Scorecard

Berkhamsted III v Radlett CC 5th XI on Sat 20 Jun 2009 at 1.30 p.m.
Radlett CC Won by 6 wickets

Match report Radlett fifths chased down a Berkhamsted third-team declaration of 215 to secure their second Division 11 win of the season, a surprise away success against likely promotion candidates.

Radlett's six-wicket win came with four balls to spare after a splendid opening stand of 132 between Tom Clare and Marcus Freeman, which made the declaration look over-generous. Clare scored freely from the start for his 76, and Freeman, hitting his second fifty, batted soundly enough to suggest that regular coaching from the club's teaching pro Shane Burger was paying dividends.

When Clare was dismissed edging a cut, Mike Dexter arrived with a brisk momentum to maintain, which he managed to do with as much huffing and puffing as he was allowed at the age of 67 and he eventually hit four, four, six consecutively in one productive over.

The score reached 158 before the second wicket fell, and Joe Wharton, an exciting prospect at the age of 15, smashed 20 off 13 balls to take the game away from Berko. Nick Ingram holed out in the deep, but Charlie Randall saw his side home calmly.

Certainly it was a difficult decision for the home captain, who decided to call his side in after 41 overs, leaving Radlett 49 in reply. His gesture effectively excluded a draw as far as Radlett were concerned. The pitch proved almost perfect for batting, a manicured green carpet that allowed bowlers little scope and made batting second essential. Berkhamsted were indebted to a rapid 101 by their opener Alex Hardwicke, his second century this season, and they would probably have won chasing a total -- though not necessarily.

Television football commentator Peter Drury was held at slip by Randall off Peter Wharton for an early Radlett success, but Hardwicke, after a couple of early scares against Wharton, picked up length unerringly to lift his season's run tally to 337 in five innings for twice out.

When Hardwicke skied Randall to Ingram at mid-off, the score was only 155, and Berkhamsted found subsequent progress more risky as John Mansell returned to pick up two wickets after an early mauling by Hardwicke. In fact the Radlett attack did little wrong, and under-14 seamer Ben Lederman could take special credit for his five-over spell with the new ball, which cost only 22 runs.

The lasting memories were Clare's all-round strokekplay and Ender Tahsin's tumbling act in the field. Ender, attempting to reach a lofted drive on the long-off boundary, had the near-impossible task of running down a steep incline while looking skywards, and three times he staggered to his knees while the ball was in flight. He didn't even bother to get up for a third time as the ball landed just over the line for six.

Berkhamsted III Batting
Player name Runs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 4 wickets
0
215 (0.0 overs)
Alex Hardwicke Caught  101
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Radlett CC 5th XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Pete Wharton11.0048148.004.36
Benjamin Lederman5.012200.004.40
John Mansell5.0033216.506.60
Nick Ingram9.015000.005.56
Charles Randall7.0027127.003.86
Keerthi Sirimanne4.003100.007.75

Radlett CC 5th XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 4 wickets
0
217
(0.0 overs)		    
Tom Clare Caught  76
Marcus Freeman Bowled  55
Mike Dexter Not Out  34
Joe Wharton Run out  20
Nick Ingram Caught  0 2
Charles Randall Not Out  9 1
Ender Tahsin  
Keerthi Sirimanne  
John Mansell   1
Pete Wharton  
Benjamin Lederman  

Berkhamsted III Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.