Radlett CC 4th XI v Preston 11 on Sat 03 May 2008 at 1.30 p.m.
Radlett CC Won by 3 wickets
Richard Hardy thought he had scored 99 not out after clouting a full toss for Radlett IV's winning boundary against Preston II in Division Six at Cobden Hill, but a fielder informed the umpire afterwards that the ball had carried for six.
The two extra runs brought up a deserved century for Hardy, his reward for a magnificent effort against the odds in pursuit of Preston's 182 for six on a drying pitch that took spin extravagantly at times. And the light was never better than gloomy throught Radlett's innings.
Victory came with nine balls to spare after Radlett's pursuit had stumbled to 133 for seven. Chandana Meepagama joined Hardy and the two traded boundaries until a far-flung field allowed them to cruise sensibly with ones and twos. Their winning partnership was worth 52 in 11 overs, with Hardy reaching his delayed hundred in 116 deliveries.
Matt Bell had launched the run-chase with IPL style, pulling a four first ball and a six towards the railway two balls later. By the time he played on he had scored 30 off 16 balls and Preston knew they were in a game. So did Radlett when Bell, Charlie Randall and Tony Johnson followed in quick succession.
The balance swung back to Radlett when 'Oz' Edwards, Luca Guerrini, Toby Sutherland and Jamie Wells supported Hardy, who picked off a string of boundaries by advancing miles up the pitch against the main seam bowler.
The result was tough on Preston's 15 year-old left-arm spinner Max Anderson, an outstanding prospect, who bowled unchanged with the old ball through the innings. Even after an early mauling by Bell he finished with four for 75 off 23 overs.
Radlett's bowling, as to be expected early in the season, was patchy and not penetrative on a slow pitch, though Neil Lederman induced a fatal edge in the day's first over. Perhaps the highlight was a direct hit for a run-out by Sutherland, the sort of fielding seen about once in a decade in the fourths.
Preston slipped to 97 for six, making sense of Wells' risky decision to insert, but they recovered well and seemed to have more than enough runs in the bag until Hardy's assault left them reeling.
Preston 11 Batting
182 for 6
Radlett CC 4th XI Bowling
Radlett CC 4th XI Batting
187 for 7
Preston 11 Bowling