Scorecard

Broxbourne 3XI v St Albans Cricket Club 4XI on Sat 01 Jun 2024 at 13:00
St Albans Cricket Club Won by 46 runs

Match report The 4s travelled to Broxbourne on the first Saturday in June, bracing themselves for another fierce contest in what has become quite a rivalry.

Saints’ stand-in skipper (fineably late) lost the toss but still found his team batting, firmly the preference on this ground with small boundaries, backed up by a wicket that suggested little encouragement for bowlers.

In the early skirmishes, Broxbourne’s youthful bowlers were pitted against the experienced pair of Nisar and Dean. The batters soon found their way into the game with the shorter boundaries being appreciated. Not for the last time, the red ball found its way over the fence and into the adjacent canal when Dean dispatched one tempting delivery. It wasn’t all about boundaries though, with many singles being taken - this pair, who have at times struggled with running between wickets, seemed to have mastered the art if this was anything to go by.

Broxbourne rang through the changes but the runs kept flowing. Dean brought up a well struck half century and the pair set themselves for their next target, a total of 100. Unfortunately that was not to be, Dean dismissed for a well made 53 after a partnership of 97. At drinks, Saints had reached 98/1, the captain declaring that he wanted a score of 240 plus.

The batters duly set about reaching that goal. With Nisar well set and rotating the strike, Hicks contributed a swift 31, taking full advantage of the combination of long hops and short boundaries. Nisar’s excellent innings, highlighted by a shot that landed inches short of his “second ever six”, came to an end with his tally on 75. When Khan was out for 21, Saints had lost three quick wickets, and at 197/5 in the 36th over were in danger of falling short of their target. But Guru Damle smashed a couple into the canal with a quick fire 27, and then Rayden and Berry aced the finish with their own contributions.

Saints had exactly 250 on the board. Would this be enough against a team that had struck a 40 over total of 334 just a few weeks before? The captain looked at his bowling resources and certainly felt so.

George and Berry were given the new ball, and it was Berry who struck first. In reality this was courtesy of a sensational slip catch by Damle, grabbing the ball inches from the ground even as it was past him. Unsurprisingly runs kept flowing at a good rate - 6 an over - but George stepped in with two vital top order wickets (2/36); Broxbourne 65/3 after 11.

Dean took up the attack and slowed the scoring at his end. But at drinks, the hosts were ahead of Saints at the equivalent stage. There was plenty of work to be done.

A crucial stage followed. In the 10 overs following drinks, just 21 runs were added as Dean, Walker and Wynne-Griffith stalled the young batting lineup’s progress. Saints’ position might have been even better had the umpire heard what could only have been an edge to keeper Rayden. As it was, Hannington, the beneficiary of this first ball reprieve, eventually got going, perhaps freed up by the need to score at nearly 13 an over from the last 10.

A sequence of boundary-laced overs served to give Saints a fright - after a nail-biting one run victory at this venue the previous year, tension was in the air, the short boundaries a little frightening. However, some rotation of the bowlers seemed to do enough to stave off the worst. In the field, all XI stayed solid, backing each other up even as the batting onslaught carried on. Perhaps the highlight was Nisar’s “second ever catch” (as wryly observed by the incredulous Rayden), comfortably taken - without even a juggle! - on the boundary. Damle nabbed a couple of wickets as runs were pursued vigorously. The game finished quickly, with a team hattrick, courtesy of a Hicks/Rayden run out, and then two perfect top-of-off bowled dismissals from the returning Berry who finished with the pick of the figures, 3/33.

Saints, then, got up by 46 runs in a good contest. Broxbourne have plenty of ability in their young lineup and both sides will look forward to the return fixture. For now, though, Saints hold the upper hand, and have taken pole position at the top of the Division 9 East ladder, perfect for the return of holidaying captain Saunders.

St Albans Cricket Club 4XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 5w 4b 7lb 
for 6 wickets
18
250
        
Nauman Nisar ct Catherall b Picker 75 8 1
Ashish Dean b Preston 53 9 1
Ben Hicks lbw b Picker 31 5 1
Najib Khan ct Milne b Hicks 21 2 1
David Wynne-Griffith ct Fryar b Picker 0
Gurudatta Damle ct Catherall b Cecil-Smith 27 2 2 1
Thomas Rayden Not Out  12 1 1 1
Lucas Berry Not Out  12 1 1
Jamie Speller  
Jithin Kalarickal George   1
Andrew Walker  

Broxbourne 3XI Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
A. Hicks7.0041141.005.86
C. Catherall6.012800.004.67
Hay6.004900.008.17
Cecil-Smith8.0047147.005.88
Preston6.0035135.005.83
Picker7.0044314.676.29

Broxbourne 3XI Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
4nb 8w 2b 2lb 
for 10 wickets
16
204 (37.5 overs)
     
D. Stark ct Damle b Berry 4 1
F. Cecil-Smith b George 12 2
S. Fryer ct Khan b George 36 7
B. Milne ct Berry b Walker 26 2 1
N. Fountain ct Nisar b Wynne-Griffith 19 2
M. Hannington ct Rayden b Damle 45 5 2
E. Kay ct George b Damle 13 2
C. Catherall run out Hicks/Rayden 27 3 2
G. Picker Not Out  0
A. Hicks b Berry 0 1 0
J. Preston b Berry 0 1 0

St Albans Cricket Club 4XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Jithin Kalarickal George6.0036218.006.00
Lucas Berry7.5033311.004.21
Ashish Dean8.013400.004.25
Jamie Speller3.002200.007.33
Andrew Walker6.0124124.004.00
David Wynne-Griffith4.0026126.006.50
Gurudatta Damle3.0024212.008.00