Scorecard

Abbots Langley CC 1st XI v St Albans Cricket Club 1XI on Sat 01 Aug 2026 at 12:00
St Albans Cricket Club Won by 2 wickets

Match report
Now in the business end of the season, the 1XI travelled to a team favourite of Abbots Langley. A win was a must against a side in the throes of a relegation scrap.

Things started well with an electric team talk from the skipper Baylis, forgetting to mention once about the game in front of us and instead decided to talk about making sure we put our availability up for the next 6 games - 1 of the 6 was the game that all the XI who travelled to Abbots Langley were about to play. The subsequent warmup was about as good as the team talk.

Thankfully Dan did get the toss right and the Saints elected to field, after BaylisAI had let everyone know we have not lost chasing yet.

The two Wills opened up as has been the case all season, carrying on their excellent form. The wickets fell again early, Rooney trapping the opener in front of all 3 and Jones striking twice leaving the home side on 25-3 and saints in a commanding position.

The preceding 10 overs until drinks was all St Albans, the scoreboard moving at a truly pedestrian pace. Jones and Rooney proving impossible to get away. Unfortunately a drop in the slips of the number 3 Kohli (yes that one) meant that the away were not in an even more powerful position.

Drinks came and the Abbots 3 and 4 were still there but the scoreboard still pretty much unmoved, Coulman up to the stumps for the left handed Finch to Rooney and Jones as his only answer to the relentless attack was to bat 5 yards out his crease. The change bowling started off just as potent, Monis finding his area immediately and Josh carrying on his form for the season.

Monis had the wise idea of chucking 3 wides down leg side in a row to force the keeper back and Finch back out of his crease, leading to the immediate castling and the 50 odd partnership broken.

From this point however, the relentless nature of the fielding performance became more pitiful. The Abbots side clearly bought an all access pass to the infield and outfield, with bridging for 4, a trampoline off Jonesys chest for 6 and the lowlight (highlight for comedic purposes) being Badsy asking “who’s is it??!!” when the ball was hit straight down his throat at Long Off.

Perhaps some words from the skipper about the game and not availability for the rest of the season could have been helpful?

In the end the Virat Kohlis cousin from Watford batted well after the initial trouble for an unbeaten 88 and the home side finishing on 229-5 from their 50. Jonesy the pick with 8-4-10-2 and the rest of wickets shared between Mulvaney, Monis and Rooney.

The Manor Ground immediately became slightly more favourable for the Saints as they were provided a fantastic tea (Steve Perrin’s campaign BRING BACK TEAS seems to be gaining momentum).

Priyesh and Jamie opened up and were unfortunately both back in quick succession Jamie outrageously out on the 7th ball. A very down Priyesh answering the questions from Coulman and Jones in the dressing room if it’s doing anything by answering like Droopy “that’s the first time I’ve been bowled this season” - thanks mate.

Ash was not long to follow after without troubling Claire, leaving the saints wobbling on 33-3. Regan and Jones to the rescue. The pair stopped the rot and batted sensibly rotating the strike and putting the bad ones away to get through to drinks.

Classically the old adage proved true and Jones fell almost straight after drinks bringing the hilariously out of form Coulman to the crease. Resorting to wearing the hand made sleeveless brewpoint (the last time he scored any runs he wore this) and using his lucky old gloves, could he summon all the cricketing gods and find a redemption story similar the G Sims at the same ground last season. Another SACC batter at rock bottom.

Regan Snr and Coulman steadily began to build a partnership, but at 69-4 there was a lot of work to be done. But as Kohli had shown, stickability was key on this wicket.

The pair batter the next block of 17 overs before the seemingly unwarranted second drinks with ease. Regan brought up another well made 50 and the Saints had gone from in trouble to looking secure if these two stuck around for another 5-10 overs. However, after reaching 50 Regan fell to one in need of DRS and the saints were 154-5 still in need of another 75, still an incredibly important partnership of 84 with Oli.

The Jobseeker Mulvaney joined Coulman in the middle who had start to accelerate his scoring, bringing up a much needed 50 to remember there does lie some cricketing ability after all. Mulvaney then fell to a truly spectacular piece of umpiring, out in front of all 3, never mind the bit of willow the ball hit. Mulvaney trudging off and 50ish required, game on.

Coulman carried on reducing the deficit until his untimely demise top edging on to point for 60, still around 30-40 for the Saints to get.

Monis and Rooney stepped up the plate, batting assuredly to get the total down to 9 needed from the last 2. Unfortunately Monis fell, added pressure for the Saints and Badsy knees weak, arms heavy praying he wouldn’t be needed at 11. Baylis guided one (huge edge) through gully for 4 and with 3 balls remaining Rooney crashed one to the leg side boundary to seal a fantastic win.

Abbots often the banana skin for the saints, some good bowling and good batting thrown in with some less good fielding and batting meant that the 1XI carry on the promotion 3 horse race with Reed and Ampthill.

MOTM - Oli Coulman
DOTD - Dan Baylis team talk and half an hour late to get a Simmons
HMOTM - Monis bowling Finch after going 0 balls for 15 runs
SOTD - Dan Baylis guide (edge)


Abbots Langley CC 1st XI Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 14w 4b 5lb 
for 5 wickets
24
229 (50.0 overs)		     
Matthew Longworth lbw  W Rooney 4 20 20.0
Oliver Sills b  W Jones 18 13 3 138.46
Mahin Kohli Not Out  88 137 12 64.23
Jack Read ct  M Ahmad Haris b W Jones 1 5 20.0
Brad Finch b  M Ahmad Haris 27 47 4 57.45
Matthew Parkins ct  O Coulman b J Mulvaney 44 54 6 81.48
Nick Gurney Not Out  23 25 1 92.00
William Graves  
James Allan  
Meet Patel  
Hansaj Singh  

St Albans Cricket Club 1XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Will Jones8.041025.001.25
Will Rooney10.0427127.002.70
Monis Haris7.0133133.004.71
Joshua Mulvaney7.0042142.006.00
Dan Baylis6.003900.006.50
Ben Adshead5.002600.005.20
Ashish Padki7.004300.006.14

St Albans Cricket Club 1XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 14w 15b  
for 8 wickets
30
233		        
Jamie Regan ct  J Read b O Sills 10 13 2 76.92
Priyesh Patel b  M Parkins 4 9 44.44
Joe Regan lbw  J Allan 50 94 6 53.19
Ashish Padki ct  O Sills b O Sills 0 4 0
Will Jones ct  B Finch b J Allan 24 37 3 64.86
Oliver Coulman ct  M Longworth b M Parkins 60 67 6 89.55 1
Joshua Mulvaney lbw  O Sills 5 13 1 38.46
Monis Haris ct  J Allan b J Allan 29 35 2 82.86 1
Will Rooney Not Out  17 27 1 62.96
Dan Baylis Not Out  4 1 1 400
Ben Adshead  

Abbots Langley CC 1st XI Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Oliver Sills10.0031310.333.10
Matthew Parkins9.4149224.505.07
Nick Gurney10.014300.004.30
Meet Patel8.004000.005.00
James Allan8.0038312.674.75
Hansaj Singh4.001700.004.25