Jones Leads Hertford to Back-to-Back Victories

Coming off the back of a brilliant victory against Radlett last weekend, Hertford were looking to keep their hopes of a top-four finish alive as they hosted Welwyn Garden City at Balls Park.

With the Saracens Herts Premier League season nearing its climax, the Great British summer once again threatened to disrupt Hertford’s rhythm. A rain-delayed start meant the teams were briefly left waiting before Welwyn won the toss and elected to field.

Hertford's opening pair of Will Ray and Alan Jones got off to a flying start, taking 22 from three overs before the weather intervened to put the hosts' innings on hold.

As the rain abated, the game was reduced to 27 overs per side and the Hertford innings was forced to take on a very different approach. Ray and Jones aimed to continue from where they left off, but were soon stunted after Ray was drawn into a leading edge and caught for 25.

Ray’s dismissal was the first of three wickets to fall for no runs as the hosts struggled with a badly timed collapse that left them 65 for 3 and with work to be done to regain control of the game.

Jones was joined by all-rounder, Jamie Regan, and the pair began to rebuild the innings. Jones brought up a composed 50 and his side's 100 in the 19th over, demonstrating that patience was a virtue on a good wicket.

After finding their feet Hertford were once again halted thanks to a clatter of wickets, this time at the hands of Owais Shah. Regan fell after mistiming a full toss to cover before Cowell and James Leather were also removed. From 106 for 3 the hosts suddenly found themselves 111 for 6 and seeking heroics to claw them to a worthy total.

Fortunately Alan Jones remained and, with only a handful of overs left at his disposal, decided it was time to jump-start the innings. Eyeing up the leg spin of Mo Rizvi, he dispatched the 25th over for a brutal 23, including three sixes.

Entering the final over, Jones was ruthless as he approached a remarkable century. Using two of the remaining four balls, the youngster clattered consecutive boundaries to bring up a superb hundred. With his second fifty coming from only 28 deliveries, Jones propelled Hertford to 166 for 6 from their 27 overs.

With some quick Duckworth Lewis calculations complete, Welwyn were left needing to chase 174 at over a run a ball.

Requiring a fast start in the power play, the visiting Bees struggled to get going thanks to some disciplined bowling from James Leather and Andrew Knight.

With only two runs on the board and not yet out of the first over, Leather removed Champion via a smart catch at mid-off by Jonny Underdown.

Despite a couple of helpful overs, Welwyn’s poor start was compounded as an unfortunate slip cost Matthew Hill his wicket via a run out by Dan Orchard. Hill’s wicket brought dangerman Owais Shah to the crease, upon whom the visitors were relying to try and recover from a power play which only yielded 28 runs.

Then, before Shah could make an impact, Knight was able to trap him leg before wicket as he looked to capitalise on the short leg side boundary.

Shah’s departure was the first in a dream spell for the hosts as, in the very next over, Dan Orchard delivered a hammer blow to Welwyn’s chances. Orchard found the outside edge of remaining opener Rizvi, before delivering a fierce bouncer with his next ball, to brush the glove of the incoming Chalker

Hertford sensed their chance to claim total control, and Knight duly delivered. By removing Bees’ skipper Dan Blacktopp he completed a ten-ball spell which saw the hosts claim four Welwyn wickets for only five runs.

At 44 for 6 at the end of the tenth over, the Stags were well in control. Knight completed his allotted six overs with two for 27, and the baton was then picked up by Jamie Regan and Jonny Underdown to further restrict the struggling Welwyn batters.

Claiming two wickets apiece (Regan 2-25, Underdown 2-21), the pair were able to control the game as it entered its late stages. Despite some lower order striking and a dropped catch which would have brought the game to an early conclusion, Hertford were able to wrap up a resounding victory.

It was clear that the brutal hitting of centurion Alan Jones had broken the visiting side in the latter stages of the first innings. His form comes at the perfect time for the Stags as they pursue a late season push to try and secure an unlikely playoff spot.

The Stags host already-relegated Reed at Balls Park next week as they look to win three games on the bounce.

Author: Andrew Knight