Scorecard

St Albans Cricket Club 5XI v Salmagundi Gardeners CC on Mon 30 Aug 2021 at 2:00pm
St Albans Cricket Club Won by 9 wickets

Match report St Albans were looking to defend their unbeaten crown in this now annual August bank holiday Monday fixture.
With overcast skies and a green surface Andy Melling looked to make the most of the supposed bowler friendly conditions and after winning the toss opted to bowl. Starting with just 9 players tight opening spells from Altaf and Ireland were unlucky not to find a breakthrough. Dulon and Saunders then came into the attack and continued to probe for a breakthrough. After some rousing words at the drinks break, the breakthrough finally arrived with Saunders pegging back the middle stump of the Gardeners opening batsman.
The Gardeners continued to tick the score along finding the gaps to good effect and sharp running between the wickets. Two quick wickets from George Pelham however pegged the Gardeners back, including a sharp caught and bowled.
Morale in the St Albans camp was further boosted after, in true ‘Sunday Gun’ style Ciaran ‘Sparkles’ Walsh delighted his teammates with his presence shortly before the 30th over. His face still covered in glitter from the previous night’s activities. Walsh set about making himself known to the opposition with a typical vocal display in the gully backed up with some acrobatic fielding.
Soon after St Albans were back up to the full 11 with the arrival Mani Nisar after he received a SOS text sent from the covers. Disappointingly however he arrived with no kebab rolls in hand.
A well-earned third wicket for Pelham brought St Albans very own Sam Mistry to the crease to what can only be described as a vocal reception. Justifiably petrified not to get out to any of his club mates Mistry managed to see off a nervy 3 balls at the end of Pelham’s spell and a probing Zac Tarrant over.
With Mistry settling in for a ‘finisher’ role, Melling turned to Walsh and found instant reward. Mistry falling to Walsh’s to what can only be described as a leg stump half volley. This was despite justifiable complaints from Mistry about being blinded by the glitter radiating of Walsh’s face. Another wicket for Walsh followed soon after thanks to some sharp work behind the stumps from Pete Melling.
The Gardeners finished on 193 not before Zac Tarrant managed to floor a Gardeners batsman with a painful hit to the box, that had all the field wincing. A good total given the pitch and the conditions.
Chasing a tricky total P.Melling and Mani got the St Alban’s response off to a flier. Dispatching bad deliveries to all parts of Clarence Park in their usual styles. Mani enjoying anything too short and Melling anything too full.
Both settled in for the long hall and the pitch playing a like a road. After seeing St Albans past drinks and well past the 100 mark nothing looked like it would break the partnership besides a run out….
And in true St Albans style a run out it was, a fine direct hit from mid-off ended the superb opening stand, Melling departing for a well-made 47.
Najib Khan came to the crease with Mani nearing another century for St Albans. An imperious drive through cover brought up a fine hundred for Mani to the delights of the cold capacity crowd in Clarence Park. Fielding for 10 overs and scoring a hundred not a bad afternoon’s work.
Mani and Najib were able to steer St Albans home to a 9 wicket win with overs to spare, Mani finishing on 109* and Najib 18*, maintaining St Albans unbeaten run in the fixture.


Salmagundi Gardeners CC Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 4w 3b 3lb 
for 6 wickets
12
194 (40.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

St Albans Cricket Club 5XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Ian Ireland6.021300.002.17
Md Altaf Husain5.00900.001.80
Andy Saunders8.0040140.005.00
Dulon Ahmed6.002900.004.83
George Pelham6.0039313.006.50
Andrew Melling3.002100.007.00
Zachary Tarrant4.002900.007.25
Ciarán Walsh2.01723.503.50

St Albans Cricket Club 5XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 1 wickets
0
195		        
Nauman Nisar Not Out  109
Peter Melling Run out  47
Najib Khan Not Out  18
Dulon Ahmed  
Andrew Melling  
Zachary Tarrant  
George Pelham  
Md Altaf Husain  
Ciarán Walsh  
Ian Ireland  
Andy Saunders  

Salmagundi Gardeners CC Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.