Scorecard

Northwood Town Cricket Club Saturday 2nd XI v Leverstock Green III on Sat 25 Aug 2012 at 1.00pm
Northwood Town Cricket Club Won by 3 wickets

Match report Northwood Town II picked up their fourth win in 5 games to maintain their promotion push after a crucial and hard-fought win over Leverstock Green III. It was a significant day in Division 9; Greenwood Park were awarded 30 points after Wormley II conceeded but with Baldock being held to a draw with Broxbourne and Mill Hill Village’s trip to Allenburys being brought to a premature end by the rain – the promotion places had a congested look to them with just 18 points separating second to fifth.

On a humid and unsettled day, the struggling visitors arrived at Chestnut Avenue with just nine men. Town lost the toss and were asked to field first. Neal Furmenger and Adam Hills took the new ball and both were on the money from the word go; Furmenger with that constant nagging off-stump line and Hills bowling with some decent pace and swing. However, Leverstock’s opening pair of Turner and Evans were determined not to give their wickets away, perhaps conscious of the young and exposed batting line up beneath them and despite some luck with dropped catches and close shaves, dug in well. Either side of a 20 minute rain delay, scoring was at a premium but the visitors kept wickets in hand. It was a rather familiar story of how many of Town’s games have gone this season. Furmenger finally removed Turner in the 14th over but Lake followed suit and continued to ground out runs.

Following the rain break, Leverstock were given a reduced allocation of 50 overs and with 10 to go, they had scored 111. It was to Town’s credit that they continued to keep the scoring down and the re-introduction of Adam Hills (3/53) in conjunction with Suvin Mekwan (2/30) brought a flurry of late wickets as the visitors tried to kick on. Leverstock managed 161/6 off their allotted overs and Town knew it was a very chase-able but tricky target to get. Town’s response after tea was interrupted for another rain break which further reduced Town’s allocation from 44 to thirty-eight overs. Richard Robbins fell cheaply when he got a nick when trying to pull a short ball and skipper Ramawat fell cheaply again when he was caught at point for just 3. Town looked in a little trouble but, not for the first time this season – it was the reliable Andy Burt who helped stabilise the innings by adding 53 to the score in a partnership with Jim Cotton. When Burt edged behind for 17, Kunal Sanghi continued the good work and Town edged ever closer to their target. The run rate was never going to be an issue but the loss of wickets could be.

When Jim Cotton was out for an excellent 58, stumped by a good piece of work by Lake – Town suffered a wobble as Sanghi then edged behind and Hills mistimed a leg-glance to be caught in the covers. Suddenly the game was in the balance again but Suvin Mekwan marched out into the middle and decided that attack was the best answer. He plundered the Leverstock attack all over the ground with a number of maximums. Despite losing Ravi Kotecha late on, Town got home with three wickets to spare and 6.1 overs remaining. It was a victory that Town were made to fight hard for but one which was very satisfying.

So, two games remain and there is all to play for. Old Owens are all but promoted and it would take a brave man to back against Mill Hill Village who incidentally play Baldock next week. But for Town, the only thing that should be of interest is ensuring that they get maximum points from a tricky trip away at Berkhamsted next weekend.

Leverstock Green III Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 7w 2b 8lb 
for 6 wickets
18
161 (50.0 overs)		     
K Turner ct  Mekwan b Furmenger 25
G Evans ct  Cotton b Hills 70
D Lake b  Mekwan 28
K Brett b  Mekwan 9
W Murray ct  Burt b Hills 7
S May ct  Mekwan b Hills 2
G Taverner Not Out  5
D Clarke Not Out  2
J Evans  
Not Present  
Not Present  

Northwood Town Cricket Club Saturday 2nd XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Neal Furmenger17.0630130.001.76
Adam Hills15.0253317.673.53
Mitesh Parmar10.003900.003.90
Suvin Mekwan8.0030215.003.75

Northwood Town Cricket Club Saturday 2nd XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 7 wickets
0
162		        
Jamie Cotton st  Lake b G Evans 58 1
Richard Robbins ct  Turner b May 4
Ravi Ramawat ct  Lake b May 3
Andy Burt ct  Lake b May 17 1
Kunal Sanghi ct  Clarke b Turner 20
Adam Hills ct  Lake b Turner 2
Ravi Kotecha ct  Evans b Turner 6
Suvin Mekwan Not Out  38 2
Bobby Graham Not Out  0
Mitesh Parmar  
Neal Furmenger  

Leverstock Green III Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
K Brett9.012700.003.00
S May7.0054318.007.71
K Turner9.5047315.674.78
G Evans4.0014114.003.50