Dawson Catches Pavey Curse; Underdown Flies High in Dominant 2s Win

The chances of play did not look promising on the morning of the first day of the season, as Friday night’s deluge carried over into the weekend and left standing water on the square. Thankfully, Hugh Cavener had done a superb job in covering the pitch and, once the rain stopped at 11:30, Pavey was told to remove his wellies for a revised start time of 12:45 was set.

The visitors won the toss and chose to bowl. Scoring started quickly and continued in the same vein, Pavey striking the ball cleanly through the wet outfield to the extra cover boundary. Even after the loss of Chandler and Lawrance, Hertford continued at a run-a-ball, capitalising on loose bowling despite the difficult batting conditions. Pavey glided serenely to his 50, prompting those unaccustomed to his batting to wonder whether three figures were in reach. As it was, his eventual, inevitable failure was not necessarily his fault: Dawson punched the ball into the off-side and set off, only for some fine fielding to leave Pavey stranded and Dawson muttering about barbecues and apologies. Evidently, however, a guilty Dawson makes for a fine batsman, as he and Ollie Ray led Hertford past 200. Ray deployed his trademark leg-side flick while Dawson struck powerful boundaries in between determined defence. After Ray was dismissed, all eyes turned to Dawson’s assault on a century of his own. A crisp cover drive took him to 95, but he could only help a short and wide delivery into the hands of backward point, neither crunching nor placing the ball as he had previously. The lack of three figures should not take the shine off a fine innings by Dawson, who demonstrated the requisite resolve and determination to shine in his new role at 4. The innings ended with some aggressive running and attempted lusty hitting from Walsh and Orchard, finally closing on 268 from 45 overs.

Hertford’s new-ball pair of the eldest and youngest Orchard had a dream start. Orchard the younger generated excellent carry, and forced the Allenburys opener to drag on. The elder bowled slightly fuller, and was rewarded with the wicket of the other opener, caught well by Pavey at first slip. The visitors’ chase was in tatters at 2-2. The younger Orchard continued to bowl with slippery pace, taking a second wicket bowled and then having a left hander caught behind from around the wicket. At 35-4, the wickets temporarily dried up, although the elder Orchard felt hard-done-by when one batsman was adjudged to have hit his pad rather than the ball on its way through to keeper Lyte. Rhodes and Underdown were introduced to the attack. After an expensive first over, Rhodes settled into his familiar rhythm and was unfortunate not to pick up a wicket with catches dropped by his captain and then Underdown. Underdown then began to chip away at the wickets, using his probing line and length to force the batsmen to play. One wicket came courtesy of a fine catch by keeper Lyte, and another struck firmly to the younger Orchard at mid-on. Although the Allenburys keeper had success experimenting with a reverse sweep, Underdown would end with a superb Michelle at the cost of just 25 runs. After an over of filth from Lawrance, Dan Orchard re-joined the attack and took the final wicket.

Hertford won by a comprehensive 139 runs and were in no real danger of defeat after the opening burst of wickets. Margins of victory can often flatter teams but, if anything, the gulf could and should have been wider. That said, the 2nd XI will face much tougher resistance as the season goes on, and only consistent performances of this kind will earn them the promotion they covet.

Written by Ben Orchard.