Scorecard

St Albans Cricket Club 1XI v Abbots Langley on Sat 08 Jun 2019 at 13:00
St Albans Cricket Club Lost By 1 wicket

Match report The 1st XI were subjected to yet another verbal barrage from skipper Capaldi as they lost a tight encounter against (the excessively jubilant) Abbots Langley on the final ball of the game.

Arriving at Clarence Park around 11:30, the players were greeted by a very wet square and outfield, whilst the sheets were also puddle laden at this point, with the idea of using Hounslow’s pond vacuum being seriously considered. Although the more sceptical members of the team were ready to settle in and watch England’s mercurial performance against Bangladesh (Hounslow’s initial comment was “let’s just call it off then”), there was a surprisingly large contingent willing to hold out, especially given the brightening forecast. After some cricket watching and tea drinking in the bar, the game began at 3:00, with the overs being reduced to 33 aside.

At this point the patch was still very damp (the notoriously questionable sheets at Clarence Park living up to their well-earned reputation), so batting was hard work for the Saints top order who had been put in to bat. James Rosson in particular received a snorter first ball with which he could do little, a fine reminder of the trials and tribulations of our sport given his success last week. As such, it was a familiar tale to last week for the Saints with the score at 16-4. The issues facing St Albans were even more acute given their concerningly slow run-rate in the shorted fixture, with the two opening bowlers only going for 27 runs off the bat in their 14 overs. Fortunately, newcomer Joe Regan (39) and oldcomer Howeson (47) batted with great patience and discipline, putting on a substantial partnership to give St Albans a defendable score of 137-6 off 33 overs.
The St Albans fielding performance began well, with both openers struggling significantly and trying their best to bat Abbotts Langley into a significantly sized hole before being dismissed by Roche (2-27) and Capaldi (1-28). White (2-27), who would later remark that “if you can’t bowl on that, where can you”, picked up two wickets in an over not long afterwards, both Abbots batsmen falling into the trap orchestrated by Caley, making the score 35-4 off 15. The momentum gathered by St Albans was somewhat stunted by the sixth wicket partnership (the batsmen scoring 32 and 47 respectively), but the game sparked back into life with a vengeance with their dismissals.

Firstly, Regan captured the wicket of the Abbots skipper, before he (and then the petulant nonstriker) then roguely claimed that the ball had not carried to the lumbering Roche. Secondly, Hounslow dismissed the Abbotts set batsman with a superlative grab at extra cover. After a poor 30th over by Hall which went for 10, Abbots only needed 7 off 3 overs with 3 wickets in hand. However, Regan bowled an excellent set, followed by a much more respectable over from Hall, leaving the situation at 134-8 after 32 overs. Regan struck with his first ball, and after a risky 2 and then a single from Abbots, it was 1 needed off the last with 1 wicket in hand. Alas, the Abbots number 11 (who proved himself to be no Donald Bradman last year when Dan Rosson defended something like 2 off the last over) carved the ball away for a single, securing Abbots the win.

Ultimately, it was a game of fine margins, and the 1st XI were undoubtedly disappointed to lose a third on the bounce. However, given the scenario at 16-4 in the first innings and at times during the chase, the Saints have many positives to take from what was nearly a very impressive win. The 1s visit Old Elizabethians next week, hoping to leave Barnet without yet another hairdryer treatment from Maxwell ‘Sir Alex’ Capaldi.

St Albans Cricket Club 1XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
5w 3lb 
for 6 wickets
8
137		        
Max Capaldi ct Dunstone 5 1
Adam Hounslow ct Dunstone 5 1 2
Joe Regan ct Gokni 39 3
Simon White ct Dunstone 2
James Rosson ct Hamilton 0 1 0
Matt Howeson ct Parkins 47 5
Jonny Hall Not Out  21 1
Oliver Coulman Not Out  10 3
Daniel Rosson  
Phil Caley  
Jacob Roche   2

Abbots Langley Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Hamilton7.0313113.001.86
Dunstone7.021434.672.00
Parkins7.0125125.003.57
Khiroyi5.003000.006.00
Nixon3.001800.006.00
Gokni0.0034134.000.00

Abbots Langley Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1w 3lb 
for 9 wickets
4
138 (33.0 overs)		     
Argus lbw Capaldi 6
Bishop ct Roche 13
Hamilton ct White 4
Parkins ct Regan 32
Read ct White 0
Finch ct Regan 47
Longworth ct Roche 12
Gokani ct Hall 16
Dunstone ct Regan 0
Khiroyma Not Out  3
Nixon Not Out  1

St Albans Cricket Club 1XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Jacob Roche7.0227213.503.86
Simon White7.0221210.503.00
Max Capaldi7.0128128.004.00
Joe Regan6.002638.674.33
Daniel Rosson3.001900.006.33
Jonny Hall3.0014114.004.67

  • Umpire :
    League
  • Scorer :