3s get the season off to a winning start

The 3rd XI's 2019 campaign got underway at one of the nicer venues in the division, the pleasantly appointed Hertingfordbury CC ground. New Captain, Phil Smith lost the toss and the Village were invited to bat first. Dan Penny strolled out alongside the new man at the helm, to face the hosts opening attack. 40-0 in the 12th over represented a solid start on a pitch that was to prove tricky to bat on all day. The ball was going through the top surface, stopping and bouncing, occasionally alarmingly. Timing of shots was not easy.

Dan Penny (24) was striking the ball nicely down the ground but was first to depart, prodding at one that reared up and providing a gentle catch to a well positioned short cover. The skipper, Phil Smith (22) followed a short while later after inside edging a drive onto his own stumps from the opposition captain and off-spinner. Inthi Mazeez and Majid Asif looked solid as they progressed the score to 71-2 from 21 overs. Out of the blue Majid (17), smashed a flat pull shot straight into the hands of deep square leg, who held on well. Mo Valiji (3) and Mo Salahudeen (11) both perished playing injudicious shots as they tried to move the score on swiftly. When Inthi's watchful innings was brought to an end, the Village were teetering on 97 for 6 from 29 overs and were in danger of failing to bat their allotted 40 overs.

Knowing it was a tricky wicket the skipper was hoping that the tail would eek out another 20 or 30 runs, to provide something for the strong and many optioned attack to work with. As it turned out they did even better than that. Tommy Smith worked exceptionally well with the rest of the tail to take all the runs on offer, punish the bad balls and have a late innings rally. He ended up top scoring with a really valuable 25 not out. Andrew Godfrey contributed a few lusty blows at the end, as 30 runs were added in the last 4 overs. The Village innings ended on 144 for 8 from 40 overs and the momentum was very much behind the visitors as tea was taken.

Nevertheless, the lowish total would take some defending and the bowling would need to be tight and the fielding sharp. By and large this was the case. The Village attack used the conditions well, keeping it full and straight and the nagging accuracy slowly but surely strangled the life out of the Hertingfordbury batting line up. Between them, Alam (1 for 7), Inthi (2 for 14), Majid (3-12) and Tommy (2 for 12) bowled 27.5 overs, took 8 of the wickets and conceded just 45 runs, at a miserly 1.7 runs per over. Wickets fell at regular intervals as the pressure mounted. Majid was the pick of the bowlers as he hit the seam with regularity and jagged it around, to bowl two of the top 6 and trap another of them LBW. Andrew Godfrey and George Leggett both also chipped in with a wicket a piece.

41-2 after 12 overs was as good as it ever got for the home side. They were unable to get the Village bowlers away with any regularity or build any momentum in their innings. They were eventually throttled out for 109 in the 39th over, giving victory to the Village by a relatively comfortable 35 runs in the context of the match. It has seemed a much closer affair for long periods, as Hertingfordbury competed well for at least three quarters of the match. It was the late wagging tail and the superior accuracy of the Village bowlers that brought victory here. The 3rd XI's top 6 batsmen will need to score bigger runs in the weeks to come, if a serious title challenge is to be mounted. For now, as a season opener, this was a very pleasing team performance and an always welcome 30 points!