Radlett CC 3rd XI v Harpenden III on Sat 07 Aug 2004 at 1:30

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Radlett CC 3rd XI v Harpenden III on Sat 07 Aug 2004 at 1:30
Radlett CC Lost 3 wks

Match report This was a game that Radlett needed to win, having had a run of poor results. Unfortunately poor batting gave its bowlers small hope, though they tried very hard, and Radlett’s trademark this season, their excellent fielding, certainly did not let them down. 167 on a hard wicket, however, was never going to be a winning total.

Radlett won the toss and elected to bat on this very hot Saturday, where a score of 220 looked about par. Radlett started well enough, unfortunately losing the in-form Simon Randall to a very good delivery. Ingram and the debutant Kunil Amin batted with increasing assurance, and at 80 for 1 at three and a half an over, a solid platform was laid.

Ingram was run out for 38, which proved to be the highest score. Kunil carried on and was the only other player to score over 30. Warne, Reg Saunders, Hardy and John Crocker all looked like scoring runs, but the last 6 wickets fell for just 25 runs, with Harpenden captain taking a Michelle.

We were bowled out for 167, an unthinkably low score in an unacceptable 46 overs, giving the opposition a present of an extra seven overs to overtake us. The only couple of highlights were the commendable batting of Kunil, who stuck at his task, and but for lack of experience would have made a half century, and the return of Reg Saunders, who after a long break from the 3rd XI walked back in with aplomb.

It is therefore much to Radlett’s credit that that veteran warhorse Tim Smithers rallied his troops to do battle against the odds. And it is galling that, as it turned out, we could have won by scoring just 200.

At 60 for no wicket, the game was up, but Radlett fielded like tigers. Smithers and Crocker took superb catches in the office, and the outfielding was really outstanding. Rose, Simon Randall and Kunil, with his “Go-Go Gadget” arm were brilliant, and Colin Warne even with a broken finger is an example to washed-up old gits everywhere. Reg Saunders has recovered from his spine transplant and fielded like a racing whippet, and has that sort of slingshot throw that used to fell giants in the Old Testament.

It may be that Radlett miss out yet again on promotion, but the author of this fine piece of prose has played in the Third XI since the Reformation, and has never known a better fielding side.

We took seven Harpenden wickets, which proves that either the wicket was not as easy as we thought, or that we bowled and fielded very well. As in all such simplifications, the answer lies somewhere between the two. But with a little more confidence, we might have made the conditions look easy, scored 220, and walked home.

As it was, male model Josh Rose got four of those seven wickets, two with unplayable deliveries, but still bowls too many “four-balls” to be a destroyer of sides, though time is on his side.

Hardy bowled cannily, opening with the new ball, and the wonderfully enthusiastic Kothari (Vikrit) bowled and fielded with a fierce intensity. He is a player to watch, and is an asset to any side.

Sheri Jahangir bowled his slippy elusive left arm pace with great effect until, when after the first ball of his ninth over, there was a twang like a broken guitar string, and he went down in a heap of suede shoes and Ferrari car keys. Sheri had pulled his own groin. Not for the first time, either. This was a great blow to Radlett’s chances of winning.

Behind all this spirited come-back was the substantial figure of the bristlingly aggressive Tim Smithers, who always believes, always attacks, and has the charisma to grab a losing situation and haul it back to the brink of victory. Just not this time.

Radlett CC 3rd XI Batting

Player Name		Runs	M	Ct
extras TOTAL :	for 10 wickets	0 187	(0.0 overs)
Dominic Ingram	Run out	38
Simon Randall	Caught	15
Kunal Amin	Bowled	37
Colin Warne	Caught	11
Richard Saunders	Lbw	10
Richard Hardy	Lbw	20
John Crocker	Caught	9		2
Tim Smithers	Bowled	4		1
Josh Rose	Bowled	0
Vikit Kothari	Bowled	6
Sheri Jahangir	Not Out	1

Harpenden III Bowling

Player name	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Average	Economy
No records to display.

Harpenden III Batting

Player name		Runs
extras TOTAL :	for 7 wickets	0 188 (0.0 overs)

Radlett CC 3rd XI Bowling

Player Name	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Average	Economy
Richard Hardy	11.0	0	42	1	42.00	3.82
Josh Rose	18.2	1	74	4	18.50	4.04
Vikit Kothari	4.0	0	15	0	0.00	3.75
Sheri Jahangir	9.1	2	31	2	15.50	3.38

Umpire :
Bird
Scorer :

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