Second XI begin life in new division with convincing win

Northchurch 2s began the new season in winning fashion, as they put in a performance that had the hallmarks of a team eager to impress in a higher division. The second team now play their cricket in division 8b, after a title winning campaign last year saw them promoted two divisions for 2017. Therefore, a six wicket win over a team that finished third last season was a hugely encouraging start.

Northchurch 2s were heavily impressive with the ball in their first outing, restricting the opposition to 183, before chasing those runs down with just 37.2 overs bowled.

Skipper Charles Fidler won the toss and invited Greenwood to bat first, a decision that was proved the right one, with the away team left reeling at 93 for 6. It was Fidler himself who picked up his side's first wicket of the season, as he removed one of the openers Badruj Jaman, who snicked behind into the safe hands of Mick Debenham for no score.

A partnership of 20 between Ed Gray and the Greenwood captain Chris Kent was then ended by Jack Randall, as he sent leg stump out of the ground to have the visiting team two down within the first ten overs. Northchurch were to then take four wickets in quick succession. Matt Dawson claimed four victims in the innings, the first of which fell during that cluster. He first removed the opener Gray, as he edged one into the hands of Ryan Smart at slip.

Chris Pearson (1-33) was proving dangerous at this point too, as he bowled with good pace and bounce on his league debut. He was unlucky to have a couple of chances put down, but was finally rewarded as he got Atique Ahmed out one run shy of his 50. Dawson then bowled Shafaat Hussain for a duck in the next over, before having James Otter edge behind for just five. His final wicket was that of Sunni Durrani who was clean bowled for just six.

Northchurch allowed things to slip a little as the innings went on, as a partnership of 42 for the eighth wicket allowed Greenwood to post a more respectable total than they would have thought at one point in their innings. Randall came back on and ended that partnership, as he trapped Talha LBW for eight, before Harry Chapman was rewarded for a tight spell with the wicket of Vishal Pujari who was caught on the boundary by Ben Pyne. Greenwood's final wicket was to fall in an unfortunate manner, as confusion between Khan, who batted very well at number six for 47, and Ajmal Hussain, saw the latter ran out by Ronak Patel as Northchurch were set 184 to win.

The hosts reply however started in the worst way possible. Patel was unluckily bowled just two balls into the innings, as the ball came off both bat and pad before hitting the stumps. The other opener, Chapman, took a while to get comfortable at the crease, but he and Mike James put on a valuable partnership of 55 that helped build the foundations for Northchurch's successful run chase. Chapman was indeed the next man to depart, as he went caught and bowled, chipping the ball into the hands of Pujari for 16.

Another fifty partnership between James and Fidler then followed, with the pair negotiating the Greenwood bowling fairly easily. Both batsmen were able to turn over the strike well, hitting any bad balls for four along the way. The third wicket fell on 107, as Fidler mistimed a shot straight into the hands of the short mid-wicket fielder for 25. A valuable innings of 51 from James was then ended by Jaman, as he tried to accelerate the scoring but instead skied a shot into the hands of the fielder.

That was the final wicket to fall, as Smart and Randall guided Northchurch home for a six wicket victory. Smart was hugely impressive with the bat, scoring 44 quick runs as he took a liking to the Greenwood bowling attack. It was typical of his innings that he finished the match with a four, as he played a lovely shot straight back past the bowler to end the game.

It was a brilliant win for Northchurch, who after that opening win will hope to cement themselves in the division following promotion. Next up for the second XI is an away game against Waltham Cross Rosedale.