Scorecard

St Albans Cricket Club 4XI v Bentley Heath CC 2nd XI on Sat 22 Aug 2026 at 13:00
St Albans Cricket Club Won by 1 wkt

Match report St Albans 4XI returned to winning ways in suitably dramatic fashion at Verulam School on Saturday, edging Bentley Heath 2XI by a single wicket in a game that featured a maiden five-wicket haul, an imperious half-century, a nail-biting run chase, GCSE-inspired Spanish and a highly questionable attempt at mid-match financial inducement.

There was also a new identity to embrace. Following recent discussion about the increasingly relaxed approach to 4XI cricket, the side has been (unofficially) rechristened “The Tad Casuals”, a name which felt particularly appropriate during an afternoon when conventional cricketing behaviour was not always at the forefront.

Bentley Heath batted first and were bowled out for 150 in exactly 35 overs. The visitors’ innings was built around an excellent 60 from Ali Raza, a pugnacious veteran who struck nine fours and threatened to take the game away from St Albans before being dismissed by Andy Saunders, caught brilliantly by John Shaw after attempting one two many deft dabs through the slip cordon, and after Saunders had loudly (and unfairly) moaned at Shaw about “standards” as the ball before was nicked past him. Raza’s loud protestations about whether the ball carried were vehement but untimately in vain as he was firmly sent packing by skipper Sam Davey who was in no mood for his nonsense.

Jamie Telkman had earlier provided the breakthroughs with the new ball, taking 2-28 from eight overs, while Ethan Witty bowled a tidy six-over spell for 27. Witty’s contribution, however, extended considerably beyond his bowling. In recognition of his recent GCSE results, an impressive amount of Spanish was deployed throughout the afternoon by his teammates , regardless of whether the situation demanded it or, indeed, whether anybody had the faintest idea what was being said. Ethan certainly didn’t.

Muy bien, Ethan.

The outstanding bowling performance however belonged to John Shaw. Introduced with Bentley Heath well placed, Shaw ripped through the lower order to claim 5/22 from six overs, his first five-wicket haul for St Albans. His victims included Ali Abid, Lahiru Weerasinghe, Mubashar Zulfiqar, Mutahir Zulfiqar and Rahmatullah Khan as Bentley Heath lost their final wickets in rapid succession to some splendid turn and bounce.

Saunders finished with 3/35, taking his St Albans ‘career’ tally to 299 wickets and creating one of the afternoon’s less conventional passages of play. With wicket number 300 tantalisingly close, Saunders interrupted his final over to publicly offer one of the Bentley Heath batsmen £100 if he would kindly provide it.

The proposal was met with accusations of match-fixing from his own teammates who immediately took the side of the batsman and implored him to block Saunders out . Perhaps fortunately for the reputation of St Albans and Hertfordshire cricket, no financial transaction took place, the batsman stayed resolute and Saunders rightly remained stranded, with cries of “don’t worry you can get there on the Astro next week” ringing in his ears.

Ryan Magee, who had earlier bowled a decent opening spell which deserved more reward, also gets a mention in despatches for his beseeching “I’m wasted out here” comment to Davey who had placed him at deep mid-wicket only to miss a skier off Saunders which trickled over the boundary the very next ball. Saunders was, obviously , very relaxed and good natured about it.

Chasing 151, the Tad Casuals were soon 10/2 as openers Ben Hingston and Olly Roberts departed cheaply, before Sarang Nair and Thomas Rayden produced the partnership that ultimately won the game. The talented Nair played the anchor role superbly, making 50 from 68 balls with seven fours, while Rayden provided the acceleration with an excellent 47 from just 44 balls, including eight boundaries and some trademark scoop shots (although one of these led to his demise obviously.)

Together they appeared to have put St Albans firmly in control, but this being the Tad Casuals, nothing could possibly be quite that straightforward could it?

Nair and Rayden both fell to Mubashar Zulfiqar in quick succession and the middle and lower order began to evaporate . Sam Davey went for an uncharacteristic nine-ball duck trying to play “properly” , the five wicket hero Shaw added seven, Witty three and Telkman departed for a three ball duck as Bentley Heath, desperate to avoid relegation, fought their way back into the contest. Ryan Magee then produced a hugely important 12 from 39 balls, occupying the crease as the target edged closer.

When Magee became the ninth man out with two overs remaining , St Albans were left with numbers 10 and 11, Tim Winfield and Andy Saunders, both on 0, and five runs still required.

What followed was a suitably chaotic penultimate over. With the tension mounting, two leg byes off the pads of Winfield reduced the requirement to three without either batter troubling his own score. The Bentley Heath bowler, by now clearly feeling the pressure, then sent down a wide, followed shortly afterwards by two further wides, handing The Tad Casuals the three runs they required and sparking wild scenes , including a frankly unnecessary raised bat celebration from Saunders.

Winfield and Saunders therefore walked off together, chests puffed out, heads held high , both unbeaten on 0, having somehow overseen a five-run match-winning partnership without either player troubling the scorer.

It was hardly textbook cricket, but after the disappointment of the previous week at Old Cholmeleians, another nail-biting finish that went the other way, it was a hugely enjoyable way to return to winning ways: Shaw with his first 5’fer for the club, Nair and Rayden producing the crucial batting partnership and the last pair “surviving” long enough for Bentley Heath to score the winning runs for them.

And so, the first chapter in the history of The Tad Casuals ends with a satisfying victory.


Bentley Heath CC 2nd XI Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 20w 9b  
for 10 wickets
30
150 (35.0 overs)		     
Zulfiqar Mehboob ct  J Telkman b J Telkman 8 13 2 61.54
Farrukh Zulfiqar ct  B Hingston b J Telkman 6 26 1 23.08
Ali Raza ct  S Davey b A Saunders 60 71 9 84.51
Shabaz Hussain ct  S Davey b A Saunders 12 32 1 37.50
Ali Abid ct  O Roberts b J Shaw 14 23 1 1 60.87
Lahiru Weerasinghe lbw  J Shaw 10 15 2 66.67
Khuram Butt ct  J Shaw b A Saunders 2 5 40.0
Mubashar Zulfiqar ct  T Rayden b J Shaw 2 9 22.22
Mutahir Zulfiqar b  J Shaw 4 10 1 40.0
Imran Ali Not Out  1 4 25.00
Rahmatullah Khan ct  J Telkman b J Shaw 1 3 33.33

St Albans Cricket Club 4XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Ryan Magee6.012700.004.50
Jamie Telkman8.0228214.003.50
Ethan Witty6.002700.004.50
Andy Saunders8.0135311.674.38
John Shaw6.012254.403.67
Tim Winfield1.00200.002.00

St Albans Cricket Club 4XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
13w 6b 4lb 
for 9 wickets
23
151		        
Olly Roberts ct  Unsure b A Abid 8 19 1 42.11 1
Ben Hingston b  A Abid 1 6 16.67 1
Sarang Nair lbw  M Zulfiqar 50 68 7 73.53
Thomas Rayden ct  Unsure b M Zulfiqar 47 44 8 106.82 1
Sam Davey b  I Ali 0 9 0 2
John Shaw lbw  M Zulfiqar 7 27 1 25.93 1
Ethan Witty b  L Weerasinghe 3 10 30.0
Jamie Telkman b  L Weerasinghe 0 3 0 2
Ryan Magee b  R Khan 12 39 1 30.77
Tim Winfield Not Out  0 7 0
Andy Saunders Not Out  0

Bentley Heath CC 2nd XI Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Imran Ali8.0133133.004.13
Ali Abid8.0127213.503.38
Mubashar Zulfiqar6.4118118.002.70
Rahmatullah Khan6.0041141.006.83
Mutahir Zulfiqar5.011527.503.00
Lahiru Weerasinghe5.02723.501.40