Scorecard

Radlett CC 1st XI v Slough on Sat 14 Jul 2007 at 11.00 a.m.
Match was Drawn

Match report Sommers UK Home Counties Premier League

Radlett 265-4 dec (65 overs)
Slough 239-9 (55 overs)

Match Drawn

Radlett 15 pts Slough 7 pts



League leades Slough visited second placed Radlett and were out played for large parts of this Sommers UK HCPL clash, as Radlett dominated procedings from the start and were desperately unfortunate not to force a thoroughly merited victory, as Slough's last wicket pair hung on grimly for the final 4 overs of an enthralling match. The 15 to 7 points splint was scant reward for a superb all round display from the Cobden Hill outfit and whilst that cut Slough's advantage to 18 points, it also meant that High Wycombe were able to jump into second spot by virtue of their victory against Henley.

After being invited to bat first when Slough skipper Bobby Sher won the toss, Radlett's opening pair of Matt Evans and Kabir Toor started in positive fashion against the international new ball attack of South Africa's Nanty Hayward and former England paceman Chris Lewis with 18 coming from the first 3 overs as Toor especially was quickly into his stride. However, Hayward was gradually warming to the task and produced a fine delivery to dismiss Evans caught behind. In form Steve Lowe joined Toor and the partnership seemed set to flourish before Lowe was unlucky to be caught down the legside off Hayward from an attempted leg glance. Toor continued to take the attack to Hayward, playing nicely off his legs, and pulling the South African firebrand for a couple of boundaries, before a loss of concentration saw the Middlesex youngster stumped in Bobby Sher's first over of off spin.

At 63-3 the innings was in the balance, and Gareth Berg joined Shane Burger at the crease. With both Hayward and Lewis completing their opening spells, both players were allowed to settle in against largely defensive spin bowling and field settings, with singles a plenty on offer. Both men were quick to punish anything short or wide and by lunch had added 50 in 12 overs. After the interval Hayward returned to the attack and he tested both batsmen with a rapid spell, but with the outfield lightening quick and the gaps being found regularly the scoreboard was kept moving, whilst at the other end Berg especially was taking the attack to the left arm spin of Mohammed Khan who never looked likely to repeat his 5 wicket haul in the May fixture between these sides. Indeed once Hayward was seen off, Burger and Berg assumed full control, with the field spread and the fielders wilting in face of the onslaught, it was a period of almost total dominance as the scoring rate acclerated. Berg cruised past 50, his second of the season against Slough, and eventually fell for 67 searching for another boundary. The 143 run partnership for the 4th wicket was a club record in HCPL cricket and it had put their team in a tremendous position.

To Burger's credit he continued on, easing the ball into gaps, running hard and giving the fielders a serious chasing. He found a perfect ally in Tom Jenkins who was quick to get into his stride and int tune with Burger's aggressive running between the wickets. Burger, who had looked in full control for the majority of his innings went through to a superb hundred, and when the declaration came an over before the allocation was completed he had gone on to 103 not out and added an unbeaten 59 with Jenkins (35 not out) as the innings was closed on 265-4.

Not content with their batting heroics, Berg and Burger were quickly into the action with the ball as well, Berg first to strike clean bowling Andrew Ward through the gate with a superb in-swinger. With veteran medium pacer Stuart Browne providing a fine foil for the pacemen at the other end, Slough were under pressure and after numerous play and misses, Fahum Quereshi (26) edged Burger to second slip, soon followed by the dismissal of Laknel Arachchige (38) in off spinner Rob Crocker's first over.

At 74-3 and with 192 still required, Bobby Sher joined Ahmed Elech and the pair counter attacked to good effect, dishing out some harsh treatment on Crocker especially. Sher raced to 33, but Berg returned to the attack after the tea interval and produced a fine lifting delivery that could only be fended off to Steve Lowe in the gully. Berg followed up to dismiss Chris Lewis (10) lbw, before Browne held on to a steepling catch at deep mid on off Rob Crocker to see the back of the dangerous Mohammed Khan.

Elech was still a danger , producing the occassional big hit, and he moved to 45 including three sixes before driving Kabir Toor's leg spin to Radlett skipper Dan Chippeck at short extra cover. When Berg struck again to remove keeper Gheyas Khan for a duck, Slough were 8 wkts down with 11 overs remaining and facing defeat. However 17 year old Michael Payne stood firm, whilst Subhash joined him to occupy 7 more overs, until Berg produced another nasty lifter which Subhash could only glove to Lowe at third slip, to give Berg his second 5 wicket haul in HCPL cricket this season. As hard as he tried though and tiring after 20 overs of pace bowling, Berg couldnt find his way through again as Hayward and Payne hung on for a draw, Slough closing on 239-9.

Radlett captain Dan Chippeck commented:" This was one of the best all round performances from a Radlett team that I have been associated with. We outplayed an extremely strong team with bat , ball and in the field, the only thing lacking was that final wicket which would have given us a richly deserved win. Its always a big challenge playing Slough, but not only did we rise to the occassion, our positive attitude and intent put them on the back foot from the word go and we dominated all but perhaps a dozen of the 120 overs. Naturally its dissappointing to get so close and not finish the job, especially for Shane Burger and Gareth Berg who both turned in sensational individual performances, but we now have to move on to the next challenge of maintaining the standards we set ourselves this week."

This Saturday, Radlett travel to fast improving Reading who have won their last 2 fixtures in the Sommers UK HCPL, with the league table extremely tight as Slough lead with 151 points followed by High Wycombe (140), Radlett (133) and Oxford (130).





Radlett CC 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 4 wickets
0
265
(0.0 overs)		    
Kabir Toor Stumped  28
Matt Evans Caught  12
Steve Lowe Caught  13 2
Shane Burger Not Out  103 2
Gareth Berg Caught  67 1
Tom Jenkins Not Out  35
Haydn Smith  
Dan Chippeck   1
James Lewis  
Robbie Crocker  
Stuart Browne   1

Slough Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Slough Batting
Player name Runs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 9 wickets
0
239 (0.0 overs)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Radlett CC 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Gareth Berg20.0574514.803.70
Stuart Browne9.013600.004.00
Robbie Crocker12.0276238.006.33
Shane Burger7.0223123.003.29
Kabir Toor7.0021121.003.00

  • Umpire :
  • Scorer :
    Doreen Browne