Hales and pace overturn 1st XI

The pre-match pitch inspection identified a harder surface and less grass than usual at Redbourn Common. It was no surprise that the home side’s new captain Steve Richards elected to bat after winning the toss.

The opening pair made a cautious start, all too aware of the early threat of nibbling Ollie Johnson and swinging Charles Fidler. Ed Hales, who always looks good, was less aggressive and more focused than usual. With not much pace, bounce or movement on offer, the Northchurch slip cordon started to peel away just as quickly as the line of seamers fancying a bowl.

With patience, line and length the key, Fidler was eventually rewarded with the wicket of Pritchard, who was caught, first in two minds, then by Matt Suckling with the gloves. Dan Roe, relieved of the burden of captaincy, joined Hales and the pair made the most of the easy-paced pitch to compile a hundred run partnership. Hales was the aggressor, driving hard down the ground to accumulate and showing glimpses of his T20 pedigree with scoops off the stumps.

With a solid platform, Redbourn decided to press the accelerator but it became obvious that scoring quickly would not be easy on an increasingly grippy surface. Bexon’s disciplined line and length was rewarded with the wicket of Roe, who holed out to mid-off to spark a period of play during which Northchurch got back into the game. From 147 for 1, Redbourn found themselves on 198 for 5 and revising ambitions of posting 300. The only disappointment for Northchurch was that Hales reached reach three figures after being offered two lives. Heading into tea with the visitors needing 243 to win, both sides felt that the match was in the balance.

Redbourn’s last partnership of Giacometti and Lennox had demonstrated how Northchurch would need to go about batting on the ever-slowing pitch; tipping into gaps and creating singles from nowhere.

The second innings never really got going for the Black and Ambers and, somewhat surprisingly, it was Redbourn’s pace men, rather than their endless supply of spinners, who did the early damage. Liveing’s leaving undid him, as he was encouraged to shoulder arms to a ball on the line of fifth sump, only to be surprised by dramatic nip-back, which rattled his castle. Bexon was trapped LBW soon after by a ball that may have kept a little low and Hobley quickly followed, having been beaten through the gate by some more sharp seam. Meager and Suckling looked assured until, out of nowhere, Meager was run out coming back for what looked to all and sundry like a straightforward second. In the post-match press conference, Meager admitted ‘I haven’t played for a while and I have no idea how fast I can run.’ 38 for 4.

Enjoying the early inroads made by their seamer colleagues, the spinners came on with the luxury of a ring field and all the pressure on the batsmen. A trend followed of players getting in easily enough but then also getting out easily enough when trying to transfer some of the pressure back onto the bowlers. The Northchurch innings died out, though not without a few glowing embers of hope that may be fanned into some roaring flames next week, not least, confirmation that the team is blessed with competent batsmen throughout the order.

The match was well controlled by Redbourn, who made the most of runs on the board and early wickets to demonstrate their credentials in 50/50 cricket. Northchurch will be hungry for payback in the return fixture at the Meadow later in the year.