Scorecard

OA's IV v St Albans Cricket Club 5XI on Sun 20 Aug 2023 at 13:30
St Albans Cricket Club Won By 95 Runs

Match report A Sunday afternoon is not the normal time you would expect to see the Saturday 5XI play but due to pitch arrangements they travelled to local rivals Old Albanians. Without inspirational leader Tom Cocks unavailable, a win was needed to keep any chance of promotion alive.

Stand in skipper Andy Melling duly lost the toss and OAs confidently put St Albans into bat. The decision soon looked like a good with the surface providing hard to score against some good bowling from a youthful OAs bowling attack. Matt Shadwick and Maroof were able to find a few gaps after a few overs but a slow outfield meant little reward for shots. Maroof soon departed for 6 thanks to a good catch at point and PD departed shortly after in similar fashion. Jude Berry was able to stick around with Shadwick who was starting to get himself in.

After being told by his skipper to try and up the rate after 15 overs Shadwick duly to 7 off the next over which on another outfield would have been 12 runs. Shadwick and Berry however both soon departed shortly before drinks leaving St Albans 57-3 at the halfway stage. Shadwick’s 22 proving a vital contribution on the surface. With a solid foundation laid Imran Ahmed and Toby Crisp came out after drinks with instructions to get St Albans to 160. Some positive running and bowling changers helped to push the St Albans rate up with Crisp expertly finding the gaps in the field. After of his trademark lusty blows Imran was bowled for 23 bringing Tom Banks to the crease after a late promotion up the order. Banks decided to show everyone how it is done on a slow outfield and set about clearing the infield with ease taking the St Albans score well past the 160 they wanted ably helped by fine innings Toby Crisp. Both departed late having mate 37 and 39 respectively with Banks innings more than justifying the fait put in him by his skipper.

A few late boundaries from skipper Andy Melling and a brief cameo from Finlay Kilner took St Albans to 183-9 after their 40 an impressive score given their position at drinks.

Bolstering a strong seam attack and buoyed by the news that Chelsea were losing to West Ham St Albans began their reply looking to seal an important victory.

Sunday cricket for St Albans means one thing, Altaf ‘The Daddy’/‘Sunday Gun’ Hussain opening the bowling. In his usual style Altaf found a challenging and swing to trouble the new batsman who were not able to get him away. With Finlay Kilner continuing his great form at the other end a wicket looked pretty imminent. OAs did well to hold out for 6 overs and put 14 on the board before Altaf bowled both openers in successive overs leaving them 17-2 . After having a chance put down by an unnamed individual at slip, Kilner got in on the act drawing a thin edge which was expertly caught behind by Toby Crisp.

A change of bowling for St Albans brought no rest bite for the OAs batsman with Sud and Tom Banks coming on. Both continued to bowl quickly with Sud unlucky not to have a catch taken at slip, again the individual will be unnamed. With Sud adamant the short ball tactic would be effective. After a discussion with his skipper and a few short of a length he was told to pitch it up, only for the next ball to rear up and find the glove. The ball flew straight to his captain at 2nd slip for the 4th wicket. With two colts now at the crease Sud had to shelve his bouncers and hammered away outside off stump. The pair showed great resilience and patience but Sud eventually drew an edge to PD in the gully leaving them 40-5. It was 50-6 and then 50-7 soon after with wickets in successive balls for Sud leaving St Albans sensing victory. Tom Banks at the other end playing his first game in some time found his rhythm after a few overs and picked up the 8th wicket with a searing delivery crashing into middle stump. With the rate approaching double figures skipper Melling decided to rotate his bowlers brining himself and Jude Berry onto bowl. The 9th wicket partnership took OA’s past 80 thanks to some heavy blows and fielding mix ups. PD then came onto bowl telling his skipper he was very hungry, there is some doubt if he was hungry for food or wickets as he picked up a wicket with his first ball. Imran picked up the final wicket proving too good for the OAs number 11 and sealing a 95 run win.

A strong win for the 5s against a youthful and promising OAs side. The win keeps any chance of promotion alive ahead of a big top of the table clash with Old Owens next week. The only question on the lips of the 5s after the game was, Tom Cocks who?

St Albans Cricket Club 5XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
7nb 13w 2b 1lb 
for 9 wickets
23
183		        
Matt Shadwick b Pitts 22 1
nasibullah Maroofkhel ct Linger 6
Prathamesh Deshpande ct Robertson 0 1
Jude Berry ct James 2
Imran Ahmed b Virji 23 2
Toby Crisp b Linger 37 1 1
Thomas Banks b Linger 39 5
Andrew Melling Not Out  13 2 1
Sudhanshu Suryavanshi lbw Linger 0 1
Md Altaf Husain b Robertson 6 1
Finlay Killner Not Out  3

OA's IV Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
W. Linger8.032145.252.63
R. Black8.011900.002.37
C. Robertson6.0030215.005.00
A. Pitts8.0129129.003.63
J. Hathaway3.0015115.005.00
C. Knowles2.001800.009.00
Virji7.0038138.005.43

OA's IV Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
3nb 14w 4b 2lb 
for 10 wickets
23
88 (36.5 overs)		     
J. Micham b Altaf 9
I. Callaghan b Altaf 1
G. Black ct Crisp b Kilner 5
K. Callaghan ct Melling b Sud 4
C. Robertson ct & b Sud 13 2
A. Pitts ct PD b Sud 1
J. Hathaway Not Out  21 3
W. Linger b Sud 0
R. Black b Banks 1
A. Virji b PD 10 1
C. Knowles b Ahmed 0

St Albans Cricket Club 5XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Finlay Killner6.0017117.002.83
Md Altaf Husain6.01824.001.33
Sudhanshu Suryavanshi8.021142.751.38
Thomas Banks6.0217117.002.83
Andrew Melling4.00900.002.25
Jude Berry4.001900.004.75
Imran Ahmed1.50212.001.09
Prathamesh Deshpande1.01010.000.00