Scorecard

Northchurch II v St Albans Cricket Club 3XI on Sat 10 Aug 2019 at 13:00
St Albans Cricket Club Won by 11 runs

Match report The IIIs travelled to Northchurch, west of Berkhamsted, on the back of a good win at home. With the hosts sitting 3rd on the league table, and challenging for the promotion spots, a tough encounter was in store.

Continuing a winning sequence at the toss, the skipper elected to bat first, and sent out Murray and Rudlin to resume their good work from the previous Saturday. The wicket, covered during earlier rain, looked to be the best seen in the division this year, with good carry. That suited Murray to a tee, and he pounced on an early short ball, dispatching it high over backward square leg for six, among numerous positive strokes. At the other end, Rudlin was more patient, and earned a few unwarranted "hasn't got a clue" comments from the opposition who also fancied that Murray was a ringer, in to bolster a faltering XI. Aside from these irritating notes, Northchurch produced a succession of bowlers who bowled decently, but none could yield a wicket, and so St Albans reached 74 without loss at the drinks break.

Shortly after, Murray reached a second consecutive half century. The run rate had slowed by this point, with the introduction of slow bowling, and this yielded the wickets of both opening batsmen, Murray for an 84 ball 57, and the not-clueless Rudlin for 29; Saints now 95-2 after 31 overs. Runs were hard to come by for the new batsmen, though Knill-Jones found a way through with an inside-out shot over extra cover for four. With two short breaks for rain, the match was reduced to 44 overs a side. The batsmen stuck at it, with Mulvaney hitting 16, the highlight a huge six over wide mid-on, the biggest hit of the day. 13 runs off the final over took the score to a hard worked 155, a good effort, but a total that looked a little short of par.

Tea was appreciated, in a good all round facility, and then it was the bowlers' turn. Telkman particularly looked in good order, taking the first wicket and completing his nine overs straight for a return of 1/16. Smith meanwhile produced a peach of a delivery to hit the top of off and send the number three on his way. Vijender added a third wicket, Saints now just ahead with the total at 39/3. Northchurch skipper Randall looked like the crucial wicket, and he pounced on anything that missed a good length powerfully. However the introduction of Mulvaney brought his innings to a close, bowled out for 53 in a total of 76. When Walker, "who could swing it on the moon", added a wicket, five different bowlers had shared the spoils.

The game of course was not done, with the run target ticking down, and some difficult catches going down on a day when Saints fielding was otherwise solid. Mulvaney bowled straight through for a fine spell of 1/29, and then Vijender returned to take two more wickets (and earn another, an edge unheard by the umpire) to finish with 3/40. With six overs remaining, four wickets in hand and 25 needed, Northchurch would have fancied their chances. Yet a sequence of tight overs from Smith and Vijender - just six runs in four - squeezed the hosts, who also lost two further wickets in this period, though seeing Smith concede a big six with not many to get did not ease nerves in the field. With 11 to defend in the final over, Walker (3/19) returned, bowled a long hop, and duly saw Telkman easily take the mishit.

This was a very competitive game of cricket, once again victory built on the foundations of a good opening stand, and battling efforts across the team, against an opposition who equally worked hard, only to be out pointed by St Albans endeavour. The IIIs should take some confidence into the remaining four fixtures of the league season.

St Albans Cricket Club 3XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
2w 5lb 
for 5 wickets
7
155		        
Stuart Murray ct - b James 57 99 84 9 1 67.86 1
Andy Rudlin ct - b Chapman 29 108 64 2 45.31 1
Harry Knill-Jones ct - b Chapman 14 21 27 2 51.85
Moksudul Islam ct & b Dawson 13 33 21 2 61.90
Alisdair Sargen Not Out  8 54 13 1 61.54
Uttam Vijender b Dawson 7 18 5 1 140.0
Joshua Mulvaney Not Out  16 15 13 1 1 123.08
Zach West   1
Andrew Walker  
Jamie Telkman   1
Charles Smith   1

Northchurch II Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Pyne3.001400.004.67
Vila9.023200.003.56
Fidler5.011900.003.80
Dawson9.0234217.003.78
Chapman9.0123211.502.56
Bennie4.001200.003.00
James5.0018118.003.60

Northchurch II Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 8w 5b 3lb 
for 10 wickets
17
144 (43.1 overs)		     
Randall b Mulvaney 53 66 8 80.30
J. Smart b Telkman 5 12 1 41.67
Channon b Smith 4 11 36.36
James ct Murray b Vijender 3 20 15.00
R. Smart ct Rudlin b Walker 24 50 3 48.00
Fiddler b Walker 6 8 1 75.00
Bennie b Smith 20 39 3 51.28
Chapman ct West b Vijender 0 5 0
Dawson ct Smith b Vijender 9 22 1 40.91
Vila Not Out  0 1 0
Pyne ct Telkman b Walker 10 17 1 58.82

St Albans Cricket Club 3XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Charles Smith9.0136218.004.00
Jamie Telkman9.0216116.001.78
Uttam Vijender9.0140313.334.44
Joshua Mulvaney9.0029129.003.22
Andrew Walker7.121936.332.65
 
Photos and video of Northchurch II v St Albans Cricket Club 3XI on Sat 10 Aug 2019 at 13:00

Northchurch II v St Albans III - St Albans innings

Northchurch II v St Albans III - Northchurch innings