Scorecard

Abbots Langley CC 1st XI v St Albans Cricket Club 1XI on Sat 07 Jun 2025 at 12:00
Match was Tied

Match report With a pitch report from Dan Baylis dropping into the 1XI WhatsApp Group on Saturday morning at 01:20hrs from outside The Boot…it was safe to say there were a few blurry eyed arrivals to a team favourite ground of Abbots Langley.

It was once again miserable and cold as seemingly is always the case for the 1XI perennial trip to the Manor House Ground – a real case of misrepresentation in the venue name vs reality.

After the Olds gave the Youngs a lesson in football, Max Pulis the architect of the Olds “soccer” philosophy. Regan duly lost the toss, and Saints were to bat first.

The now unshakable opening partnership of Jamie and George headed out and got off to their usual sold start. Both Sims and Regan found the boundary, Jamie sending some nice half tracker sighters to their deserved place in the park’s wilderness, a shame he didn’t land one on the skatepark. However, in the 8th over Regan was on the end of the first of many LBW shouts and headed back to the Flat Roof Boozer for a well-made 20.
Regan Snr found the boundary immediately upon his arrival and it looked like his insatiable appetite for runs would continue. Unfortunately, this week was not the case, and he was headed back to the Reform UK Hertfordshire HQ after a simple catch to first slip.

Finally, Tom was able to have a bat for SACC after his month-long battle with pad rash, promoted to 4 after Will’s back decided to pack up during his morning fun at the soft play. Unfortunately for Tom he was also back in the Village Hall 12 balls later (some more dubious decision making from the umpire), his quest for more than 3 overs at the crease carries on. Fitch the next man to the crease donned head to toe in Kent gear and a Cricket Direct bundle worth £60 – the bat with one grain the envy of most of the side.

However, Barney showed why the Kent gear must have been purchased and not earnt as he was back in the Polling Station 2 overs later and the safety blanket of a St Albans collapse was in full flow. The score now 78/4 after being 58/1 5 overs prior, Coulman the next man in– his intellectual debate with fellow brainiacs Baylis and Mulvaney cut short.

Sims undeterred by the fall of wickets at the other end stoically continued his so far unflappable innings as he and Coulman looked to bat through to drinks without the fall of more wickets.

Despite a relatively brainless single the last ball before drinks, this outcome was achieved; the Saints were now 101/4 and the ship somewhat steadied. A flurry of boundaries from Coulman followed the interval and Sims neared another 50 and a total of 220+ looked like the obvious aim. Sims unfortunately put the mockers on Coulman with the introduction of the new bowler “he is their 5th bowler there will be plenty of sh*t to hit”, 2s balls later and Coulman was back in the Parish Council Community Space for 20.

Capaldi and his depleted pads joined Sims as his quest to bat with everyone in the side continued. Some trademark gubbing kept the score nicely ticking over as the promised rain threatened, the sides battling through some reasonable downpours until it stopped and the umpires then called the sides from the field.

The players now back out after the covers were on for 30 seconds and Capaldi began to rub off on Sims, his glorious shot making earlier in his innings now traded with Max’s gubs. However, he was doing a fantastic job of being the glue for the side and making sure the Saints had a reasonable total.

Capaldi the next victim of the clearly whackable 5th bowler H(arbhajan) Singh and he was also back in the Scouts Meeting Place for a handy 17 and score on 151/6. Still work to do with 12 overs to bowl.

Josh the next man in after proclaiming he would last 2 balls and, despite his best efforts,began to whack the ball around with his usual grace. This lasted a few overs before the fun ended, and with Baylis promoted ahead of Will Wayne Rooney, George required around 20 for his maiden Herts League ton.

The following tri of Baylis, Rooney and Jones ably stuck with George – Jones doing so with 2% of his back working but George got there with an over to spare. A magnificent 100 showing both skill and determination whilst also achieving the lesser seen feat of batting the entire innings and batting with every single member of his team.

George led the sides off the field with 101* and the travelling side leaving 210 the target for Abbots Langley.

Unfortunately, the rain that had been threatening all day arrived during the interval. Covers were rushed on with both sides finding shelter in the dressing rooms for what turned out to be a lengthy delay. After a good 1 hour’s lessons from the youthful contingent of the side on Snapchat Premium and Subway Surfers the majority of the side had packed away and readied themselves to head back CP. However, the umpires had different plans as the side headed out for what was now deemed a foregone conclusion of abandonment and Simsy’s 100 not going on the website, the covers were off and a start time for 20 overs to resume at 5:35.

Rooney and Fitch to open the 20 overs and defend what seemed an unfair 124. It was a tale of conflicting quality for the first couple of overs from each – Barney loudly announcing he was allowed a couple of balls to find his areas as he has been sat down for 7 hours. Whereas Rooney was 2-2 after his first two overs, 2 LBWs from the umpire at the Cenotaph End. Abbots 17/2 after 4.

Fitch replaced by Baylis at the Bramble and Nettles End and the Saints were applying pressure, clearly the home side would have been more than happy to have shook hands 20 minutes prior. Rooney took another scalp, genuine edge with plenty of carry as he carried on bowling on a different deck to the other bowlers. Finishing his 4 overs with outstanding figures of 4-0-12-3.

A revolving door of bowlers at each end followed, Regan clearly watching plenty of IPL with the ever-changing attack. Mulvaney, Capaldi, Fitch and Baylis all trading ends as the Abbots no.4 got into his stride and the pressure now on the Saints as the low target of 124 seemed well within reach.

Fitch began to find aforementioned areas and doubled his wicket tally for the previous season now with 2 and ending his spell with 4-0-34-2. 94/6 with 5 overs to go, Rory Law surely backing Abbots Langley and the Saints hoping he’d carry on his Dirty Sweep of T20 predictions.

Momentum swinging by the over, Capaldi provided the much-needed breakthrough of Parkins. Snaffled down the leg side by Coulman after some type of noise and the huge appeal from bowler and keeper resulted in the raising of the finger - much to the batsman’s dismay.

With the next batsmen donning a hockey short corner mask and telling the keeper that he doesn’t really do batting, the Saints were feeling buoyed that they could restrict for the last two overs. Unfortunately, some lucky edges and a couple of misfields meant that the home side needed a run from the final ball to win. Fortunately, the ALCC no 10 was only able to block the final ball back to Burglar Capaldi and the last ball was a run out with the scores tied. Although questions were raised as to whether you could tie a Duckworth Lewis game.

Clearly, this was possible and both sides took 20 points with Saints still at the top of the table and put distance between the chasing sides with them rained off.

All in all, a positive result and all plaudits for the game should go to George for his excellent 100 and to Will Rooney, marking his arrival to the 1XI with an excellent opening spell. Leverstock Green next week’s opponents for the Saints and with hopes of maintaining their unbeaten run.

St Albans Cricket Club 1XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 6w 2lb 
for 9 wickets
9
209		        
Jamie Regan lbw V Singh 20 28 1 1 71.43
George Sims Not Out  101 143 10 70.63
Joe Regan ct M Parkins b N Gurney 10 14 2 71.43
Tom McCormick lbw M Parkins 5 12 1 41.67
Barney Fitch b N Gurney 6 10 1 60.0
Oliver Coulman ct N Gurney b H Singh 20 27 3 74.07 2
Max Capaldi ct T Carson b H Singh 17 24 1 70.83
Joshua Mulvaney ct V Singh b J Allan 12 18 1 66.67
Dan Baylis b H Singh 2 10 20.0
Will Rooney run out  (N Gurney) 6 13 46.15
Will Jones Not Out  1 1 100

Abbots Langley CC 1st XI Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Vivek Singh9.0039139.004.33
Anish Khiroya6.002600.004.33
Nick Gurney10.0130215.003.00
Matthew Parkins6.0039139.006.50
Hansaj Singh10.0033311.003.30
James Allan9.0040140.004.44

Abbots Langley CC 1st XI Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
5w 1b 6lb 
for 9 wickets
12
123 (20.0 overs)		     
Nick Gurney ct O Coulman b W Rooney 13 19 1 68.42
Michael Burgess lbw W Rooney 6 7 1 85.71
Simon Hamilton lbw W Rooney 0 2 0
Matthew Parkins ct O Coulman b M Capaldi 43 38 5 113.16
Harry Khan lbw J Mulvaney 1 4 25.00
Vivek Singh lbw B Fitch 21 18 1 116.67
Tom Carson b B Fitch 9 8 1 112.50
James Allan run out  (M Capaldi) 10 13 76.92
Sam Adcock b M Capaldi 0 2 0
Hansaj Singh Not Out  8 9 88.89
Anish Khiroya  

St Albans Cricket Club 1XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Barney Fitch4.0034217.008.50
Will Rooney4.001234.003.00
Dan Baylis4.002000.005.00
Joshua Mulvaney4.0032132.008.00
Max Capaldi4.001829.004.50