Scorecard

Watford Town V v St Albans Cricket Club 4XI on Sat 19 Aug 2017 at 13:00
St Albans Cricket Club Won by 105 runs

Match report A crucial match for the 4XI, in which victory would secure safety from relegation.

Saints won the toss and opted to bat on a track that looked like it would only get more unpredictable. John Webber and Wilf Rush opened and stuck to instructions, which was to bat patiently and see off the opening bowlers.

After those two departed for 4 and 14 respectively in came the in-form pair of Najib Khan and Michael Martin, who proceeded to grab the match by the scruff of the neck and though both helmetless on the spitting and rearing wicket started to play some aggressive cricket.

A super slow outfield meant fours were in short supply so any boundaries were acquired aerially, both players hitting some huge sixes in their impressive partnership of 72. Najib’s innings was eventually curtailed on 71 with Michael caught on 40.

A typically belligerent 24 off 10 balls including two sixes and four from Jim Everdell was entertaining with Nadeem Arif seeing out the innings with a not out 15.

206 from 40 overs at tea – it looked like an ominous total for the opposition to chase.

Christian Hay and Jim Everdell opened the bowling, both hostile on a pitch that suited their pace and bounce. Everdell bowled a tight 4 over spell recording 1-7 and Hay’s figures of 8-0-31-1 don’t reflect the several dropped catches off his bowling, which on another day would have seen him bag more scalps.

Nadeem Arif and Andy Saunders came on first change and frustrated the batsmen, Nadeem taking one wicket in his frugal 6 overs and Andy grabbing 3-25 in 8 overs as the opposition struggled to accumulate.

Nick Ralfe mopped up the tail with his intelligent off spin recording splendid figures of 4-10 leaving Watford 101 all out.

Only two extras – both byes- were conceded by the St Albans bowlers in the whole innings , a noteworthy stat.

Credit also to wicketkeeper Kevin Ralfe for two excellent stumpings and to ‘bucket hands’ Michael Martin whose prowess at slip is a major asset.

Back-to-back wins means safety for the 4XI then with two games left play – a great effort.



St Albans Cricket Club 4XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
8w 7b 2lb 
for 9 wickets
17
206		        
John Webber Bowled  4
Wilf Rush Caught  14
Najib Khan Caught  71
Michael Martin Caught  40
Nick Ralfe Caught  7
Moksudul Islam Bowled  11
Kevin Ralfe Caught  3
James Everdell Caught  24
Nadeem Arif Not Out  15
Andy Saunders Caught  0
Christian Hay Not Out  0

Watford Town V Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
L. Carey 8.0126126.003.25
A.Khot7.0130310.004.29
S. Brahmbhatt8.0042221.005.25
W. Zia5.0024124.004.80
S. Hobbs7.005100.007.29
H. Malik5.0023211.504.60

Watford Town V Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2b  
for 10 wickets
2
101 (30.2 overs)		     
D. Aspinall b Everdell 5
G. Light b Hay 11
S. Hobbs ct Saunders 45
M. Malik b Arif 1
A. Watson st Saunders 4
S. Brahmbhatt ct Saunders 10
T. Dixon ct N. Ralfe 7
W. Zia ct N.Ralfe 0
A. Khot st N. Ralfe 3
L. Carey Not Out  4
H. Malik ct N. Ralfe 0

St Albans Cricket Club 4XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Christian Hay6.0031131.005.17
James Everdell4.01717.001.75
Nadeem Arif6.0022122.003.67
Andy Saunders8.022538.333.12
Nick Ralfe5.001042.502.00
Michael Martin1.00400.004.00