Scorecard

Letchworth 1st XI v St Albans Cricket Club 1XI on Sat 04 Jun 2022 at 12:00
St Albans Cricket Club Won by 8 wickets

Match report On the first iffy day of the season, the 1s headed to Letchworth CC, or most of the side did anyway. A car filled with, at best, a shared brain cell between Mulvaney, Sims and Adshead blindly headed to the Apple Maps location for the Letchworth CC; unfortunately for them nobody in this academic collective realized that the location was actually a chiropractors in Hitchin. Then, not feeling that this mistake was enough, they then headed on their way to another sports and social club in the Hertfordshire countryside. A 10:45 meet at Letchworth CC an impossible task.

Skipper Regan set up a warm up and the rain steadily fell, potentially threatening a delayed start. Attention had turned to Candy Man Capaldi's bag of sweets which he would use later in the day to ply the umpires with, in hope of some favorable decisions. The rain relented, having not fell in huge volume the St Albans 1s headed out to warm up; another calamitous day for the youngsters in the game of Vortex.

Regan won the toss again and ignored the road that was presented to him as the covers were wheeled off, instead opting with the overhead conditions and put the home side into bat.

The Letchworth innings began in alarming fashion for the travelling side. Dan Baylis carrying on what must have been a horrendous afternoon in Wales playing for his University side with an economy rate of 10. He was not far off this in his spell of 2-0-19-0, an economy rate of 9.50. One particular lowlight of the opening overs was a furious Baylis bouncer having gone for consecutive boundaries; misdirected down leg side and a good foot above the openers head - Coulman, returning to the 1s with the gloves, a mere spectator as the ball flew above his head. But the umps felt it was a fair delivery and keeper should have done better. 4 byes.

The Letchworth innings off to a flier and the right hand/left hand combination proving strong. Regan replaced Baylis at the hockey ground end and struck in his 5th over, with the score 59-1 after 12 overs. At the fall of the first wicket, the skipper channeled his best angry-Capaldi and gave the fielding side what for. The following spell was much improved for St Albans - Adshead finishing his spell in tidy fashion. Mulvaney and Capaldi bowling well from the Green Houses end and Sims bowled with great control - was this down to the gaffer tape applied to his spikes at drinks? This fightback slowed the run rate and Mulvaney was unfortunate not to take the wicket of the opener - what he thought was a "Rego" catch for the 2s skipper behind the stumps would have actually been a contender for catch of the season.

This tight spell drew the only involvement of the match for Tom O'Toole who affected a fantastic run out at point as Letchworth tried to move the scoreboard along - although some in the field did wonder whether this run out was planned as the number 3 really had been dooring it. Then followed the wicket of the danger man Aitkenhead on 61, Coulman showing that he really hasn't lost his class with the gloves gobbling up a snick from the Capaldi bowling - luckily the batsmen walked after the umpire tried his best to not give it out.

As the innings went on some relatively sloppy fielding afforded the number 4 more runs that maybe he should have been allowed - that man Baylis carrying on his stinker of a day with some questionable fielding on the boundary. Some close run out chances had come, Will "Buzz" Bancroft with some smart work to get a good chance for a run out, however he instead aimed for Coulmans ankle rather than the stumps or the gloves. Another close run out chance had come for Coulman, showing the 1s what a real athlete looks like behind the stumps, with a turn and throw in mid air narrowly missing the stumps. In reality this hasty running was testament to the control that the bowlers had found after the poor start.

As the innings drew to a close some more wickets had fell, Capaldi picking up another couple including the Letchworth overseas (or maybe he was just a travelling New Zealander?). Regan back into the attack bounced out the number 6 the ball coming down with snow on it, another good catch by Coulman - how lucky the 2s are to have this man leading the side.

The 48th over finally saw some positivity for the grumpy Baylis, two run outs in the final 2 overs. Maybe skipper Regan should take note that he is a specialist mid-wicket?

215 the target, probably more than the skipper would have hoped after putting them in.

The St Albans innings start with great impetus from Jamie Regan a one handed shot a strong contender for the Abbey Aquatics Shot of the Day, unfortunately all but his brother and Bancroft missed this - the rest of the side too busy tucking in to Mr Mars' bag of sweets.

A solid opening stand of 15 from 2 overs was unfortunately broken. The danger man Regan still at the crease, Perrin trudging off the field with all but a cup of tea to console him. Once again Bancroft was opening the batting and making light work of it, him and Regan dispatching bad ball aplenty. Buoyed by the news that Matt Howeson had hit and unbeaten 168 in the 2s Jamie went about trying to steal his thunder. At points in the first fifteen overs you had to feel sorry for the Letchworth bowling attack.

What followed this excellent batting display was fairly curious. Every other ball was looking to be sent up to Buzz Bancrofts nemesis Zurg on another planet, Bancroft and Regan however both seemingly have taken the sand wedges out the bag rather than a rocket launcher. Maybe Bancroft had another 9-course tasting menu to get to?

Bancroft hit in the winner of the AASotD thumping one down the ground and into the sightscreens, and joined Regan in moving past 50. Capaldi getting pad rash on the boundary, although this pad rash might have been from the bacteria infested, mouse eaten pads he had strapped to his legs - surely a new set is now due?

St Albans were still on the charge, a matter of when not if surely. Tom O'Toole had not even though about getting his pads from the dressing room yet. Bancroft finally fell for 63 and innings of classy shots and the not-so-classy (even apologizing for the entertainment as he walked from the field). Regan carried on, batting with an air arrogance at this stage - swatting away the dejected bowling.

Capaldi now at the crease, carried on where Bancroft had left off with his trademark gub through the leg side. Regan then brought up what was now an inevitable maiden league 100, launching one into the stratosphere to reach triple figures with a 6. Tom O'Toole now having taken off all his kit even though he was due in next, such the confidence of the spectators on the boundary.

The win was confirmed with another Regan boundary, ending up with an unbeaten 128 - unfortunately not the highest St Albans score of the day.

Another emphatic win and 30 points in the bag. St Albans are on a roll, the 1s headed back to Clarence Park to watch the 2s seal another Clean Sweep for the club in as many weeks!


Letchworth 1st XI Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
12w 5b 1lb 
for 9 wickets
18
215 (50.0 overs)		     
William Aitkenhead ct  O Coulman b M Capaldi 61 90 8 67.78
David Sprittles b  J Regan 18 33 1 54.55
Nathan Sprittles run out  (T O’Toole) 14 49 1 28.57
Josh Brunsdon b  M Capaldi 26 39 2 66.67
Christy O'Brien b  M Capaldi 9 17 1 52.94
Sam Kendle ct  O Coulman b J Regan 16 25 1 64.00
Praveen Bhatti run out  (D Bayliss) 15 17 88.24
Harry Aitkenhead b  B Adshead 14 12 1 116.67
Liam Bishton run out  (D Bayliss) 15 14 1 107.14
Richard Stewart Not Out  5 3 1 166.67
Joe Davidson Not Out  4 1 1 400

St Albans Cricket Club 1XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Max Capaldi10.0133311.003.30
Jamie Regan10.0140220.004.00
Dan Baylis2.001900.009.50
Ben Adshead10.0053153.005.30
Joshua Mulvaney10.013300.003.30
George Sims8.013100.003.87

St Albans Cricket Club 1XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
1w 2lb 
for 2 wickets
3
218		        
Jamie Regan Not Out  128 129 12 2 99.22
Steven Perrin ct  C O'Brien b P Bhatti 3 5 60.0
Will Bancroft ct  N Sprittles b D Sprittles 63 76 9 1 82.89
Max Capaldi Not Out  21 20 3 105.00
George Sims  
Ben Adshead  
Dan Baylis  
Joe Regan  
Joshua Mulvaney  
Tom O'Toole  
Oliver Coulman   2

Letchworth 1st XI Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Praveen Bhatti5.0032132.006.40
Richard Stewart6.002800.004.67
Liam Bishton8.003800.004.75
Joe Davidson8.204700.005.64
David Sprittles7.0039139.005.57
Harry Aitkenhead4.003200.008.00