seagrave (15) and Nick Ralfe (25) the highlights. Gaddesden's Crawley took 4 wickets, all bowled - in fact 8 of the wickets to fall were bowled on a wicket that was showing a little wear.

With another 200+ total to defend, and depth in the bowling options, Saints took to the field with confidence and enthusiasm. Great Gaddesden were determined, too, and as expected visiting skipper Cheeseman led from the front. It took some rotation of the bowling to induce the first wicket, Hicks taking a fine catch at slip off Murphy after a 59 run opening stand. At the halfway point, marked by drinks, the visitors would have been well pleased with their position, just one wicket down for 101, so very much in the game.

The crucial wicket fell just after the break, as Cheeseman advanced down the wicket to Walker, only to find the ball elude him and hit its target. The wearing deck was offering Walker plenty of movement, and at times the ball was staying low, giving the batsmen plenty to think about. Smith, initially held back by Telkman, was able to find a good rhythm, and nabbed two wickets.

By this time Saints were getting a little sloppy, with a number of dropped catches and errors in the field, perhaps redolent of the season's imminent end. But Hicks was able to pick up another important wicket, Humphreys well caught at the long-on boundary by Seagrave. Walker was able to sneak in a few wickets to finish with 4/29 off his 10. Fittingly, the last word went to a youngster, Dan Baylis picking up the last two wickets as he returned for a second spell (2/23), as Saints ran out winners by 46 runs.

Great Gaddesden's relegation was thus sealed - a shame to see them go - while Saints IIIs concluded the season in the top half of the league table.

On balance this 5th place result seems a fair assessment. Perhaps, with an extra run against Langleybury, an extra wicket against Flitwick and Ware, and better weather when rain forced abandonments, the side might have pushed very close to promotion. But rather, amongst a cast of 50 3rd XI players over the season, the improvement in the youngest members of the team - Murphy, Baylis, Button, Ralfe, Seagrave to name just a few - is where the team's greatest success has been in 2017.

St Albans Cricket Club 3XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
2w 10b 3lb 
for 9 wickets
15
206		        
Andy Rudlin b Cheeseman 52 6
Harry Knill-Jones ct - b Upton 5 1
Stuart Murray b Hutchinson 62 6
Charles Smith b Crawley 7 1
Harry Seagrave b Crawley 15 2 1
Nick Ralfe b Hearn 25 2
Ben Hicks b Hutchinson 6 1
Andrew Walker b Crawley 6 1 1
Adam Murphy b Crawley 0 1
Dan Baylis Not Out  3
Jamie Telkman Not Out  7 1

Great Gaddesden I Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Cheeseman10.0230130.003.00
Humphries6.04300.000.50
Upton8.0139139.004.88
Hearn10.0053226.505.30
Hutchinson10.0043221.504.30
Crawley6.012847.004.67

Great Gaddesden I Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 1w 4b 3lb 
for 10 wickets
9
160 (41.5 overs)		     
Oliver ct Hicks b Murphy 18
Cheeseman b Walker 51
Crawley ct Murphy b Walker 31
Teesdale b Smith 4
Usman b Smith 15
Humphreys ct Seagrave b Hicks 19
Amin b Walker 0
Birdseye ct & b Walker 7
Hearn b Baylis 2
Upton Not Out  0
Hutchinson ct Knill-Jones b Baylis 0

St Albans Cricket Club 3XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Adam Murphy7.0036136.005.14
Dan Baylis5.5023211.503.94
Jamie Telkman4.011300.003.25
Harry Seagrave5.001500.003.00
Andrew Walker10.012947.252.90
Charles Smith7.001527.502.14
Ben Hicks3.0022122.007.33

  • Umpire :
    TBC
  • Scorer :
    All
 
Photos and video of St Albans Cricket Club 3XI v Great Gaddesden I on Sat 02 Sep 2017 at 12:30

St_Albans_III_XI_v_Great_Gaddesden,_2nd_September_2017.jpg

St Albans III XI v Great Gaddesden, 2nd September 2017 at Verulam School Playing Fields Back row: Andrew Walker, Dan Baylis, Andy Rudlin, Charles Smith, Stuart Murray, Adam Murphy Front row: Harry Seagrave, Ben Hicks, Jamie Telkman (c), Harry Knill-Jones, Nick Ralfe

2/9/2017, St Albans III v Great Gaddesden - Great Gaddesden scorecard

2/9/2017, St Albans III v Great Gaddesden - St Albans scorecard