NZ Over 70’s v Hertfordshire 70’s 13/8/206 Match Report

The match was played at Langleybury Cricket Club at Kings Langley which is a village close to Watford. Kings Langley is the site of an old Roman town and home of the Royal family for over 200 years in the 12th to 14th centuries AD. The ground was a sloping one like the one at Hagley Hall that sloped from the tree lined top of the field down to the club rooms. 

We were very lucky to have a match at all as the temperature was predicted to get up to 36 degrees during the afternoon. Over 70’s cricket matches in the UK are cancelled if the temperature is predicted to get over 32 degrees. Both sides were willing to play in the heat and we appreciated the Hertz team agreeing to play. 

Because of the heat it was decided to split the game up into 4 innings of 20 overs each with teams alternating. Bowlers were only allowed 8 overs but batters could bat in both innings if they were still in. 

We won the right to decide whether to bat or bowl first and duly batted reaching 139 for the loss of only 2 wickets. The toss was best described as another “friendly toss”. Tony Penny was out for 33, after he and Paul had put on a 96 run partnership. Paul Facoory was not out on 75 and Rob Craig 11 at the end of out first innings. 

The Hertfordshire team then batted their first 20 overs losing a wicket without any runs on the board in the first over. That turned out to be 1 of only 2 wickets we would take in both of their innings and the only one to be taken by a bowler. The poor batsman was the team captain who misjudged a full toss. He looked around at both umpires hoping it would be called too high before a disappointing trudge back to the pavilion. 

The second wicket was a run out, again in the first innings. That’s the first run out via a relay throw that I think I’ve ever seen. An underarm by Hamish Cochran, who was a sub fielder only today, relayed by Terry O’Laughlin and we had our second run out in consecutive games. Their first innings ended with them 103 for 2, a deficit of 36 runs. 

Paul and Rob resumed our second innings after another great lunch. The temperature had by now reached the predicted 36 degrees and the Hertfordshire players started to look more and more weary as the innings progressed. Paul and Rob were soon out for 87 and 19 respectively and Bevin Guthrie came out to bat with Roger Stachurski and they put on a 51 run partnership, before Roger departed and Johnny Renshaw and Bevin had an undefeated 70 run partnership. The bulk of the runs in both of those partnerships were supplied by a brilliant 87 not out by Bevin. He battled  fatigue and the heat to give his team an advantage for the second innings chase. Our second innings produced an excellent total of 146 runs for the loss of only 3 wickets. 

That left the home team a run chase of 193 to win off 20 overs. The home team put on a serious run chase but the 9.6 runs an over slowly went out to 10, 11, 12 and beyond. The squeeze was put on the 2 batters by John Durning, Roger and the team manager, Lindsay Hewitson, playing his first game for the team. With 5 overs to go they needed 80 runs. The other opener, Clements, who had just bought up his 100, smashed 21 off the 36th over. The sun was setting behind the trees, the ground was completely in shadow, and the ball was hard to see in the gloom. 4 overs to go 60 to win. Then the bowlers put the final squeeze on with the tiring batters only managing 37 runs in the final 4 overs. Final score 273 for 5 a win to NZ by 22 runs. 

Their player of the day  was their opener who ended on 134 not out and ours was shared between Paul’s 87 and Bevin’s 87 not out. 

​​​​​​​The host club put on an excellent dinner and  provided great hospitality for our 6th game on tour. Another win against the county teams we have played and our 5th win out of the 6 games. Another excellent batting and fielding effort on another dry and uneven outfield caused by the continued drought in the UK. Bring on the English for the second ODI. 

Chris East