Hammered by Hitchin

After two wins we were joint top of the table and confidence was high. We welcomed Hitchin IIIs on a damp day, playing on the back pitch as the 1’s were also at home. Hitchin won the toss and chose to bat, but the steady drizzle delayed play, with the game reduced to 32 overs each. Play finally started and Ali Javed struck in his first over with a brute of a ball that Matthew Maylin (2) inside edged onto his stumps (4/1). Colt Connor Dudley looked at home and together with Mike Guest built a steady partnership until Dudley (7) edged one to the safe hands of Pete Jaffe at first slip off Darshan Raval’s bowling(31/2). Mike Guest was looking very assured, with a combination of solid defence and dispatching any loose balls, taking a particular liking to Ajay Bhatia’s first over. Jason Willis (1) looked aggressive at the other end but swiftly holed out to Lee Crocker at deep cover off the prodigious swing of Andrew Godfrey (51/3), followed shortly afterwards by captain Andy Dudley, caught by Dave Flavell at mid off to give Godders his second wicket (64/4). Father Mike was joined son Ben Guest and between them put together a 30 run partnership until Ben (11) drilled one off Ajay to Hassan Shafique at short extra cover (94/5). Another mini-partnership followed until Mike Guest finally departed for 71, caught by Dave Flavell at mid off (119/6). Ian Goddard (2) and Roy Bivuti followed (120/8) before Jamie Clarke and Andy Beaton took the score to 147 from the final few overs.

The Village reply was soon in disarray, with Shash Seem (0) caught in the first over (1/1). Hassan Shafique(6) followed in the fifth over, caught behind off Ian Goddard (15/2). Pete Jaffe was then out LBW to Jonathan Grieves in the 8th over (20/3), followed by Zaf Basit (5), Lee Crocker (11) and Murtuza Amin (0) all out with the score on 25 to leave the innings in tatters on 25/6. Darshan Raval (2) was the out stumped off leg spinner Jamie Clarke (29/7). Dave Flavell and Ali Javed then attempted to add some respectability with Ali becoming top scorer with a six and a four before toppling out of his crease to give wicket keeper Guest his second stumping (45/8). The innings then came to a sticky end with Ajay Bhatia (0) bowled and Dave Flavell (8) caught at short cover to give Hitchin a monumental 98 run victory.

We were outbatted, outbowled and outfielded. Mike Guest dominated the Hitchin innings with a chanceless 71, supported by the Hitchin middle order for partnerships of 27, 20, 13, 30 and 25. The Village fielding was sloppy with misfields and dropped catches. Only Lee Crocker, who batted sensibly for 11, and Ali Javed, who swung the bat for 12, got into double figures. Mike Guest completed his day with three catches and two stumpings.

Mill Hill Village 8 points, Hitchin 30 points