Scorecard

Welwyn Garden City v Radlett CC 1st XI on Sat 09 Sep 2006 at 11:00
Radlett CC Lost 2 wickets

Match report Radlett claimed the Home Counties Premier League Division 2 East title despite this narrow defeat, by virtue of claiming 11 points on a day when 7 was required to give them an unassailable position at the top of the league, and thus gaining promotion back to HCPL Division 1 from where they were relegated in 2004. The moment of glory arrive shortly before tea when Rob Crocker picked up the 4th wicket of the Welwyn innings to collect Radlett's 4th bowling point on the day, to go with the 3 gained by virtue of making 230 in their innings. That gave Radlett a guaranteed share of top spot with Stevenage who had comfortably defeated Knebworth Park by mid afternoon, and the tie breaking rule of most wins would have given the title to Radlett had they not got any more wickets by way of their 10 wins over the season to Stevenage's 9. However, shortly after Crocker's strike, confirmation of the title and point 8 for the day came in fitting fashion when captain Dan Chippeck held a straight forward catch off the bowling of leading wicket taker and talisman Stuart Browne, his 48th league victim for the season.

In ideal late summer conditions, Chippeck had earlier won the toss and decided to bat first on very dry pitch, but nerves were evident from the outset as former Middlesex and Somerset all rounder Aaron Laraman and Johan Thisanayagam used the new ball to good effect, and it was the latter that picked up the prolific Graham Dill, as he edged behind for a rare failure in what has been a fine summer for the opener. However, Nick Fielden, ending the season in good form, dug in and was joined by Dan Chippeck to battle it out as Laraman especially was a model of consistency and accuracy. The pair needed some luck to survive but slowly settled and began to get the scoreboard moving, Fielden in particular finding the offside boundary with some well placed drives and cuts. Shortly after drinks Nick Lamb entered the attack, and with the score on 65, he picked up Chippeck's wicket for 16, caught at mid wicket. Shane Burger strode to the crease looking like a man on a mission, and started in positive fashion with a couple of driven boundaries off Lamb. Laramans spell off 11 overs was finally seen off and Fielden and Burger were soon confronted with off spin from both ends as Murti Hussain and Ben Frazer entered the attack, and they found considerable assistance from the dry pitch as the ball turned sharply from the outset. Nonetheless both Fielden and Burger were taking toll of the occassional loose delivery and lunch was taken with the score on 101-2 off 29 overs, a healthy foundation for a competitive total.

After the interval, Fielden got to his half century , a gritty battling effort of vital importance, but shortly after he fell LBW to Frazer for 58. Steve Lowe joined Burger and the pair were made to work hard for their runs, but Burger in particular was taking the attack to the spinners, hitting straight with power and gradually gaining the upper hand as the field became more defensive. The pair took the score to 166 before Burger, having just reached his half century, was bowled by a superb turning delivery from Hussain for 53. 166-4 became 176-5 shortly thereafter as Lowe (21) fell stumped off Frazer who was in the midst of a fine spell of bowling, and when he bowled Simon Gray to pick up his third wicket, Radlett's innings was on the slide. However, Brenden Hutchings (32) was joined by Haydn Smith (15) and they formed a vital partnership to take the total past 200 and thus securing the third batting point. Both men played positively from the outset, Hutchings in particular willing to hit the spinners over the top to good effect as he clubbed 2 big sizes. Both men fell in the final few overs as Radletts last 4 wickets fell for 10 runs as a total of 230 was posted, Frazer finishing a marathon 19 over stint with 3-70.

So Radlett went into the field with 3 points in the bag, and knowing that with a point for every wicket, the title was within touching distance. They did not have to wait long to celebrate as wickets tumbled from the outset. Having noted the effectiveness of Welwyn's spinners, skipper Chippeck opted to use the old ball and start with Rob Crocker's off spin in tandem with the master medium pacer Stuart Browne, a combination that had proved irresistible at Knebworth in the previous fixture when they shared all 10 wickets. On that occasion Browne was the destroyer-in-chief, but this time around it was Crocker's turn to bag the wickets. Turning his off break viciously, and finding a genuine attacking line on and just outside off stump, Crocker immediately picked up Frazer in his first over, a big turning off break clipping the top of off stump. He quickly followed that up by bowling Nick Lamb through the gate as he aimed to drive through the off side, and Murti Hussain superbly caught down the legside by keeper Steve Lowe, as Welwyn were reduced to 22-3. The all important and league winning 4th wicket fell Crocker's way as well, as Blacktopp played on attempting to cut another big turning off break. Laraman (40) launched a brief counter attack but when his leading edged looped to Chippeck off the bowling of Browne, Radlett had the insurance they needed to know they had secured the league title. Shortly after, Crocker picked up his 5th wicket, and first 5 wicket haul in first team league cricket, when he bowled Walters, and tea was taken with the score on 94-6.

Undoubtedly there was an air of celebration mixed with relief as the tension of the day and the previous weeks dissipated with the tea break, and there was definite "after the lord mayors show" feel to Radlett’s cricket after the interval. But that takes nothing away from an extraordinary and ultimately match winning century from Ed Tucker, who, with nothing to lose, threw caution to the wind and launched a brutal assault on the bowlers. Even the taking of the new ball failed to halt his attack, as all the bowlers were flayed to all parts of Digswell Park, Tucker reaching his hundred off just 66 balls, and including 84 runs in boundaries. He had added 109 with Ray Hodge (29) for the seventh wicket when he finally fell for a quite brilliant 109, caught by Crocker off Haydn Smith. Hodge, who had performed a valuable supporting role, fell in the next over caught at deep mid on by David Hegarty off Crocker to leave Welwyn 203-8 and still requiring 28 to win. Experienced campaigners Mark Everett and skipper Martin James were at the crease and they survived several difficult moments agasint the twin spin attack of Crocker and Smith, but eventually they found their touch and Everett sealed victory for Welwyn with a driven six off Crocker, who himself finished with his career best league return of 6-85 after a superb spell of attacking spin bowling.

So, the league title was secured, Radlett's first since 1997, and the 6th in their history, whilst Dan Chippeck joins a select band of just three men who have captained Radlett to league titles, the others being Mark Blundell whose all conquering late 80s/early 90s team secured four titles, and David Hanson who led the 1997 team. A delighted Chippeck said:" This has been a triumph of teamwork and team spirit, and I am extremely proud to have led the team throughout the year. We have had our star performers in Stuart Browne, Shane Burger, Graham Dill and Rob Smith, but the true strength of this team has been the ability to win the tight games, when someone has put their hand up and done the business, most crucially Dill against Stevenage, Simon Gray and Rob Smith against Hoddesdon, Brenden Hutchings and Haydn Smith against North Mymms, and today Nick Fielden and Rob Crocker. There has been probably 2 or 3 teams as talented, if not more so, than us in the division this season, but we have found a way to win when it has mattered, and our spirit in the field has carried us through a long and tough season. I must acknowledge the job Haydn Smith did leading the team last season when the foundations for this success were built, and also his all round "man for all seasons" role in the team this year has been critical in our success. It augurs well for the future that we have introduced teenagers Mitz Choksi and Rob Watson to first team cricket this year, whilst both Gray and Crocker have shown they belong at this level of cricket as well. With the success of our other sides and the introduction of several other young players into senior cricket, I am confident the club will continue to move forward and meet the challenges ahead."

Radlett CC 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
230
(0.0 overs)		    
Nick Fielden Lbw  58
Graham Dill Caught  0
Dan Chippeck Caught  16 1
Shane Burger Bowled  53
Steve Lowe Caught  21 1
Brenden Hutchings Bowled  32
Simon Gray Bowled  1
Haydn Smith Run out  15
Robbie Crocker Bowled  0 1
David Hegarty Run out  1 1
Stuart Browne Not Out  4

Welwyn Garden City Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Welwyn Garden City Batting
Player name Runs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 8 wickets
0
234 (0.0 overs)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Radlett CC 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Stuart Browne12.0277177.006.42
Robbie Crocker16.0385614.175.31
David Hegarty4.002400.006.00
Shane Burger4.003600.009.00
Haydn Smith4.02717.001.75

  • Umpire :
  • Scorer :
    Doreen Browne
 
Photos and video of Welwyn Garden City v Radlett CC 1st XI on Sat 09 Sep 2006 at 11:00
1st XI clinch HCPCL 2E title at WGC (09/09/2006) - Phil Marsh (president) Team photo