Super Suckling smashes six

Like rats of out Hamelin, Hoddesdon high street emptied as more and more spectators flocked to the town's cricket ground, having heard whispers that Northchurch's keeper now has a bat with a middle. So large were the crowds that Donald Trump's official inauguration day Audience Counting Team were drafted in to help assess the number of the masses. Head of the counting team, Alan McCountface, gave the official figure of 'some' people.

Google was contacted after the match to assist with measuring the distance of Suckling's maximum. Having received no response, we came up with a team-average estimate of 38 yards (short boundary), however, to put the achievement into context, only every other batter managed to clear the boundary on the day, in addition to eight year old Tyler having a knock around at tea time. Tyler managed a 40 yard six.

The lusty blow places Matt equal 65 in the NCC all-time records for number of sixes hit, with a total of one career six. His appeal to the club archivist that he had hit at least two more fell on deaf ears as it emerged that one had been in an indoor match and the other in an U13 match (when Matt had already reached the age of 20).

With the delirium of the event lasting literally seconds, the important context in which it happened was almost forgotten. Earlier in the day, Northchurch had been asked to bowl on flattish looking pitch. The Hoddesdon openers had got off to a flyer against the new ball.

The introduction of spin from one end made batting more challenging and the skipper was rewarded for hitting the pitch hard at the other. The break through (85/1) allowed NCC to build up a bit more pressure and the run rate was pegged right back from over five to under three. Romit and Hobes bowled particularly well in tandem to build up the pressure and the fielders kept the faith. The Hoddesdon innings never regained its early momentum and Northchurch were quite happy to go into tea needing 220 for victory.

It was down to Suckling and Garraway to do a rebuild job after the early loss of both openers for a duck. And what a rebuild it was. Playing relatively risk free cricket, the pair added 93 for the 3rd wicket at seven per over. This partnership included a lusty six hit by Suckling which I can't remember if I've mentioned yet. Seeing a flighted ball, he advanced down the pitch and held his shape to clip a supremely timed ...EDITED OUT.

Against the run of play, Suckling felt somewhat unlucky to be given out LBW but Henry, replacing him, looked assured. What happened next was not quite as remarkable as Matt's six but deserves a few words nonetheless. Returning opener Stevenson, bowled a fine over in which he had Garraway, who was set on 50, in some bother but could not shift the batsman. The following over, he adjusted his length and took four wickets in four balls, to bring his tally to six and Northchurch's duck count to five. Vila kept the last two deliveries of that amazing over out but, after a modest but import partnership with Bexon, succumbed in Stevenson's last with the team still needing 25. However, with 80 balls to face, Henry set and the very capable James and Johnson to come, the watching NCC men maintained hope.

Sadly, the pressure was too much and the remaining two wickets fell. Stevenson's seven for 34, including double hat-trick, had dug his team out of a hole for sure. Northchurch had been cruising on 160 for three before the collapse.

The visitors left the game with 16 points, placing them second in the league, and agreeing that we had played better cricket for all but a handful of overs of the match. Excellent spells by Darren, Romit and Hobes, a five-fer for the skipper and the partnerships from Garraway, Suckling and Bexon were all reasons to be confident going into next weeks encounter with Luton Town and Indians IIs.