Scorecard

Hatfield & Crusaders v Northwood Town Cricket Club Saturday 1st XI on Sat 17 Jul 2021 at 12pm
Northwood Town Cricket Club Won by 3 wickets

Match report Town travelled to Hatfield & Crusaders this week looking to bag another win and stay at the top of the table. It was going to be difficult day on the pitch as temperature was forecasted to reach 30C + and it didn’t help when Loomba continued usual ritual of losing the toss. It wasn’t a surprise that Town were asked to bowl first.

H&C batsmen started with cautious and struggled against accurate bowling of Lawrence and Vadgama. Lawrence who has shown over the last couple of weeks he can actually hit the stumps consistently removed H&C top 3 cheaply who were all bowled. That left H&C 18/3 in 8 overs. Replacing Vadgama was Malik who showed good control and bowled well. But Lawrence removed H&C’s no 5 to leave them 49/4 in 13 overs. It was a brilliant spell from Lawrence which deserved a 5-fa but finished with 31/4 in his 10 overs. To bowl 10 overs in that heat was a testament to Lawrence’s fitness which gets questioned by NTCC fans on regular basis. Replacing Lawrence was Madhavan who quickly settled in keeping it very tight. He was unlucky not to pick a wicket when a catch was dropped. While Malik removed dangerous looking Goulder leaving H&C 86/5 in 25 overs. Replacing Malik was K Patel whose first over was like someone bowling for the first time where 4 out of 6 bowls didn’t even pitch. And with temperature rising H&C started putting a small partnership together moving towards a target they can bowl at. But Madhavan in the last over of his spell removed Jennings (for a well-played inning of 48) and Hasiza in successive balls to leave himself on a hat trick. Were Town about to witness another hat trick this season (as Lawrence did few weeks ago)? What happened on the hat trick ball was an anti-climax you get in a Bollywood film where Madhavan just tried to fire it in and ended up bowing a half track which the batsman put away to run 3. Madhavan finished his spell 31/2. K Patel on the other end started bowling better (tbf not difficult after his 1st over) and was unlucky not get any wicket as there were couple of dropped catches. Vadgama came back on as Town tried to wrap up H&C’s inning and picked up 3 wickets in 2 overs. H&C setting Town 157 to win.

Town were very confident of chasing this target with ease but what was to follow nobody could have imagined (well except Loomba getting our cheaply). Loomba and Vadgama started cautiously as H&C bowlers bowled with great discipline. But despite Vadgama getting off the mark with a huge 6 he departed early continuing his bad form (like Euromillions roll over). Loomba followed soon throwing his wicket away leaving Town bit uneasy about chasing the target of 157. Modi walked out to bat at 3 and Town were hoping that his amazing form with the bat will continue but he edged it to the keeper trying to guide a ball to the third man. Not sure what happened but Modi just stood there while H&C were celebrating. Town players were confused as umpire didn’t raise his finger either but there was definitely an edge there which was as loud as 10 fighter jets flying 100 ft over your head. Umpire eventually giving him out and Town were in deep trouble. Town’s middle order has been very fragile this season and runs were hard to come by. M Patel and Sheikh tried to build a slow partnership but Sheikh got run out trying to take a quick single and that obviously played on M Patel’s mind as he too departed soon after. Unalkat who nearly pulled out of the game due to a very bad stomach bug was clearly struggling for fitness but had to go and try get Town some much needed runs but he too departed early. This left Town on 65/6 at which point Loomba very uncharacteristically commented that we’ve lost this game. Out of form Burt started playing cautiously supported by Madhvan. They showed how a partnership should be built with combination of rotating the strike as they ran well between the wickets and putting away any bad balls. Slowly Town started putting the runs on the board but it was still a big ask. However Burt looked so solid at the crease while Madhavan played his usually wristy shots. And in the next 15 overs they put on 64 runs partnership. All of a sudden pressure was back on H&C. Just when it looked like Town will chase the target with no further loss of the wicket Burt departed for well-played 31 leaving Town 28 to win. Burt may have been out form but the old cliche of “cometh the hour cometh the man” couldn’t have been truer as his inning brought town back in the game. With Lawrence struggling with the heat vice-captain K Patel walked out to bat at number 9 looking to support Madhavan to bring it home. At this point H&C thought they were back in the game with only 3 tail enders left to bat. However K Patel continued from last week hitting the first ball he saved over covers for 4 and the game was wrapped up in next 10 balls as he smashed his way to 26* town winning the game by 3 wickets. Madhvan with a brilliant inning of 36* runs adding to his couple of wickets (and a drop catch) delivered man of the match performance.

From 65/6 with out of form middle order this was a brilliant fight back from Town. This goes to shows they don’t know when they’re beaten and will keep fighting all the way.

Loomba spoke after the game: At one point I had given up on the game but I should have known better. We have a team of fighters who perform better when our back is against the wall. It’s so good to see our middle and lower order taking responsibility and winning the game. Burt and Madhavan deserve all the plaudits for their partnership and what an entertaining knock it was at the end by my vc K Patel.

Next week it’s a mouth-watering top of the table clash against Finchleians and it promises to be a cracker.

Hatfield & Crusaders Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 14w 3b 6lb 
for 10 wickets
25
156 (43.5 overs)		     
M Collins b  Lawrence 10
Y Kalaskar b  Lawrence 0
H Bond b  Lawrence 1
B Gethin-Golder b  Malik 27
L Wynne lbw  Lawrence 10
M Jennings b  Madhavan 48
B Clarke Not Out  24
D Hasiza lbw  Madhavan 0
I Golder ct  Lawrence b Vadgama 4
R Gethin-Golder b  Vadgama 4
G Wynne lbw  Vadgama 0

Northwood Town Cricket Club Saturday 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Veer Vadgama6.501836.002.63
Kyle Lawrence10.013147.753.10
Sajid Shafique Malik9.0038138.004.22
Nischay Madhavan10.0231215.503.10
Krunal Patel8.012800.003.50

Northwood Town Cricket Club Saturday 1st XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
8w 7lb 
for 7 wickets
15
157		        
Akshay Loomba ct  b Golder 11 1
Veer Vadgama ct  b Clark 13 1 1 1
Sohan Modi ct  b Clark 0
Mikhil Patel ct  b Golder 8
Tanveer Sheikh Run out  12 1
Amish Unalkat b  Hasiza 4
Andy Burt ct  b Bond 31 3
Nischay Madhavan Not Out  36 4
Krunal Patel Not Out  26 4 1
Kyle Lawrence  
Sajid Shafique Malik  

Hatfield & Crusaders Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
I Golder10.0412112.001.20
B Clark10.0036218.003.60
R Golder7.0119119.002.71
G Wynne10.013200.003.20
D Hasiza5.0120120.004.00
D Golder3.0025125.008.33

  • Umpire :
    Colin Lynch
  • Scorer :