Old Albanians v London Colney Cricket Club Sunday 1st XI on Sun 11 May 2008 at 2.00pm
London Colney Cricket Club Won by 1 wicket
In the annual Alex Holt memorial match, Capt Cock, on the hottest day of the year so far, lost the toss and, not unsurprisingly, was asked to field.
The pace of Tim Fretter opened with Uzman Zaman and were a little of target. Lewis (63) put away the bad balls.
The two openers put on 43 before Tim found the right spot to snare the OA's overseas West Indian, who had only landed on the day of the match. He edged behind. This was quickly followed by Winchester (0) who lasted just two balls, before he also edged behind.
Tim was replaced by Simon 'Slug' Fretter, fresh from a 7-34, quickly accounted for Lewis, when he bowled him with a straight ball.
Colney had started to pull the run rate back and this continued when Matt Irvine replaced Uzman. Slug took two further wickets when Uzman snapped a sharp chance at gully, before bowling the OA 1st Sat skipper for just 4.
A further wicket came when Morgan (0) was run out by Uzman when he wandered out of his ground.
Merv's good line/length was rewarded when Jerry Fretter took his 3rd catch behind the stumps.
Farouk Zaman replaced 'Slug' and he also took 3 wickets when Uzman took a one-handed, over his head catch. He then bowled a big-inswinger to account Morgan (3). The innings was finished when Alex McCartney took a fine catch at long off.
OA's had been bowled out for 174 with 10 balls of innings left.
After tea, the OA's overseas ran in bowling at a rapid pace, which Colney batsmen had probably never faced before.
Things looked good after first ball, as 'Slug, drove off the back foot for four. However, he fell to Roy on the 6th ball of the innings, after missing a fast yorker.
McCartney (0) fell without scoring, as he top edged to deep backward square. Uzman Zaman and Capt Cock then proceeded to push the score forward with little trouble. A stand of 73 was broken was Zaman (36) went for a big hit too far and was caught behind, off the back of the bat.
Goffy (2) was soon to follow when he pulled out of his shot, and could only spoon an easy catch.
With the arrival of Tim Fretter, Roy was brought back, in an attempt to get his own back, and war of words at half-time !!
Predictably, Roy produced bouncer after bouncer.... but when he did bowl a ball that was in the batsmen's half, Tim (4) could only spoon the catch.
Hadley passed 50 and looked in good form. A stand of 23 with Jerry Fretter looked like that they would ease the Colney side towards victory.
Even Roy with his bouncers could not unsettle Hadley, who imperiously hooked him for a boundary.
The introduction of slow bowling saw Hadley(70) perish when he could only hoist the ball to deep square leg.
Jerry Fretter (19) continued to push the score forwards and was unlucky when given out LBW to a ball pitching some distance outside leg stump !!
Farouk was caught behind for 3 and he was quickly followed by 'Wasp'.
The wickets seemed to bring the Colney charge to a finish, especially with Roy having two overs.
Irvine (15no) and Rouse (16no) played some top, proper cricket shots and gradually pushed the score closer and closer.
Roy was to bowl the 45 over, with Colney still needing 6 runs. Rouse took a two, followed by a single. This left Irvine with 3 balls to score 3 runs. However, two dot balls saw Colney needing two off the last ball. Roy proceeded to bowl a typical short ball. Irvine sliced over gully and saw the balls sail to the boundary.
Colney had won a terrific match by 1 wicket !!
Old Albanians Batting
174 for 10
| Lewis |
63 |
Bowled |
| Roy |
7 |
Caught |
| Winchester |
0 |
Caught |
| Corran |
23 |
Caught |
| Strange |
24 |
Caught |
| Smithers |
4 |
Bowled |
| Morgan A |
0 |
Run out |
| Burrows |
27 |
Caught |
| Morgan R |
3 |
Bowled |
| Perry |
17 |
Caught |
| Taylor |
0 |
Not Out |
London Colney Cricket Club Sunday 1st XI Bowling
London Colney Cricket Club Sunday 1st XI Batting
177 for 9
Old Albanians Bowling
| Roy |
9.0 |
1 |
39 |
2 |
19.50 |
4.33 |
| Corran |
9.0 |
0 |
29 |
1 |
29.00 |
3.22 |
| Perry |
10.0 |
1 |
32 |
1 |
32.00 |
3.20 |
| Smithers |
10.0 |
1 |
42 |
3 |
14.00 |
4.20 |
| Lewis |
7.0 |
0 |
23 |
2 |
11.50 |
3.29 |