Match Reports for 2013
View the Ducks , Highest Scores/Wickets and Averages for all 5 Mens sides (16 June)
Saturday 25th May
HCPL Div 2 East – HHTCC I vs Knebworth Park I
HHTCC I: 176
Knebworth Park I: 110
Promoted up from the Herts League Div. 1 last year Knebworth Park I proved little in opposition to Hemel Hempstead I in their first encounter in the 2013 HCPL Div. 2 East. Putting Hemel in to bat they did at least bowl them out in the 50th over for 176. Brett Penny led from the top with 38, 29 from Josh Graves further down the batting at 7 and teen scores from Gareth James (17), Nick Hodgins (15), Brad Finch (12) and Kashif Dalvi (11) saw Hemel to their score. At 47 – 7 after 20 overs the writting was on the wall for Knebworth as Bret Penny ( 3-21) and Steve Reader ( 2-20) saw them off. Few lusty blows from Charlie Randal (24) and Kumundu Ushettige (22) at the end saw KP over the 100 but the spin of Nick Hodgins (2-8) and Path Mehta (2-18) finished off the job for Hemel in 30 overs. Hemel maintained their position at 2nd in the league behind Radlett who have won all their 3 games so far.
Herts League Div 2 – Northchurch I vs HHTCC II
Northchurch I: 168
HHTCC II: 188
A good 5 over spell of tight bowling from Matt Dale ( 0-18) dragged Hemel back into a game that unbeaten Northchurch had looked like cruising to victory in. Northchurch ended up playing 3 overs out at the end to finish 20 runs behind Hemel with only 3 wickets left. Matt Petchell, on his return from last years sojurn at Chips/Clarendon, bowled all the way through for Hemel II’s to return 6-76 from 23 overs. Batting first, Hemel II’s had struggled a bit at 90 – 4 after 32 overs but 52 from Graham Clark, run out off their last ball, saw them round to 188 – 6. He and Matt Dale (38) put on a partnership of 86 for the 5th wicket to turn the game towards Hemel. In the end a draw for the 2 sides.
Herts League Div 6 – HHTCC III vs Old Finchleians II
HHTCC III: 168
Old Finchleians II: 217
Old Finchleians II’s openers Yashraj Jetwa (70 and Himanshu Depala (73) set the tone for this match as they marched OF II’s to a commanding score. Only success for Hemel’s bowlers was Scott Radcliffe who managed a return of 4-72. Chasing 217-5 was always going to be a tall order for Hemel III’s and losing Chris Nuttall for a duck in the 4th over did not help matters. Skipper Jim Birnie held things together with 47 but when he was run out with the score at 81-5 it was knuckling down time. Young Will Langley dug in for 54* and his following batsmen Charlie Hoskins (12), Andy Turbutt (19) and Adam Moulster (17*) saw Hemel to the safety of a draw.
Herts League Div 8 – HHTCC IV vs Bushey II
HHTCC IV: 153
Bushey II: 154
Always sad to score a century for your side at 4th XI level a still end up losing the game. That is what happened to young Aaron Wilson of the U-17 age group who openedscored 105 and then was the last man out. Trouble was only Rahul Kedia with 21, batting at no.9, managed to make double figures as Hemel IV’s were bowled out for 153. Bushey II’s then proceeded to tap off the runs in 38 overs for the loss of just 4 wickets. Strange result for an Hemel IV side that won their first 2 games and were top of Div.8 against a Bushey II side for whom this was their first league win of the season and are currently 3 off the bottom of Div.8.
Herts League Div 12 – Bushey III vs HHTCC V
Bushey III: 147
HHTCC V: 62
The hard part done with bowling Bushey III out for just 147, Richard Morton to the fore with 4-44. But then the batting was not ablle to take advantage as Hemel V’s subsided to just 62 all out. Only Graham Wright with 19 and Vinnie Liddar with 10 made it to double figures. With that result Hemel V’s slid to the bottom of the Herts League Div. 12.
Saturday 11th May
HCPL Div 2 East – HHTCC I vs Hoddesdon I
HHTTC I: 241
Hoddesdon I: 243
Not a great start to the 2013 HCPL season for Hemel 1st XI with a home defeat by Hoddesdon. First game also of the 50 over format introduced this year and Hoddy won with 4 balls to spare. Put in Hemel got off to a good, but perhaps, slow start with Brett Penny (83) and Hem Ilangaratne (57) putting on 125 for the first wicket in 33 overs. A bit of bashing from Nick Hodgins, coming in at 4, scoring 27* from 16 balls saw Hemel up to 241 – 4 from their 50 overs. Hoddy started off at about 5 an over, scoring 58 from the first 10 overs, slipped to 89 from 20 but made up to 145 from 30 overs. 193 – 3 from 40 overs kept them there to sneak in with 4 balls to spare and 7 wickets down. Nick Hodgins with 3 – 45 and Brett Penny with 2 – 33 from their 10 overs were the main Hemel wicket takers.
Herts League Div 2 – WGC II vs HHTCC II
WGC II: 54
HHTCC II: 166
Rain stopped play at 5.52pm and the game was called off at 6.15pm as a non result just as Hemel II had got the upper hand and were looking to drive for another victory. Put in by WGC II Hemel II had managed to put together 166 – 8 on a tricky early season wicket. 55 from skipper Neil Morgan together with 35 from opener Tom Elborn helped put on 83 for the 2nd wicket as Hemel gropped their way along. Then Billy May struck with a double wicket maiden in his 3rd over and Bryan davies removed the WGC opener to have them struggling at 31 – 3 after 16 overs. Trying to put together their innings WGC had crept to 54 – 3 before the heavens opened and the game was called off.
Herts League Div 6 – Flitwick II vs HHTCC III
Flitwick II: 157
HHTCC III: 178
Almost there as Hemel III’s just failed to take the last wicket to give them a second victory at the start of the 2013 league season. As it was Flickwick managed to hold out for the draw and Hemel had to settle for 15 points. Put in by Flitwick Hemel were struggling at 40 – 4 but 68 from Ram Hussain, assisted by 39 from Will Langley and 13 from Andy Turbutt saw Hemel up to 178. Then 3-43 from Phil Freebrey and 3-50 from Ross Chapman saw Hemel in charge. Despite 2-15 from Adam Moulster they just managed not to take the last wicket and Flitwick held out.
Herts League Div 8 – Totteridge Millhillians IV vs HHTCC IV
Totteridge Millhillians IV: 162
HHTCC IV: 163
2nd win for Hemel IV’s as they move to the top of Div. 8. This week it was chasing the score of 162 that they had bowled Totteridge Millhillians IV out for. Ben Dumpleton had been the star for Hemel as he picked up 6 – 44 from his 15 overs. Vice captain gets the wickets, skipper responded by scoring the runs as Steve Smith led the chase with 57. Useful knocks from Rahul Wickramsinghe (26) and Kyle Malan (23) helped him along until Ryan Wilson (20*) and Rahul Kedia (10*) saw Hemel IV’s home.
Herts League Div 12 – Berkhamsted III vs HHTCC V
Berkhamsted III: 161
HHTCC V: 30
Another victim to the weather as Hemel v’s vs Berko III’s was called off when Hemel’s reply had hardly started, well 10 overs into their reply, at the fall of their first wicket. Berko had amassed 161 – 9 in their alloted 47 overs with skipper Trevor Radcliffe leading the Hemel bowlers with 4 – 50, ably supported by Keiran Sarsons with 3 – 25 and Vinnie Liddar with 2 – 48. Chase was on but rain had other ideas.
Saturday 4th May
Herts League Div 2 – HHTCC II vs Shenley Village I
HHTCC II: 140
Shenley Village II: 66
First League game of the season under new captain Neil Morgan, win the toss, bat first, all out for 140. Sense of fear or trepidation ? No, bowlers to the fore with 3 wickets each for Bryan Davies (3-33), Faisal Iqbal (3-15) and Billy May who managed the incredible figures of 2.5 overs 2 maidens 0 runs 3 wickets. Cleaned the tail up and starts the next game on an hat trick. Shenley Village all out for 66. Earlier Josh Graves had top scored for Hemel with 25, which says it all. Shenley and Hemel were both promoted from Div. 3 at the end of 2009 when Shenley won Div. 3 and Hemel came 4th.
Herts League Div 6 – Shenley Village II vs HHTCC III
Shenley Village II: 189
HHTCC III: 191
The double over Shenley Village as Hemel III’s beat their II’s as Hemel II’s beat their I’s. Batting first Shenley were undone by Hemel’s slower bowlers with Scott Radcliffe picking up 4 – 33 and Anjam Khan 2 – 13. Few early wickets went down in Hemel’s chase then Tom Waterton ( 60 ) got his eye in and vigorous support from Anjam Khan ( 47 ) and Rameez Hussain ( 33 ) saw Hemel home with 7 wickets down.
Herts League Div 8 – HHTCC IV vs Northampton Exiles II
HHTCC IV: 246
Northampton Exiles II: 74
Not often that a skipper at 4th XI level doesn’t get a bat at number 4 when the side is batting first. Will Langley was out first ball and John Pearson, who had not played for a couple of years, went in and proceeded to score 156 in 38 overs along with Aaron Wilson ( 70*) as the pair put on 246 for Hemel IV’s 2nd wicket. They declared at the fall of Pearson’s wicket. Then Hemel IVs bowlers ran through the Northampton Exile II’s to put them out for 74. 3 – 11 for Charlie Hoskins and 2 – 18 for Ben Dumpleton.
Herts League Div 12 – HHTCC V vs Broxbourne IV
HHTCC V: 113
Broxbourne IV: 178
Despite an outstanding piece of seam bowling by Ross Chapman – claiming 7-62 from his 14 overs – Hemel V’s still managed to lose their Div. 12 game against new division arrivals Broxbourne IVs. Couple of 50’s from Powell and Dickson at the top of their batting order saw them on to 178. I reply the best Hemel could offer was a couple of 20s from opener Adam Locke (29) and middle order Carl Chapman (27). Hemel ended up losing by 65 runs.
Sunday 28th April
Friendly – Hawridge & Cholesbury vs HHTCC IV
Hawridge & Cholesbury: 173
HHTCC IV: 172
Early season, pre-league friendly, to get all the lower league players a game for Hemel before next Saturday. Regular game against Hawridge & Cholesbury to get things going, probably at about 4th XI level for the Hemel players. Good batting for John Clulow, who hit 44* and Jim Birnie who scored 43. Useful knock also for Jim Langley with 28 and Aaron Wilson with 21. But Hawridge had Jim Smith opening who made 64* to win the game for them. Couple of wickets for Charlie Hoskins (2-27) and the othe 3 shared between Adam Locke (1-28), Adam Moulster (1-21) and Jim Birnie (1-3).
A 5 wicket loss but good run out.
ECB National Club Championship – HHTCC I vs Brondesbury I
HHTCC I : 226
Brondesbury I: 220
1st round of the ECB National Club Championship and to quote the oft-used cliché, Hemel managed to drag victory from the jaws of defeat to beat Brondesbury and go through to the next round, away to Eastcote on 12th May. Hemel only managed 226 – 9 from their 45 overs, thought to be about 25 – 30 runs too light. 63 from Gareth James was the highlight with 38 from Steve Reader and 34 from Kashif Dalvi driving the score on later in the innings. Brondesbury, from the Middlesex County League Div. 2, seemed to be cruising along at 138 – 2 after 25 overs, only 89 runs to get in 20 overs with 8 wickets in hand and opener H Gimber (80) in command. But panic seemed to creep into their batting and Hemel kept chipping away. Even then after 39 overs with 6 to play Brondesbury were 202 – 5 and almost home. But the panic really took hold, run out came in, including H Gimber, as the Brondesbury tail really paniced. A time limit meant Hemel had to complete their overs by a certain time or get docked 6 runs which would have won the game for Brondesbury. Cometh the hour, Gareth James bowled the last 2 batsmen and Hemel sneaked home by 6 runs. Who said cricket was boring ?