Cancel a day off for cricket? Paul Chorleywood!

Yes, a planned day of rest for the Sunday side was surprisingly cancelled by Rickmansworth Secretarial Supremo Paul Blackwell organising a late-notice match. Blackwell – motto: “If you book them, they will come” – originally scheduled a home game against Wandering Crows CC. Whilst an attempt to maintain the avian theme in this year’s fixture list was ostensibly admirable, the Crows had previously been noted by your author as being, er, a bit too good for us. Anyway, that fixture mysteriously fell by the wayside (the Crows went on to murder Enfield instead), and we were to host Chorleywood as an alternative.

Now, not being a Rickmansworth native, I don’t fully understand the intricacies of Hertfordshire inter-settlement rivalry. However, my understanding from Paul was that this was a clash to match Rangers v Celtic, the Rumble in the Jungle, and indeed Pompey v Scum, as my Portsmouth colleague insists on calling it. Would the Sunday XI be able to match these high expectations?

The reasonable-looking side Paul had assembled was alas somewhat undermined by some late drop-outs, and by the Antipodean talent therein carrying knocks from the previous day’s exertions. The visitors won the toss, and chose to bat against a side which has generally performed well with the ball this season. Today proved no exception: Chris Morris, Jason Phillipson and Callum Cusack were parsimonious with the cherry, whilst Charlie Bennett and Tony MacDonald-Barker were more expensive, but rewarded with wickets. Chorleywood’s total was a decent one from 40 overs, but not one in which any batsman, Scott Aspinall aside, had especially dominated.

(Incidentally, and despite the anonymity in the attached scorecard, the visitors included one Freddie Dare – sometime of Rickmansworth – in their line-up. His brother Simon also played, but alas father Dan was unavailable. Similarly, Chorleywood ‘keeper Andy Orange was not joined by brother Jason in this instance).

Alas, after a reasonable start, any hopes Rickmansworth might have had of reaching their target were dashed by some great cricket from the visitors. Sujoy Day, with an exceptional 5-14 from eight overs, did the majority of the damage, but all the bowlers used had good returns. In all honesty, Chorleywood were a cut above in terms of standard. Wounds were licked, sorrows drowned, and the team prepared to face Boxmoor’s second string the following weekend. On a positive note, though, the win by Rickmansworth’s Under-10s against Chroleywood earlier that day means that we still have the primary school bragging rights, at least…..