Carlson Inspires Low Scoring Hertford Win Against Harpenden

The visitors to Balls Park this week were Harpenden, who were sitting just above the home side in the league table. Hertford captain Benji Cowell was keen for his side to kick start their campaign after an indifferent set of results in the longer format games.

After the early morning rain subsided, Cowell won the toss and elected to make first use of the pitch. Without the usual opening pair of Ray and Riddle, Alan Jones and Fayaz Homyoon strode out to bat looking to put their side on the front foot.

The pair started confidently and looked in little trouble against the Harpenden opening combination of Atkinson and Downes. However, the introduction of late arrival Chad Barrett soon changed things as he found plenty of movement in the air, first taking the outside edge of Homyoon and then Jones to reduce the home side to 28-2.

Hugh Cavener soon joined his teammates in the pavilion after he was smartly stumped by keeper Axon from a leg side delivery, leaving the home side struggling on 38-3. This left Richard Leather and Jamie Regan to rebuild the home side’s innings.

Leather looked comfortable against the pace and swing of Barrett, leaving the ball well and looking to score off his pads when given the opportunity. Between them, the pair progressed the Hertford innings to 78-3 and were looking to make it through to the lunch break with the partnership intact.

However, both men fell in quick succession to the Harpenden left arm spin duo of Sivarajah and Garrett. First, Leather was given out LBW for 30 and then Regan fell in the same way on the stroke of lunch for 17. Both had reason to feel aggrieved but there was nothing they could do as the score was 81-5 as the sides left the field.

The home side resumed after lunch with the usually attacking pair of Cowell and James Leather at the crease, looking to build some momentum. However, Leather fell to a perfectly located yorker from Barrett for just 5 and then Brad Dawson was adjudged LBW for just 2 shortly after.

Cowell was joined by Carlson and together the pair pushed the score along against the Harpenden spinners. Cowell eventually fell for 29 trying to clear the infield with the score on 124-8, before the tail end of Carslon, Orchard and Ryan dragged the home side up to 150 all out. Barrett was the pick of the Harpenden attack, picking up 4-25 from his 10 overs and he was well supported by the two spinners who picked up 5 between them.

Hertford knew that their score was under par and that they would have to deliver with the ball if they were to win this game. The first innings had shown them that there would be assistance from the overhead conditions and from the pitch, but they would need to bowl well to capitalise.

Harpenden came out of the gates fast, with opening pair Latham and Galloway looking to be positive. A quick flurry of boundaries took the score to 38-0 and induced an early bowling change from skipper Cowell. Adam Carlson was brought on and his introduction provided quick returns as he had Latham caught at point and then Pankhurst caught at slip from his second ball. James Leather then took the wicket of Galloway, caught at mid-wicket, and Harpenden had lost three wickets without adding further to their score.

They had only added a further 3 runs when Leather clean bowled Alex Axon for 2 and then Carlson removed Garrett in the same way at the other end meaning Harpenden had slipped from 38-0 to 42-5.

The momentum was now well and truly with the home side, but they were briefly thwarted by a partnership between Andrew Neil and Harry Josephs. With Leather finishing an 8 over spell, the Hertford captain decided to introduce Jamie Regan into the attack, and he was duly rewarded not long after. Regan took the wicket of Josephs, caught by Brad Dawson, and followed it up soon after by hitting William Downes on the pads in front of all three stumps.

Hertford sensed that their victory was close but knew that one partnership could take the game away from them. Sivarajah was looking solid and with Barrett still to come at number 11 the game was not yet theirs.

However, a fine delivery from Regan beat the defences of Sivarajah and removed his off stump and then Carlson completed his five-wicket haul when Atkinson edged to slip to hand the game to the home side with Harpenden all out for 109.

Hertford were left extremely pleased with their victory after a fine bowling display. They will be looking to take the positives from this victory into their clash with West Herts this weekend and push themselves towards the top half of the table.

Author: James Leather