Scorecard

Aldenham v St Albans Cricket Club 3XI on Sat 05 Sep 2020 at 12:30 pm
St Albans Cricket Club Won by 8 runs

Match report The threes visited Aldenham in what turned out to be a thrilling contest.

Having set Aldenham a target of 218 in 40 overs, Saints found themselves needing to defend 12 off the last over, with opposition skipper Munroe having rampaged his way to 124 not out in quick time, and on strike. Islam was entrusted with the bowling duties for the final over.

Munroe scrambled two off the first ball of the over, but Moksy bowled a rare dot ball next; 10 off 4 was required - such was the batsman’s innings to date that this looked achievable even with almost all the fieldsmen sent to the rope to defend the boundary. The pivotal moment followed, as Islam induced a mishit from a hefty swing, the ball flying high into the offside, with Walker running some distance to his left to complete a fine catch that just about sealed victory. Islam didn’t let his team down thereafter, conceding just a single off the last three deliveries of the over, allowing Saints to sneak home by 8 runs.

Much earlier Saints had been asked to bat first, with Tarrant and Nisar enduring a difficult opening. The hosts' opening bowlers were on song, and found some early assistance from a wicket that was a little damp underneath. After Tarrant departed, Islam found himself short of his ground after a misjudged run, leaving the score at 2/29 after 12 overs. This brought Malik to the crease, on his return from injury.

Almost immediately Malik was using his feet to the change bowlers and run scoring started to look easier on a slow pitch. Nisar was able to get into his work too, waiting patiently for the ball to arrive and then cross-batting through gaps in the field. Both batsmen looked comfortable, looking set for big scores, and reached half centuries. So it was a surprise when Malik fell with his tally on 58, an excellent contribution, after a partnership of 113 with Nisar.

Nisar carried on and looked set for yet another century for Saints, however his score finished on 79, the highest individual innings in the threes this season. With a decent tally on the board already, it was time to push harder and put the game out of reach, and Wilton selflessly performed this role in smacking 34 in quick time. 24 runs came in the last three overs and Saints posted a commanding tally of 217 in their 40 overs.

Still, Saints had to finish this off, and knew that Aldenham had an ace up their sleeve. Fattah was handed the new ball in his debut for the 3s and off his short run generated good pace to trouble the openers, several flying off the edge through a slightly ragged slips cordon. The opening wicket fell as Fattah’s pace blasted through the batsman’s timid defence. Almost inevitably Winfield was shaping the ball beautifully at the other end, and gained a wicket, courtesy of a sharp low catch by Eames; Winfield finished with the immaculate figures of 8/2/8/1.

At 2/37 after 16 overs, the opening bowlers having completed their spells, Aldenham had a long way to go - though it’s worth noting this score put them just ahead of Saints at the same stage.

Aldenham’s ace was their skipper, Chris Munroe - it’s worth reviewing his record - who had held himself back to number four, and gave himself time to find some touch. Saunders didn’t bowl poorly but found himself leaking runs at Munroe’s hands, while Walker’s middle over spell finished disastrously with 17 runs from his sixth over. Munroe struck hard straight down the ground and powerfully dispatched anything too short or overpitched.

With wickets falling at the other end, it was pretty clear that the key to the result was containing the in form batsman - easiest if he was kept off strike, which just about worked, with the fieldsmen continually challenged by aggressive running. Malik had nabbed two wickets (2/43) and Islam had just about held his own, before his final over heroics sealed a Saints victory.

This was a fantastic, testing game, finished in sunshine, in a pleasant setting - exactly the reasons why many of us play cricket.


St Albans Cricket Club 3XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
3w 7b 2lb 
for 7 wickets
12
217		        
Nauman Nisar b Munroe 79 11
Zachary Tarrant ct - b Khaliq 5
Moksudul Islam Run out  3
Saqib Malik ct - b Pandit 58 7 1 1
Tom Wilton ct - b Hewett 34 3
Michael Eames b Munroe 7 1 1
James Lawrence b Munroe 0
Andrew Walker Not Out  11 2 1
Tim Winfield Not Out  0
Andy Saunders  
Saud Fattah  

Aldenham Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Hewett8.0221121.002.63
Khaliq8.0027127.003.38
Ward7.014400.006.29
Doughty4.002500.006.25
Pandit6.0062162.0010.33
Munroe7.012839.334.00

Aldenham Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 2w 3b 3lb 
for 7 wickets
9
209 (40.0 overs)		     
Letts b Fattah 8 1
Sanghvi ct Malik b Walker 28 2 2
Jackson ct Eames b Winfield 10 2
Chris Munroe ct Walker b Islam 126 19 2
Khaliq b Saunders 0
Pandit b Malik 11 2
Haque b Malik 2
Chr. Hewett Not Out  15 1
Ward Not Out  0
   
   

St Albans Cricket Club 3XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Saud Fattah8.0227127.003.38
Tim Winfield8.02818.001.00
Andrew Walker6.0046146.007.67
Andy Saunders8.0155155.006.87
Saqib Malik6.0043221.507.17
Moksudul Islam4.0024124.006.00
 
Photos and video of Aldenham v St Albans Cricket Club 3XI on Sat 05 Sep 2020 at 12:30 pm

2020-09-05_Aldenham_v_St_Albans_III_(innings 1)

2020-09-05 Aldenham v St Albans III Innings of St Albans

2020-09-05_Aldenham_v_St_Albans_III_(innings 2)

2020-09-05 Aldenham v St Albans III Innings of Aldenham

2020-09-05_Aldenham_v_St_Albans_III.St_Albans_at_bat

Manny Nisar faces the Aldenham attack, Aldenham cricket club.