2’s Smash Datchworth II’s to go Second
The two’s recorded their tenth win of the season to secure second place in the table and bring promotion onto the horizon. Skipper Rob Dunn won the toss and had no hesitation in inserting Datchworth. He was rewarded by a superb bowling display from Farakh Raz who took 5-19 off 14 overs including 4 maidens removing both openers in the process. Dave Coombes chipped in with 3-10 and Skipper Dunn bagged himself the opposition number 3.
As with the ones, the two’s made hard work of the small total, having reached 43-1 they then lost 4 wickets for 4 runs to be reduced to 47 for 5 but Dave Coombes & Nav Parkar saw the side over the finish line.
2nd XI March On
Written by “Fitzy”,
On the sixth weekend of the season, the second eleven were to host the team standing rock bottom of division 10, Boxmoor II. With Skipper Rob Dunne up in Scotland munching on some deep fried mars bars, captain for the day was the familiar face of Smithy, who decided to stick the oppo in.Simon Godfrey and Pete “Bazza” Mackay took the new ball on the extremely bowler-friendly wicket and after 10 overs and some extremely tight bowling, Boxmoor had only just got into double figures, with both bowlers claiming their first wickets. After Simon finished his first 7 over spell, Bazza kept on the pressure from the top end, using the wind and the new ball to great effect against a struggling batting line-up. A sterling performance from Mackay (including a Triple-wicket maiden) saw him finish with figures of 16overs-8maidens-22runs-6wickets. Godfrey came back on to finish off the innings which saw him finish with figures of 8overs-5maidens-9runs-2wickets – good luck at cub camp next week Simon!!! All Credit to the Oe’s team who bowled and fielded excellently to restrict to visitors to a mere 91.
With Paul “Pablo” Lissowski and Skipper Rob Dunne missing (who together have scored nearly 50% of the teams runs this season) the 2nd eleven were looking to avoid a reoccurrence of the horrors of their unsuccessful chase of 105 against Northwood. However innings lasted only 16overs. After a promising start with Javid Akhtar smashing 16 in the 2nd over, his dismissal was shortly followed by the departure of Fitzy and Nav. However the cool heads of Rob Jones (24*) and Dom Goring (16*) steered the home team to victory with extras top scoring with 26!!The second eleven stay 2nd in the league having now won 5 out of 6 (the same number of games won the whole of last season!) and with 4 top of the table clashes in the next four weeks, it could be a make or break month for the promotion chasers!!
Summary
Boxmoor – 91 (39 overs) [Mackay 6-22, Godfrey 2-9]
OECC – 94-3 (16 overs) [Jones 24*, D.Goring 16*]
2nd XI Continue Winning Run
On a breezy day, the 2nd XI travelled to Welwyn garden city looking for their 4th victory of the season. Having lost the toss we were asked to bowl first, on what looked like a belting wicket. Simon Godfrey opened the bowling however, and first ball cleaned up their opening batsman and captain by almost knocking out his off stump. In his first spell of 7 overs he took 5 more wickets, all bowled. Welwyn looked all but out at 41-6. A small partnership took them to 71-6 before Simon returned to claim two more victims, as well as Shane Millar pitching in with a wicket of his own to take the score to 95-9. The 2nd XI got complacent and their opening batsman who was still in and their number 11 guided Welwyn to a challenging total of 179-9 from their 53 overs. Simon Godfrey finishing with figures of 8-33 after two scintillating spells of fast bowling.
With the team feeling like they had lost the game after such a strong fight back from the hosts, they took to the field with the bat, looking to chase 180. Javid Akhtar got the 2’s off to a storming start racing to 50 with the score 70-0. Other opener Paul Lissowski had barely seen the strike as Javid ‘slogged’ his way to 55, before eventually being caught on the mid-wicket boundary (after almost reducing the two opening bowlers to tears with his hitting). The wicket brought Will Montgomery to the crease and he and Lissowski knocked the ball around for singles, with all the pressure lifted after Javids rapid start. With about 130 on the board, a change of bowling brought about the wicket of Montgomery (20) with a belting delivery nipping back off the seam to take his off stump. After a duck from Nav Parkar, Kailesh Gadhavi joined Lissowski at the crease and the two of them punished the straight bowling. Gadhavi got out with 10 required to win, having racked up a rapid 20 or so runs. In came Rob Jones (0*) to finish off the job with the unbeaten (run machine!!) Lissowski (82*) to secure what turned out to be a comfortable chase. The 2’s move up to 2nd in the table, 7 points behind the leaders, continuing their strong start to the season.
Summary
Welwyn Garden City IV 179-9 53 overs (S.Godfrey 8-33)
Old Elizabethans II 181-4 35.4overs (P.Lissowski 82*, J.Akhtar 55)
Lissowski Leads Second XI To 4th
The two’s mirrored the one’s as they claimed their thrid win of the season at home to West Herts III. After winning the toss and electing to bat, the West Herts III skipper would have been disappointed at being dismissed for 173 by some excellant bowling from OE’s attack. Skipper Rob Dunn took 3-39, Shane Millar continued his good start to the season with 2-59 from 15 overs, but debutant Kailesh Gudhavi stole the show with match winning figures of 14.1-2-39-4.
Over to the batsman and Paul Lissowski continued his own excellant start to the season with a well made 50, when he was dismissed with the score on 104. A mid-order collapse looked on the cards as a further 2 wickets fell for just 3 runs leaving the 2′s on 107-5, however Farakh Raz (33*) and Rob Jones (31*) steered the side home with an unbroken stand of 67 for a 5 wicket vicorty and 4th place in the table.
Summary
West Herts III 173 All Out (K.Gadhavi 4-39)
Old Elizabethans II 176-5 (P.Lissowski 50)
Two out of Three isn’t bad!
Old Elizabethan’s first XI got off to a fling start this weekend with a victory over Broxbourne II in Division 5 of the Hertfordshire League. After winning the toss and inserting the opposition, skipper James Heavey was probably having second thoughts when Broxbourne raced to 77 without loss off 12 overs. Following the breakthrough, OE’s slowed the run rate right down and were able to restrict Broxbourne to 207-7 off their 53 overs, this was largely thanks to a marathon spell from off spinner Navaid Akhtar who ended with figures of 19-1-36-3 and some excellent ground fielding to back up the bowlers on a pitch that offered very little.
The OE’s top order felt very confident in chasing down the target and this was helped by a superb innings of 85 from Matt Holland. After losing an early wicket, Holland was pushed up the order from 7 to 3 to get some quick runs in a pinch hitting role, at the end of his innings he had staked a claim for a slot in the top order. The win was sealed with Navaid Akhtar (48*) and Rob Gibson (28*) seeing the side home for a six wicket win with four overs to spare.
Summary
Broxbourne II 207-7 (D.Smith 74 N.Akhtar 3-36) Old Elizabethans 208-4 (M.Holland 85, N.Akhtar 48*) Link to Scorecard
Elsewhere, it was victory as well for the second as well with new skipper Rob Dunn getting off to the perfect start, having won the toss and elected to bat, Dunn couldn’t have been happier with openers as they amassed 165 for the first wicket with opener Paul Lissowski (95) and Andy Vernon (73) putting the Sandridge II bowlers to the sword. The innings finished with the total of 266-3 with Captain Dunn afforded the luxury of declaring in 47 overs. The OE’s bowlers made light work of the opposition batsman dismissing them for a mere 134 with Rob Jones the star of the show finishing with figures of 4-29.
Summary
Old Elizabethans II 266-3 (P.Lissowski 95, A.Vernon 73) Sandridge II 134-10 (R.Jones 4-29)
And finally, the third XI nearly snuck victory from the jaws of defeat as they lost by two wickets at home to Shenley Village IV, having been dismissed for just 121 the third XI made early forced victory taking 8 wickets to at least take 10 points from their opening game.
Summary
Old Elizabethans 121-10 Shenley Village IV 125-8
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