Mens 3rd Team
Matches
Sat 08 Aug 2020  ·  Division Five A
Hertford Cricket Club
Mens 3rd Team
136/7
132
St Albans CC - 2nd XI
3rd XI Remain Unbeaten in Close Low Scoring Game

3rd XI Remain Unbeaten in Close Low Scoring Game

Will Ray13 Aug 2020 - 09:55
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With temperatures well over 30C and the majority of the side threatening a mutiny if Hertford found themselves fielding first again, there was no pressure on this flip of a coin.

Needless to say it was lost and once again Hertford found themselves bowling... agreements have been made for Codd to no longer flip the coin or call it moving forward!

Despite the favourable batting conditions, Beardsley and Ruskin started well. Dave in particular finding the line and length which had been missing from the opening fixtures. The St Albans top order were soon struggling with Beardsley removing both openers with two regulation catches first to Murphy and second caught at first slip by Rob Carter. Clearly St Albans number 4 hadn’t made much of the opening salvos and decided that first ball he would try to launch Dave into the campsite, this really set the tone for his innings, a few quite overs passed for the bowlers with the odd boundary coming on what was a lightening quick outfield.

With Flynn coming to the end of his spell it was time for him to join the party with a couple of excellent deliveries to peg back the timber, St Albans really struggling now at 49-4. Codd rotated his bowlers after this with no let up in pressure on the batsman, Murphy and A Carter backed up the new ball bowlers perfectly and were rewarded when Murphy castled St Albans number 5 and then Alex removed their skipper aided by another good slip catch from father Carter, the score 66-7.

From then on the scoring was steady with the pressure being applied by Thommo and Morgan wickets continued to fall, the score 101-9. Then came some of the better and more clean hitting from the tail of St Albans, Captain Codd deciding to try and end the innings quickly with the pace of Flynn from one end and the guile of Thommo from the other, this backfired for a short time with boundaries coming. However once Flynn had got fired up by bowling a few to many wides he finally found his radar to take his 3rd wicket of the innings, 133 all out St Albans, a great effort from all the bowlers in really hot temperatures and on a flat wicket with short boundaries.

With the temperature rising it was looking like that lost toss in the morning was proving a tactical master stroke!!! One which the skipper had reminded the team of regularly during their bowling performance. Although when openers Heshan and Rob Carter has a slight mix up and Carter was run out this looked premature. I say mix up with the running but that calling will stay with Hesh for a long time and haunt him for many nights. Especially given the fact that an over later he edged behind, 7-2 at this stage.

Rob Wood looked to steady the ship and played a few glorious drives, however two quick wickets left the chase looking unlikely at 40-4. The 3’a old ways creeping back in of making what appeared to be an easy chase look very tricky. Another wicket later and at 53-5 Captain Codd was joined by A carter. Given a very modest season so far by the skipper with bat and ball it was high time he finally contributed something else other than moving bowlers and fielders around. And he duly did, in partnership with carter then chipped away at the total putting on 64 before Alex decided (and I quote ‘he was bored!’) to swing one up in the air and was caught by deep third man. When Ross Murphy followed him back shortly after at 121-7 some may have felt we were contriving to throw the game away. A few overs later after Flynn had decided to flick the ball to the boundary the chase was complete and the 3’s has buried the demons of the 2019 season and chalked up another fine victory.

Another solid performance from the side and shows what can be achieved when you can get the same side out week after week, with the whole side contributing as well it was pleasing to see.

Next week Hertford travel to Tewin looking to keep momentum going.

Written by Ian Codd.

Match details

Match date

Sat 08 Aug 2020

Kickoff

13:00

Meet time

10:45

Instructions

12 o’clock start gents. Please be there on time to make sure the ground is ready and we can warm up, lets build on last weeks good performace. Please try and make training this week to work on things it possible.

Competition

Division Five A
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Club Sponsor - Old Cross Tavern