After a handful of poor performances where Rickmansworth didn’t turn up, it was back to winning ways with a bang for the 1st XI as they regained second place in the table from Old Camdenians. The fact this win was secured with two of our homegrown youth talent against a team reliant on a couple of overseas lads shows exactly why the Rickmansworth approach to cricket development is worthwhile and the right thing to do for us. It’s a policy etched into the DNA of all our teams – youth development front and centre. At the halfway stage in the season all five of our teams are competing at the higher end of the tables in part because of going with a youth and homegrown policy for players.

Back to the match and things were looking ominous when the boys bowled as, despite Harvey and Angus bowling tight lines and snaffling a handful of wickets. the OCCC South Africans, Elam and Sproul, were still at the crease and looking to build a total around 250 after reaching 120/3 after 30 overs. Due to good planning Rickmansworth have perhaps the best bowling attack in the division and the follow-up resources were able to able demonstrate this as once Elam was bowled for 45 by Aman this then offered access to the remainder of the OCCC batters (who rely heavily on them). Rameez was bowling leg spin at this stage and 4 of the remaining batsmen made zeros as 121/3 became 141 all out. 4 for Rameez and 3 for Aman. Having not made 141 in the chase last week we needed a good start.

Jeevan made 24 and Yash 12 in a steady opening partnership. 41 made and just 100 to go. But OCCC kept it tight and when those two departed, Matt got a grubber and Hadi was hit in the head first ball, so retired not out, Ricky were effectively 46-4 and making a hash of the chase.

Heroes don’t always wear capes, sometimes they wear Rickmansworth U9 shirts, and two lads who’ve been playing with Ricky, and together in the same team, since the age of seven now took the game by the scruff of the neck. The young Doctor (Raunak) , who honed his batting skills on the playing fields of Cambridge University, played a most sublime innings of 53 not out working the ball into spaces and running fluently. Something he has been doing for more than 10 years https://www.rickmansworthcc.co.uk/teams/82959/match-centre/1-1240947/report . At the other end was Harvey who always produces something special with bat or ball and is a true leader on the field. He put away both good and bad ball with finesse and kept scoring at a run a ball. When Harvey was dismissed, only 13 runs were needed to win and he and Raunak had put the game beyond doubt. Another Ricky win. It’s first versus second next Saturday at Park Road as Ricky take on Ickleford.

Despite losing, the second team jumped up a place in the table thanks to a reasonable points haul. However the manner of their defeat by 157 runs to league leaders Weston show they still have work to be done at the top of the table. Weston have a lot of experience and have brought in additional players this year from outside the village that certainly strengthen their team and so it proved as they racked up a extraordinary 321. Weston has always been a batting paradise but this was another level. Macca was awesome behind the stumps, grabbing a handful of victims, but it was only Shiv with 4 tail-enders that gave us a good total wickets column. 24 wides, including 12 from 2 bowlers who only bowled an over each, showed how Ricky were missing talisman Bev, as well as other bowlers.

The Ricky batsmen were unfazed by chasing such a big total and determined to enjoy the good conditions. Owen (30), Bobby (37) and Fizzy (42) batted well but Ricky‘s problems were exacerbated by a tail that started at number 6 (no offense intended Shiv ?). Nobody outside the top 4 reached double-figures as 132-4 became 164-10 on the best batting track of the year. It’s time for this 2nd XI to stand up and be counted as we are halfway through the season and just 23 points off a promotion spot.

Poor batting was also the fate of the 3rd XI who are losing touch in the promotion battle in Div 8. Stefan showed stiff resistance with 29 whilst wickets tumbled around him like ticker-tape at Easter parade. He was the only player in the top 6 to make double-figures even. A total of just 92, despite a spirited fightback by Nayan and Hassan was never going to trouble opponents like Gaddesdon and their bowling had as much to do with the downfall as our own batting. Gaurav tried 8 bowlers but wickets were at a premium against a team who could score at 3 an over and still win with ease. They did so for the loss of just 3 wickets.

The 4th XI seem to have their game wrapped up for 75 of the 80 overs that the game was due to last . Batting first an opening partnership of 89 between Paul (28) and Prasanth (52) again put Rickmansworth in a strong position to push on, just like 2 weeks ago, however the same thing happened again with quick wickets falling from the next batters. Some excellent batting by Max Austin (21) and Naeem (22) in particular enabled to team to reach 190 on the top square which should have been enough.

Regular wickets ensued when bowling, however Ricky dropped some catches and LGCC kept at it. 5 down, needing 66 to win off the last 30 balls, Ricky were favourites however Hill hit 37 runs off 21 balls and with the help of some extraordinary wides and no-balls, the runs flowed but the balls to bowl went up. LGCC won the game off the penultimate ball.

Finally the 5ths continue their great run with another win, despite having a very young side comprising a number of 13 year olds. Initially toiling against Harpenden who reached 158/3, it was an amazing bowling performance by Sohan Diwarker that turned the game on its head. Coming on as 4th change he took 7-15 in 7 overs and Harps were reduced to 180 all out. Another contender for MoM was then Rohit Chaudhary who scored 77 off 69 balls and with Hasan (35) put on 97 for the first wicket. Wickets then tumbled, however it was that man Diwaker again who contributed 18 runs to steady the ship and it was a good win by 3 wickets in a nervy finish.