Games don't come much better than this - 2nds beat Watton-at-Stone

Think of some of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time. Headingly 1981when England defied odds of 500/1 to beat Australia; or when Liverpool were 0-3 down to AC Milan in the CL 2005 Final; or the 2019 Ashes when Ben Stokes and Jack Leach put on 76 to win another Ashes thriller.

Now add to that list Rickmansworth against Watton-at-Stone in 2021.

For the first 3 hours of this game Ricky were, with few exceptions, outplayed, outgunned and outclassed. Harvey 5, Bobby 6, Shammi 5 and Ricky were 25/3 with wides the top scorer. Young Shami then built the score up to 50 before Harish and Usman both fell for 12 each and Shammi the Rock for 27 hard earned runs. However 87/6 quickly became 96 all out as Ricky’s long tail was exposed. Wides were the second highest scorer with 17 (indeed extras top scored overall) and Ricky had failed to reach 100, after a similarly poor display the previous week. 4 boundaries in 234 balls.

The on the same track, against Ricky’s opening bowlers, the W-A-S batters set off like a train The large framed Sands hit more boundaries in the first 9 overs than the whole Ricky team. Fred took a very smart catch off a think edge, standing up to Asad, but at 46/1, Ricky were going home to an early and heavy defeat. But then Sands lost his concentration and was bowled through the gate. Brad Williams scored only 3 and Shami got further reward when the opposition umpire also gave an LBW to reduce the score to 51/4. It was game on.

Bobby then changed ends. Whilst Shammi toiled away. The number 5 hit a glorious boundary and then heaved across the line, losing middle stump. No umpire involvement. Bobby had already enticed Ansell to drive down the ground where Harvey took a smart diving catch. Better was still to come. Dalyrmple decided to take an aggressive approach and took 2 steps down the pitch and smashed the ball past bobby to the boundary – or so everyone thought! From out of nowhere Harvey launched himself full stretch and took a catch like a goalkeeper six feet off the ground (see picture). It was the kind of catch that makes a team believe and now THIS TEAM BELIEVED…
Bobby’s relentless in-swing did for number 10 as it struck him full on the back leg and there could be no complaints when the umpires finger was duly raised. Durnell, the last remaining batsman, decided offence was the best defence and he launched Bobby for a big six and also a 2 towards the boundary. By now the large crowd was getting nervous. Only 10 to win, which for Darnell was just 2 more hits. Harvey’s next over produced a straight ball that looked destined for the stumps, but the umpire declined the vociferous appeal.

In an inspired move skipper Usman-Rai brought back spinner Shami. The crowd fell silent, especially when Shami’s first ball was given plenty of flight. But the Watton batsman fell for the bluff and tried an ariel cover drive that went to the edge of the circle where Tahir took a comfortable catch. Cue amazing scenes of jubilation. Rickmansworth had won by just 9 runs.

Everyone played in part in what was a truly memorable day for players and spectators alike.