Chandler Ton & Pavey Tantrum As 2s Beat Hoddesdon by 109 Runs

The helmet had been removed some distance from the boundary and was being held in the figure’s left hand by the grill, the bat tucked tightly under the arm on the same side. Now it was the turn of the gloves. Each was removed with unnerving calm before being thumped into the helmet as the figure walked. At the boundary the helmet was tossed to the ground. The bat followed with possibly greater force. Finally, each glove, carefully removed from the now despatched helmet, was thrown to the dusty ground.

Pavey was out. Again.

Hertford’s number one Second XI welcomed Hoddesdon’s own Second XI to Balls Park in this, the first weekend of August. To better the welcome, Hertford had attempted to mirror the visitors’ ground’s dimensions and as such the match would be played so far across the square that the thirty-yard circle was almost on Mangrove Road.

The pitch looked a veritable shirt-front before the match, seemingly unscathed despite having to endure fielders scampering across it on President’s Day, when one batsman apparently scored 84* - the writer would be grateful if anyone could confirm this.

Hoddesdon won the toss and, for reasons that only became clear later, chose to bowl. Chandler and Pavey sauntered to the crease amidst high humidity and even higher expectation. The first over saw Pavey show respect to a part-timer who struggled to find a consistent area. From the far end a greater deal of consistency was apparent, but Chandler dealt severely with any variation from this. The opening batsmen cruised to a half-century partnership as Pavey climbed into short deliveries. Peripatetic early on, Chandler began to look effortlessly assured at the crease. He looked particularly strong when the ball was pitched up, using the power in his sinister-sized forearms to scythe the ball through the covers with the energy of a man half his age.

Spin slowed Pavey and Chandler and, frankly, bored their watching teammates. Both were forced to rotate the strike, which they did well, rather than pepper the boundary rope as they had early on. Occasional flashes of aggression, including a large 6 by Chandler that reached the road, kept the visitors wise to the batsmen’s propensity for malice. All present showed their appreciation when both batsmen passed 50 in the same over, Chandler beating Pavey to it by a single ball. A strong foundation had been built and Hoddesdon’s early enthusiasm was wilting rapidly in the heat, not to return for almost 20 overs.

Pavey’s third consecutive half-century looked set to be his first league century. All the omens were good. He was in form; the outfield was fast and the bowling rarely threatening. However, Pavey got out. It was an innocuous looking delivery (but aren’t they all?). A loopy full toss from a loose-limbed spinner. Surely a man on 82 not out would lick his lips at such a prospect and move swiftly onto 88? Not our man Pavey. He punched it generously back to the bowler, “have a wicket, son” he almost said.

Pavey was gone, tantrum initiated. Ben Orchard just refrained from saying “don’t worry mate, nothing you could have done about that” - it wasn’t the time. But Chandler ploughed on. He charged through the Hoddesdon bowlers like Ian Harris at a gluten-free buffet, hitting straight, square to the short boundary and in-to-out through or over cover as is his customary way. His century was reached in good time, and very well appreciated by his team-mates.

Hertford looked set for a huge score and, assuming that Hoddesdon reads these match reports (why wouldn’t they?) the visitors would have quivered at the thought of Rob McCarroll arriving at the crease. McCarroll joined Ashan Abeywickrema in a partnership that promised blisteringly fast running. Naturally then, a run-out ensued, Ashan run out by half a length. Tom Orchard took his place and proceeded to kick a straight ball with his pad. Out. Craig Lyte was next to join McCarroll in what was rapidly becoming something of a collapse.

Hertford now risked not making 270, let alone the once-promised 300. Disaster soon struck again, however, as Lyte turned for a second off a misfield. The fielder, who had not demonstrated a particularly venomous arm at any previous point in the match, launched a strong but ill-guided throw to the non-strikers end. Lyte appeared home and dry until, at the last second, the bowler’s fingers nudged the ball onto the stumps and Lyte was adjudged short of his ground. It was only when Ben Orchard finally got to bat with his hero, McCarroll, that the Hertford ship steadied. With some bottom-handed striking from Orchard and good risk-free running from McCarroll, the pair ensured that Hertford reached 302-7 from their 45 overs.

Once on the field, Hertford’s opening pair of Orchard & Orchard couldn’t find their range. The elder Orchard bowled some delicious throw downs in his two early overs before being unceremoniously removed by the still-rouge Pavey. Rhodes was summoned to firefight for the cantankerous captain. As he held up one end, the youngest Orchard went to work. Suddenly angry, possibly at himself for bowling a ten-ball opening over, he stepped up a gear. First, he had the right-handed opener removed - caught by Tom Orchard, who did his best impression of an amorous octopus as he groped for the ball until grasping it at the fourth try. The very next ball Dan Orchard bowled short and fast. The Hoddesdon number three instinctively leant back felt for the ball with his bat but could only connect with the edge. Lyte took a comfortable catch and Orchard was on a hat-trick. Although he missed out on a hat-trick, his third wicket came shortly after. Another well-directed bouncer was punched high in the air. Cavener stood stationary at gully as Ashan accelerated past him and dived forward, taking a wonderful catch just millimetres above the parched turf.

After this, the game all-but ended. Hoddesdon didn’t truly seek to chase the total, their number 5 batsman instead preferring to labour to a 35-over half-century. Osborn again bowled with control and rhythm and Tom Orchard turned in his best performance of the season, extracting prodigious turn and bounce with his off-spin. Dan Orchard returned to take his fourth wicket but unfortunately missed out on the Michelle which he undeniably deserved for his early spell. Even the eldest Orchard was allowed to bowl again, taking a wicket and drastically improving his economy rate for the day. He was also denied a second wicket by Hugh Cavener. Cavener’s burglary of the final two wickets will therefore not be covered in this report.

Hoddesdon were eventually removed for 193 in the penultimate over, falling 109 runs short of Hertford’s excellent total.

This was a phenomenal performance by the Second XI and, although Hoddesdon were short of a few of their regular bowlers, no Hertford player could be faulted for capitalising on such an opportunity. It was Chandler’s day above all else: a second century for the club reached in emphatic style. But for those that know, the day belonged to all those who love a Pavey tantrum. This was a classic of the genre and I for one shall be disappointed not to see the same next week when he deservedly takes his place - and all the toys in his pram - to the First XI.
Written by Ben Orchard.