Match
reports
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With
the first three matches of the season cancelled due to rain,
Harpenden Cavaliers eventually got 2004 underway with a
plum clash against Shenley Village CC.
The
location for the fixture was the picture-book environs of
Shenley Cricket Centre, which not only boasts a pavilion
designed by WG Grace but a wicket and outfield befitting
a first-class county. "Just the most perfect and idyllic
ground", said none other than Lord Cowdrey of Tonbridge,
a man better qualified than most to comment. With West Indies
due to play their last three-day warm up match before the
test series on that very square, who better than the Cavaliers
to test it out on their behalf?
Newly
appointed First XI Captain Jim Handford won the toss, decided
to field, and tossed the ball to his strike bowlers Nick
Brindley and Fraser Tant. This proved to be something of
a poisoned chalice, as out to the crease strode a batsman
who has just been promoted from the Sri Lankan U19 team
to the A team, and his Sri Lanka U19 batting coach. In what
was to become a recurring theme of the innings, the star
batsman spooned a catch to Simon Foster at point but, despite
having one of the safest pairs of hands in the side, the
ball slid out of Snr's grasp. Despite bowling a good line
and length and generating plenty of pace, the two opening
bowlers were carted to all corners of the ground as the
young opener took advantage of his lifeline and raced to
50 within about 8 overs.
At
the halfway stage of the innings, Shenley had raced to 140
without loss, with further relatively simple chances dropped
by Jamie and Paul Wise as the Cavs failed to reward their
bowlers for the opportunities they created. It was time
for the skipper to take matters in to his own hands and,
in the second ball after the drinks break, the Hat enticed
the Sri Lanka A opener to drive wildly at a wide one when
on 93 and keeper Gareth Lloyd made no mistake. Next in was
yet another Sri Lanka U19 star, and he was nearly back in
the pavilion first ball as Lloyd spilled an admittedly tough
chance down the leg side. Gratefully accepting this lifeline
with open arms, he carried on where his teammate left off
and kept the runrate marauding on at 7 an over.
The
next chance to go down fell to Tant at point, although the
dropped batsman's luck was short-lived as he gambled on
taking on Tim Firmin's arm from long-off. Firmin's throw
was a beauty, a direct hit seeing the batsman a good yard
short of the crease.
Somewhat
bizarrely, next to the wicket was Dalip Tahil, better known
as Eastenders' Dan Ferreira (http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/backstage/cast/cast_content/cast_dalip_t.shtml
) He may have gone awol from Walford, but there was no shifting
him from the crease as he held up one end and rotated the
strike to let his more expansive partners go through their
repertoires. One such partner soon Retired Hot (a little
odd for someone used to the tropical temperatures of Kandy
and Colombo), but he was replaced by yet another countryman
who continued in the same vein. There was just time for
Tim Foster to join the long list of dropped catch offenders
and for Tant to make a series of woeful fielding errors,
before the latter restored a modicum of pride by hitting
middle stump in the final over of the innings.
Chasing
a huge 297 of 40 overs was always going to be a steep task,
especially with heads down after a somewhat abject fielding
display. It's therefore a great credit to the Cavaliers
that they didn't buckle, reaching a very commendable score
against a strong bowling line up. Benny Rankin and Jay Wise
opened the batting, with Benny in to his shots quickly before
picking out mid off on 8. Paul Wise was next in, but lasted
only a few balls before playing all round a straight one
and registering the first Cavaliers' duck of the season.
The
skipper was next in, and he and Jamie set about building
an innings. Their partnership had stretched to beyond 50
before Jamie was stumped [I THINK - CHECK THIS] on 28, but
Jim went on to register yet another 50 for the Cavaliers,
leading by example in a chanceless knock of 57. On a belter
of a pitch, and clearly in good nick, he'll no doubt rue
passing up a great opportunity to register the first Cavaliers
ton, but this shouldn't detract from a great effort. Simon
Foster also looked in good form and played some lovely trademark
nudges and nurdles through point, and was unlucky to hit
wicket trying to tickle the single that would have brought
him a well-deserved 50.
Brindo
came and went for just 3, but with defeat all but assured
Lloyd and Tim Foster kept the scoreboard ticking over and
remained unbeaten when Foster Jr hit a four off the last
ball to take the Cavaliers to 200/6 off their 40 overs.
So,
a quite heavy defeat but the Cavs can take hear from a gutsy
performance with the ball and some very sensible batting
where previously they might have crumbled. If they can take
this forward to Theydon Bois next weekend, they'll be confident
about securing a victory.
Man
of the Match: Jim Handford
Champagne Moment: Tim Firmin's direct hit run out
Cap of Dishonour: Fraser Tant, for woeful (and out of character!)
fielding
