Scorecard

Bengeo 2XI v St Albans Cricket Club 5XI on Sat 15 Jul 2023 at 13:00
St Albans Cricket Club Won by 9 wickets

Match report Player of the match: Jitin George (5-26)

A 5s team that wouldn't have looked amiss lining up as the 4s travelled to 2nd from bottom Bengeo with the dark clouds overhead the only thing that could dampen the optimism. 3 no results this season due to rain had somehow seen the 5s mid table in Division 11C despite winning all but one game.

Winning the toss, Saints put Bengeo into bat, hoping a strong seam attack could bowl them out quickly and avoid the potential for yet another NR. First ball, Finlay Killner found his devastating line and length, only for Toby Crisp to put down the regulation chance at 2nd slip. 2 balls later, Killner yet again found the perfect ball, and the result was the same. Crisp head in hands, wondering whether the 2 early drops might come back to bite the team. But the bowlers made up for it: Killner bowling their other opener before Jack Benjamin took a brilliant catch at gully to give Killner his second wicket, and Saints were well on their way. Prath Khatavkar bowled a tight probing line at the other end with no reward except for a miserly economy of 1.7, and after 12 overs Bengeo were 21-2. The remaining opener, having been dropped twice, commented that it was the best opening bowlers they had faced all season, and although he was clearly glad to have survived, unfortunately for him Saints had only just gotten started with a quality seam attack.

Jithin George and Sud Suryavanshi entered the attack, and both immediately found a brilliant consistency that was far too good for Bengeo. Prath Khatavkar took a high catch well, with a clear call that was ignored by Maroofkhel, resulting in the ball ballooning back up before being taken again by Khatavkar, and the remaining wickets fell in relatively quick succession. Crisp finally managed to make amends for his earlier mistakes, catching the same opener at second slip just 15 overs and 19 runs later, and other than a small resistance for the 10th wicket, the Bengeo team put up little fight. Both Suryavanshi and particularly George bowled far too well, particularly attacking the stumps brilliantly, and both deserved their figures of 3-11 off 7 overs for Suryavanshi and 5-26 off 7.1 for George, who led the team off the field.

With only 61 to chase, Saints were confident of finishing the game quickly and avoiding any further rain disruption. Maroofkhel unfortunately chipped the third ball straight to cover, but Prath Deshpande and Imran Ahmed scored at a reasonable pace. It wasn't a chanceless innings from Ahmed, who was dropped 3 times and had several aggressive heaves land safe, but the chase was safely navigated. Deshpande lofting one over mid on to complete the innings in under 17 overs, scoring 28 while Ahmed ended on 30.

As we shook hands, Bengeo were clear that we were the best side they had faced this year, but most pleasing they also commented that we had been the most friendly. The Spirit of Cricket lives on!

Bengeo 2XI Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 6w 4b 1lb 
for 10 wickets
13
60 (26.1 overs)		     
M. Freeman ct  J. George 19
F. Tanner b  F. Killner 0
D. Waight ct  F. Killner 0
G. Foote ct  J. George 9
G. Cable b  J. George 0
T. Oldham b  S. Suryavanshi 0
M. Walker ct  J. George 12
O. Diamond b  S. Suryavanshi 3
J. Price b  S. Suryavanshi 0
S. Higgins lbw  J. George 0
A. Quinn Not Out  4

St Albans Cricket Club 5XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Finlay Killner6.02824.001.33
Prath Khatavkar6.011000.001.67
Jithin Kalarickal George7.122655.203.63
Sudhanshu Suryavanshi7.001133.671.57

St Albans Cricket Club 5XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 1w 1b  
for 1 wickets
4
62		        
nasibullah Maroofkhel ct  S. Higgins 0
Prathamesh Deshpande Not Out  28
Imran Ahmed Not Out  30
Jack Benjamin   2
Hugo Thomas  
Toby Crisp   1
Tom Cocks  
Prath Khatavkar   1
Sudhanshu Suryavanshi  
Jithin Kalarickal George  
Finlay Killner  

Bengeo 2XI Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
S. Higgins5.0019119.003.80
A. Quinn5.001200.002.40
G. Cable3.511300.003.39
O. Diamond2.001100.005.50
J. Price1.00600.006.00