2nds get first win on the board in thrilling fashion

In probably the most extraordinary game in recent memory, Rickmansworth had misfortune, bad luck, dropped catches, 5 ducks in the game, bounce, no bounce, and deviation and yet somehow managed to come away with a victory that will live ling in the memories of those who took part.

Ricky were unlucky to be put into bat at Ascot Lane, home of Hatfield Cricket Club, on what appeared to be a minefield and so it quickly proved as Callum got a ball that wizzed past his nose and then another that got no higher than 12 inches, both on the same length. He was even unluckier to get a ball that jagged back and hit off stump. Bobby then played at a wide one and dollied up and catch and Yusuf had a shocker when the ball didn’t bounce at all and rolled along the ground to cannon into middle stump. That the Hatfield team celebrated the wicket was a little embarrassing. But Ricky were 8/3 and the top order back in the hutch without a run between them.

Stefan and Harvey dug in before Harvey also got a jaffa, and then Fizzy and Stefan put on 46 before Fizzy couldn’t resist a big shot and got caught. And then history repeated itself…Stefan got out LBW for 35, followed by Fred (0) and Sohan (0). From 81/4 Ricky were now 83/8. But unlike previous years, this 2nd XI has a stiffer backbone and first Saffie and Zaf (partnership 21) and Saffie and John (partnership 24) enabled Ricky to stumble to 128 all out. Saffie has been a revelation since he re-joined the team this year. It certainly wasn’t riches, but it did give the bowlers a chance, especially as Stefan had a wealth to choose from.

But suddenly, the Hatfield wicket looked like a feather-bed and some over-pitched balls and quality leaving by the opening pair saw 25% of the runs in the bag and 34/0 before Harvey got the breakthrough, bowling the skipper. Now it was the turn of Hatfield to squirm as Harvey bowled an astonishing spell of fast bowling to rip the batting apart. He finished with 5-21. His first 5 wicket haul. Callum Cusack came into the attack and got 2 wickets in an over and Hatfield had collapsed to 66/7. What happened next was something nobody had ever seen before. Saurabh defended a Harvey back of a length ball and it hit the ground at his feet. He stopped it with his foot and then tried to smash it to the boundary. The fielders appealed as one and he was given out, Hit Ball Twice. ! Extraordinary.

Now it was Hatfields time to dig in and the 9th pair put on 22 before a low scudder aiming for middle stump did for Hasitha. HCC still needed 40 runs at this point. But they played well. 3 catches went down in the field as the runs piled up and 40 became 30, 20, 10 and then 5. Stefan brought the field in and Hatfield needed 2 runs to win. However, in a last remarkable twist, Fizzy put the ball just on off-stump and the No11 snicked it to Stefan who held onto a catch at first slip to win the match for Ricky. He was piled onto in Champions League style amidst wild celebrations.

The 30 points enabled Ricky to move out of the relegation zone and bring a bit of belief back into the team. And nobody who was there will ever forget the game, or Stefan’s catch. Quite Remarkable