Match 56 NOMADS CC v HARPENDEN CC  Harpenden Common Harpenden  Hertfordshire  AL5 1DT  Monday August 3rd 1.45pm- 20 overs from 6.15pm

Result:  Match abandoned as a draw 
Toss:    Nomads CC 
Umpires: D Manners & Others 
Scorer:  Steve Brewer 
Debut(s):James Bridge 

NOMADS CC Innings                   R  B  M   6s 4s  
D Steele     bowled       Downes   14  29  22  0  3 
A Stokes     run out(Mathur)       46  67  86  0  8
T Brockton*  not out              100 122 139  0 13
T Liversidge c MacNeil  b Killen   11  26  30  0  2
A Smith      c Fordham  b Garrett  15  26  31  0  2
J Bridge     not out               23  14  11  1  3
Extras      (b4,lb6,w1,nb1)        12
TOTAL  (4 wickets dec,48.2 overs) 220
Dnb:M Blake,C Page,K Smith*,ME Blumberg,W Stokes.

Fow:1-20(1),2-84(1),3-123(4),4-189(5).

Bowling-Downes 7 3 18 1,Garrett 14.2 0 57 1,J MacNeil 11 0 63 0,Killen 9 0 40 1,Mathur 7 0 34 1.

HARPENDEN CC Innings           R  B  M 6s 4s 
M Fordham c & b        Page   11 32 30 0  1 
D Bradley not out            140 75 95 1 24 
G MacNeil c Brockton b Steele 22 30 41 0  2
S Caunce  bowled       Steele  5 11 14 0  0 
A Mathur  not out              6  7  7 0  1 
Extras   (b4,lb0,w1,nb0)       5 
TOTAL (3 wickets,25.5 overs) 189 
Dnb:J Killen,J MacNeil,W Downes,A Garrett,G Newman,A Missing.

Fow:1-51(1),2-145(3),3-173(4).

Bowling-Smith 10 1 55 0,Stokes 3 0 25 0,Page 6 0 36 1,Steele 4 1 32 2,Bridge 2.5 0 36 0.

Rain saves veteran Nomads side from near certain defeat

Nomads made their third trip in as many years to the Hertfordshire Premier division club Harpenden to play in their cricket week. Kevin “The Vale” Smith made the trip from Herefordshire accompanied by the lovely Shirlie-Marie, but the Nomads XI had a distinctly veteran feel to it, which would be exposed by the young and hungry Harpenden side later on in the game. An extra twist in the tail was that the forecast was for biblical rain as from 5pm so it was an important toss to win, which thankfully Nomads did.

Steele and Stokes opened up, the impressive Downes taking the new ball for Harpenden and he bowled Steele with a cracker, clipping the very top of the off bail. Brockton joined Stokes and the pair put on 64 in good time. Stokes was looking in fine form, cracking 8 boundaries in his 46 before he was run out by a direct hit from Mathur. Nomads then lost their way a little bit, Liversidge and Smith struggling to get the ball away and with the field spread for Brockton he was scoring only singles.

Both were dismissed for 11 and 15 respectfully and young James Bridge came in and immediately found the bowling to his liking, the young Chingford CC star looking a million dollars spanking 23 in just 14 balls and accompanying Brockton to his hundred. Nomads then declared setting Harpenden 221 to win in the region of 44 overs.

Stokes and Smith opened up with seam & swing, but it was not until the introduction of experienced campaigner Chris Page that the breakthrough was attained, Fordham driving back to Page who took the catch with glee. However, Bradley was rocketing along at a merry pace and utilising the shorter boundary on one side of the ground to good effect. Smith’s figures belied the fact he bowled an immaculate line and length, Page went at a run a ball with a relatively defensive field and poor James Bridge was flogged out of the attack.

It was not until the introduction of David Steele that Nomads took further wickets, MacNeil was taken by Brockton at short mid-wicket and Caunce bowled by a Steele arm-ball (too good for me the batsman was heard to say as he departed the wicket). However the home side were 173-3 and Bradley was through to his hundred in double quick time. The age of the visitors in the field was starting to show, Liversidge, Brockton and young Bridge were the only truly mobile fielders and with Bradley smiting the ball to all parts Harpenden were closing in on victory. & then it rained, and did it rain, from darkening clouds and a few spots to a torrential downpour in 20 mins. Nomads were grateful the umpire had taken the players from the field a few moments earlier.

The stumps were drawn, with no prospects of further play and the players retired to the well stocked bar for some refreshment. Several hours later some of the Nomads were still present, with Kie Farrell and interested spectator and supporter during the latter part of the afternoon. Our thanks, once again, to Harpenden CC for their hospitality.

 Familiar reprobates at the bar Harpenden Club House

Previous Matches
2015  Nomads won by 64 runs
2014  Nomads won by 18 runs.