Yash returns in style to help seconds climb table

Highlights of the game include a brilliant return to the team for Yash with a man of the match performance. It was good to see Azeem returning to form and Bobby and Bilal keeping up their form from the previous game.

Despite being sunny and dry there was a strong expectation that the pitch would deteriorate very quickly. So Stefan was grateful to win another vital toss and bat first.

Azeem showed glimpses of the batter we know he is, hitting the first ball of the match elegantly for 4 through the covers. Meanwhile Ubaid played aggressively at the other end to give Ricky a fast start. At 29-0 after 7 overs, Ricky were looking well set on a pitch that was doing a lot, but we soon got a taste of things to come. Ubaid was given out LBW and sveral balls later Ali Abassi was given out run out whilst curiously standing inside the crease. Tensions were rising and the run rate had fallen. Azeem had lost two of his partners in quick succession, and after racking up 12 dot balls in a row, snicked a ball that bounced ferociously, though to the keeper. Ricky had lost 3 wickets for 3 runs, and were looking shaky.

In came Bobby and Bilal, the heroes from last week. It was essential that they steadied the ship. Tensions rose further when Bobby passed the ball back to their wicketkeeper, who subsequently tried to run him out. Several of their players appealed and several covered their faces in shame. Thankfully common sense prevailed. Both Bobby and Bilal batted sensibly, biding their time for the bad balls. From Ricky being unsettled, it seemed Luton became increasingly ruffled, with U. Zafar bowling two successive dangerous beamers and getting taken out of the attack. The scoring rate slowly started to improve, with the over before drinks going for 15 runs.

Shortly after drinks, Bilal fell for a well constructed 25, on a pitch where 25 was probably worth 50. In came skipper Stefan, in his new role at number 6. Stefan played out 18 dot balls before deciding to break the shackles and hit successive boundaries. Meanwhile Bobby fell to a long hop, a disappointing end to a good innings of 28 on a tough pitch. Stefan continued to throw the bat, getting to 16 in little time before slashing at a ball, and getting out.

With Waheed and Yash at the crease, and Saffy to come, Ricky knew that if they batted the full overs, they’d get close to 200. Both decided to see themselves in, before launching. Waheed was caught in the deep for 8, while Yash was beginning to find his range. Saffy came in and hit some clean strokes before getting bowled by a Murali style ripper pitching well outside off stump and hitting his middle peg. It was a sign of things to come for our spinners, with Azeem surely licking his lips.

From here it was the Yash show. Boundary after boundary coupled with quick running put the pressure on Luton. Even when the 9th wicket fell, Yash was able to manage the strike, with John only having to face a few balls, which he did expertly. Yash took Rickmansworth to 197 with a masterful 44, before being given LBW on the last ball of the 50th over giving Luton another vital point in their fight against relegation. Rickmansworth knew that 197 was a big score, having seen how the pitch was deteriorating.

Onto the bowling innings, and Ricky made a sharp start, with Yash’s pace and Saffy’s guile. The batters were unsure of how much the ball would bounce. Would it go over their head off a good length? Or would it pea roll?

It only took 2 overs for Yash to tear through the top over. A loud LBW shout was rewarded with a wicket, followed by a simple catch for Ali Abassi with the gloves. As we expected, Luton complained about every decision, no matter how out it was. Into Yash’s 4th over and be had his third. A sharp catch by Stefan at slip. Their captain was gone. Ricky could smell blood and felt on top.

Luton responded by taking a more aggressive approach. Umar Zafar and Amad Saleem put on a quick 36 run partnership before Azeem put a stop to the flow of runs. In a dazzling spell of 3-18 off 10 overs, combined with Smithy’s tight 1-30, meant Ricky were in the driving seat.

Luton, at 7 down for just over 90 runs, were in a precarious position. However, Shahid showed good intent and solid defence, keeping the scoring up, with dark rain clouds looming. It wasn’t over yet.

With tension building and some ordinary fielding, something had to change. Stefan brought Yash and Saffy back. One can always trust Saffy to take a wicket when you need it, and he managed to take the middle stump of Shahid, to bring the match back into Rickmansworth’s control. A flying catch by Ubaid off Yash followed by another sharp catch in gully by Stefan meant Rickmansworth brought back another vital 30 points.