Nomads indebted to Page and Ayaz as the winning run continues

Nomads recorded a 2nd successive win at Harpenden CC in Hertfordshire, at the start of their cricket week. After their defeat in 2014 the home side had put out a suitably strong XI, 10 of the 11 players under the age of 30 with Cramer the lone old-stager in the side. 

Nomads batted first and lost Brockton and Dummer early in the piece courtesy of fast yorkers from the impressive Boothby who took 5 for 33 in two spells, the former Hertfordshire minor county cricketer looked a class act bowling with pace and ferocity.

International cricketers (Spain and Uganda) Chris Munoz and Jonathan Sebanja rallied to get the score past 50 but both were then victims of Boothby and when Vib Yadav and Tom Liversidge were dismissed Nomads were in all sorts of trouble at 105-6.

At this point Nomads were indebted to Dom Ramjag (38*) and Omar Ayaz (69) who proceeded to stage a remarkable recovery to drag the visitors back into the game with a well crafted century stand. Ramjag played the anchor role and Ayaz the aggressor as change bowlers Cramer and Lambert were flogged out of the attack. Boothby and Downs were recalled in the attempt to stem the flow of runs but the declaration came with Nomads much better placed at 225-8. On a more tricky wicket than in 2014 which was an absolute shirt-front, this was a more than formidable total.

An enjoyable lunch came and went in the blink of an eye and Nomads took the field in good spirits. However, the home side got off to something of a flier and were 55-0 with Roper and Sebanja largely ineffective. Man of the moment Omar Ayaz swung (literally) the game back in Nomads favor with 3 wickets and then with the match in the balance Chris Page took centre stage.

Experienced slow bowler Page bowled an impressive spell taking 5 wickets for 42 runs, aided by some athletic fielding from the Nomads, including two excellent catches from David Steele, sparing the blushes of Tom Liversidge who dropped both batsmen the ball prior much to the chagrin of Page (and to to the amusement of his team mates)

Just as in 2014 Harpenden had collapsed from a strong position and from the relatively authority of 78-1 had slumped to 161 all out with 4 overs of the 20 remaining. No11 Boothby had his middle stump pegged back and Nomads had won by 64 runs in a well contested match. 

An tasty BBQ was tucked into after the cricket had finished and the Nomads out-drunk their young opponents with some gusto, Chris Page generously buying a jug for his 5 wicket haul. We look forward to returning to Harpenden CC in 2016 and wish them all the best for the rest of their league campaign.