Clinical Northchurch win at a canter

Highlights: McGiffin 5 for 14, Garraway 83*
Full scorecard here.

Winning the toss, Northchurch skipper Tom Vila elected to bowl first, confessing to his team that the decision was made on the basis of having no idea how the apparently underprepared pitch would play.

Hobley (3-0-15-1) rolled back the years to take the new ball and found success with his seventh (legal) delivery, trapping the Old Finchleians opener LBW with a fast Yorker. OJ (10-4-20-0), coming up the hill was superbly accurate and recorded an economy rate of just two an over from his 10, including an old fashioned four maidens.

McGiffin, replacing Hobley down the hill, bowled aggressively and was soon in the wickets as one flew off the shoulder of the bat to a jugging Javelin Dave at gully. The Aussie was unlucky not to get a second in the same over as the number three gloved a lifting delivery skyward, only to be saved by the peak of his cap which took the energy out of the ball to see it land safely beside him. He called for a helmet to face the next over but was clean bowled, hanging back and expecting another short one.

John ‘bus spotter’ Barry (10-0-22-0 - picture sporting the DotD wig) and Tom Garraway (10-0-48-0) kept things tight during the middle period and were able to build pressure thanks to excellent ring fielding from Liveing, Lindsay, Bexon and McGiffin. This pressure induced three run outs which sucked the momentum out of the innings and meant that OF’s somewhat limped along, galvanised only by 37 from the skipper, taking advantage of an aggressive field to plink the ball over the top, and 36 from the number 7 who targeted the short square boundary well. McGiffin returned to mop up the tail and notch his first five wicket haul in the UK, finishing with impressive figures of 8-1-14-5.

Bowling OF’s out for 129 in just over 42 overs meant that Northchurch’s openers, Liveing and Bexon had a period of 30 minutes before tea to bat through. They faced just one over of seam before trial by leg spin began and were pleased to be 30 for no loss at the break.
Losing Liveing first ball after refreshments could have put the visitors under pressure on a turning pitch but Garraway counterattacked, timing the ball beautifully with proper cricket shots, while Bexon watchfully anchored the innings. The only scare came when Garraway was nearly run out after being called through for a tight but legitimate single to mid-off. Getting home safely speaks to his speed between the wickets, considering that he dropped his bat half way down and, not knowing if he was allowed to make his ground empty handed, returned to collect it before completing the run on his stomach with outstretched arm.

The pair put on a partnership of 100 to reel in the target with no further scares. Bexon was very correct in turning over the strike and Garraway characteristically brutal in putting away the bad ball, and often the good ones, to finish on 83 from 53 balls.

A rather one-sided affair on paper but a result that highlights the all-round strength of the Northchurch performance, rather than any inadequacies in the opposition who are clearly a strong side and will no doubt relish the chance for some pay back in the return fixture. We look forward to hosting H and his team at the The Meadow later in the season. Meanwhile Northchurch takes a four match winning streak and some excellent momentum into a top of the table clash with Redbourn next week.