RESULT - Stevenage won by 31 runs
Stevenage 3rds finished runners up in Division 9 and gained promotion with a win over their closest rivals Waltham Cross Rosedale. Skipper Richard Burling (38) and
Chris Dingwall (29) put on a 55 run opening partnership, while usual opener Hamilton sunned himself on a cricket pitch in Porto. An innings of 71 from Rajeev Rajacopal in the middle of the innings enabled
a total of 202 for 8 to be posted. Although Waltham Cross got off to a swift start, Louis Bullock struck back to take a second successive seven wicket haul as they were bowled out for 171.
RESULT - Stevenage won by 141 runs
Stevenage 3rds routed their opponents Shenley Village. After a hard earned batting total with Ian Hamilton (58) supplying the backbone and the run-out of Ashley Bayes it was Louis Bullock who demolished the visitors batsmen
with his best ever league return of 7 for 17 off 11 overs. Are you all ready for some alliteration, OK, here goes. Six were clean bowled as Bullock's bullets bulldozed the bemused Batsmen.
RESULT - Stevenage won by 82 runs
Stevenage 3rds beat Elstree with an all round performance which takes them to 2nd in the league, albeit with two difficult matches to go.
Andy Gould (58), Matt John (35) and Ashley Bayes (28) lead a recovery after the home side were 41 for 4 to set the visitors a large total to chase, which they never got to grips with.
Louis Bullock ripped through the early batting with three quick wickets and this was followed by 15 year old Bayes retuning to form with five wickets to spin out the tail and set up
a nail biting end of season.
RESULT - Stevenage lost by 2 wickets
Stevenage lost for the first time in 14 matches. It was however a brave performance by a depleted Stevenage side against a strong Hemel Hempstead XI.
Skipper Richard Burling took the brunt of the Home sides pace attack as he (38) with Dave Smith (34) put on 72 for the first wicket. Popeye Smith showing his own style of stroke play and batting out of position put in a particularly gutsy performance.
A collapse followed but the tail responded well and the 162 acheived was a respectable total. Stevenage's bowlers put Hemel under pressure straight away and wickets fell regularly but poor fielding
let the home side off the hook and the visitors were left to rue a lost opportunity. Five players were making their 3rd XI debuts, which makes the good effort even more remarkable. Matt John in particular bowled very well and finished with 4 for 26 off 11 overs.
RESULT - Stevenage Won by 157 runs
Stevenage 3rds put visitors Clifton to the sword last Saturday as they raced to 290 in 41 overs. Rajeev Rajacogpal led the way with a masterful 101 not out as he and Ian (Flintoff) Hamilton (72) added 124 for the 3rd wicket in 15 overs.
The visitors were then spun out by Ben (Bleachy) Leet (5 for 28), who was unusually without his spin twin Ashley Bayes, who much to the chagrin of Richard Burling, had been whisked away for a suprise family holiday
on the spur of the moment. While from a performance point of view Burling and his band of "merrymen" didn't miss Bayes this week, they will all be glad to see Bayes back in the team because he takes all the flak from Burling's on-field moans and chides which are used to
pyshe the team up to produce better performances. Leet's quality spin bowling was was helped by some excellent catching and the combination left the visitors well beaten with 22 overs to spare.
This leaves the 3rds in 2nd spot but it's a very close league with 5 sides contesting the 3 promotion places.
RESULT - Match Drawn
Stevenage 3rds winning streak came to an end when they failed to take the home sides last wicket in 7 overs. A win would have put them top, but they are handily placed for promotion in second place with this another excellent all round performance.
Rajeev Rajacogopal (59) and Michael Williams (47 no) led the way. With Williams and Simon Jones (29) adding 60 for the 8th wicket to make a recovery on a damp wicket. This was after Rajeev and Phil Maguire (28) had added 72 in a 3rd wicket stand, to be followed by a mini collapse.
When the home side batted they never came close. Excellent bowling assisted by some sensational catching, notably two by Richard Burling at 3rd slip, always had Sawbridgeworth on the back foot and this has severely dented their promotion aspirations.
All the bowlers took wickets with 2 each for Ian Hamilton, Ashley Bayes, Dave Bullock and Adam Payne. The latter a U16 seam bowler who has come on leaps and bounds over the winter and forced his way into the adult sides on merit
RESULT - Stevenage Won by 9 wickets
Stevenage 3rds were made to fight hard against the oncoming rain clouds before comfortably defeating Southgate Compton 2nds.
Skipper Richard Burling won the toss and did the rare thing of inserting the opposition. Ian Hamilton put in a marathon effort bowling 20 consecutive offers to tie down the visitors batsmen and was rewarded with 4 wkts for 25 runs.
Any thoughts of play lasting past Tea were soon diminished as Mark (Richie Richardson) Sinclair smashed four sixes in his unbeaten 46 and victory was secured in 7.1 overs.
RESULT - Stevenage Won by 7 runs
Stevenage 3rds had an exciting win over tough opponents at Northchurch. An opening stand of 62 between skipper Richard Burling (30) and Ian Hamilton (28) was the highlight. But the team then collapsed
alarmingly on a wicket on which the ball just didn't bounce. A total of 120 never really seemed like it would be sufficient, but team spirit and accurate bowling was then the key when Stevenage fielded. Ian Hamilton (17 mean overs - 3 - 34 - 2 )
and Ashley Bayes ( 15 - 4 - 34 - 5 ) proved not only economic but also wicket takers. They were well supported by some wonderful ground fielding and catching and whittled through the home sides batting order. To the great joy and jubilation victory was
claimed when opening bowler Louis Bullock got a ball to lift from just short of a length and keeper Dave (Popeye) Smith caught it at the second attempt (ug ug ug) and the team danced the jig of victory.
RESULT - Stevenage Won by 89 runs
Stevenage 3rds had a comfortable win at Potton 2nds. Inserted, Stevenage amassed 213 for 6 on a wicket that was a little on the dry side. Ashley Bayes (39no), Richard Burling (36) and Simon Jones (31 no) were
top scorers although all Stevenage's batsmen made meaningful contributions. Stevenage bowlers, Louis Bullock (4 wkts) and Ian Hamilton (3wkts) then ripped into the home side's batting having them 25 for 6 before eventually succumbing to defeat by 89 runs.
RESULT - Stevenage Won by 7 wickets
Cockfosters 101 all out in 51.2 overs lost to Stevenage 3rds 105 for 3 in 17.4 overs. Stevenage 3rds had a comfortable win over bottom side Cockfosters.
14 year old Ashley Bayes (6 for 27) supported by his Barclay School PE teacher Dave Bullock (3 for 28 ) completely dominated the visitors .
Ashley has now taken 28 wickets for the 3rds this season. When Stevenage batted Mark Sinclair rested from 2nd X1 action batted superbly for 51 no as the home side cantered to victory in 17.2 overs.
Two of Stevenages wickets were catches taken by Simon (the Juggler) Jones on as a sub for the visitors. Jones showing far more zest than is generally expected for such a role, no doubt ensuring he won't be asked again.
RESULT - Match Drawn
The wicket at Ditchmore Lane was too good and Stevenage were left frustrated for second week running, failing again to whittle out the opposition tailenders.
Andy Armstrong (on loan for the week from the first XI due to family committments) top scored for the home side with a superb 134 ably supported by Ashley Bayes (66no). They added 163 for the 4th wicket and were mainly responsible for the
total of 252 for 4 from 46 overs. Having declared early the 3rds gradually took wickets. However a couple of dropped catches let the visitors off the hook. Their opening batsman doing nothing for the future of cricket as he batted the 54 overs for 33no.
RESULT - Match Drawn
Stevenage 3rds 206 for 7 in 50 overs drew with Clarendon 2nds 133 for 9 in 50 overs. Clarendon's
reply was undermined from the word go by Ashley Bayes, (one of Bullocks pupils), he took the home sides first 6 wickets as he mesmerised them with his off spinners, finishing with 6 for 33 in 19 overs. He was well supported by Paul Berry 2 for 16 in 13 overs.
However the team were left frustrated by a defiant last pair.
RESULT - Stevenage won by 2 runs
Stevenage 3rds completed a victory so exciting that it should have been shown LIVE on SKY SPORTS instead of that 20/20 stuff thats on at the moment. They secured their third successive win by beating high flyers Met Police Bushey.
After being inserted Stevenage raced at five an over before the home side put the breaks on. Although seven batsmen got into double figures nobody stayed in and when Stevenage were all out in the 40th over Ian Hamilton had top scored with 25 and the Stevenage total was below par for a good wicket and fast outfield.
In the eight overs before tea, Stevenage asserted themselves again, taking two wickets for 13 runs, which led to an enthralling war of attrition. Stevenage immediately got two more wickets and the non-identical spin twins that were 14 year old Ashley Bayes
and left armer Ben Leet ARRESTED the home sides progress, reducing them to 53 for 5. A stand of 46 STOLE the game back for the Met Police, but the Stevenage hung in there. A few bowling changes FITTED UP the BILL and back came Bayes and Leet and when Bayes bowled the home sides no 11 Stevenage had won by two runs.
Bayes finished with 22.3 - 1 - 66 - 4 and Leet 18 - 5 - 33 - 3
RESULT - Stevenage won by 3 wickets
Stevenage 3rds had an excellent win over Knebworth 4ths although the visitors came back into the game well and made the match closer than it should have been.
All four Stevenage seam bowlers, Ian Hamilton, Paul Berry and Dave Bullock bowled very well without any luck and on another day would have skittled the visitors out cheaply
on a green but dead home wicket. It took the introduction late on of 14 year old Ashley Bays to get into the visitors tail as he took 4 for 33. When Stevenage batted a reshuffled order got
off to a sound start. Chris Dingwall ( 32 ). Phil Maguire (37 ) Ian Hamilton ( 21 ) and Ashley Bayes (17) took them to 138 for 3 with 18 overs to go. Introduction of the visitors 13 year old
spinner and Richard Burling had to come in at no 8 to hit the winning run.
RESULT - Stevenage won by 7 wickets
Stevenage 3rds visited Old Owens and returned with a comfortable win. Opening bowlers Jack Mitchell & Ian Hamilton took a firm grip , but it was the introduction of spin twins, 14 year old off-spinner
Ashley Bayes 22 - 3 - 64 - 5 and left armer Ben Leet 16.3 - 2 - 48 - 3 that turned the matched completely Stevenage's way. With the help of some excellent ground fielding the home side total was below par on a good wicket.
Stevenage always looked like getting the runs comfortably. Richard Burling 58 and Phil Maguire 23 continued their rich vein of form by top scoring as they reached the target with 22 overs to spare.
RESULT - Stevenage lost by 2 wickets
An epic battle that continued deep into the Saturday evening eventually ended in disappointment for Stevenage. Stevenage got off to an excellent start but the innings fell away after being 126 for 2 with 19 overs left.
Richard Burling held the innings together, batting 51 overs for 57. He was ably supported by Phil Maguire (36) and Richard Sullivan (30), but the final score was 30 short of the expected target. Stevenage took two early wickets in the visitors reply
but a stubborn partnership was only broken by the introduction of the spinners Andy Whitehead, Maguire and Richard ("fire in the hole") Burling. If the outfielders had gone for some catches an unlikely win was possible, but an undefeated 9th wicket
stand of 34 swung the match the way for Parkfield.
RESULT - Rained Off
Two out of three rained off. Global warming my *$£*!!! Never beleive anything an environmental scientist tells you
Stevenage Lost by 6 wkts
The 3rds got off to a losing start, despite getting into a useful position with the bat, with contributions throughout the side. However, with the top score of 45no by Simon Jones, the innings
only reached 172 allout. This never looked enough with the bowlers struggling to contain the visitors batsmen and they coasted to victory in the 42 over.
RESULT - Rained Off
It must have been wet in Langlebury, the 3rd XI will have to wait for the 17th to get their league campaign underway
M O M - Louis (P.F) Bullock
30th August - STEVENAGE 3rd XI vs Shenley Village
M O M - Louis (P.F) Bullock
23rd August - STEVENAGE 3rd XI vs Elstree
M O M - Ashley Bayes
16th August - Hemel Hempstead vs STEVENAGE 3rd XI
M O M - Matt John
9th August - STEVENAGE 3rd XI vs Clifton 2nds
M O M - Rajocogpal and Leet
2nd August - Sawbridgeworth 3rds vs STEVENAGE 3rd XI
M o m Team Effort
26th July - Southgate Compton vs STEVENAGE 3rd XI
M o m Mark (Richie Richardson) Sinclair
19th July - Northchurch vs STEVENAGE 3rd XI
M o m Ian (Andy Flintoff) Hamilton
12th July - Potton 2nd XI vs STEVENAGE 3rd XI
M o m Louis Bullock
5th July - STEVENAGE 3rd XI vs Cockfosters
M o m Ashley Bayes
28th June - STEVENAGE 3rd XI vs North Mymms
M o m Andy Armstrong
21st June - Clarendon vs STEVENAGE 3rd XI
Stevenage 3rds had 6 overs to get the last wicket, but the home side batted out time to secure a draw which they hardly deserved.
Showing there strength in batting, Stevenage's recovery on a dry wicket was highlighted by Dave Bullock, head of PE at Barclay School. His fine 55 with the help of Simon Jones (32 no) added 73 for the 7th wicket and totally turned the match.
M o m The Barclays Boys
14th June - MET Police, Bushy 1st XI vs STEVENAGE 3rd XI
M o m Ashley Bayes and Ben Leet
7st June - STEVENAGE 3rd XI vs Knebworth 4th XI
M o m Ashley Bayes
31st May - Old Owens 2nd XI vs STEVENAGE 3rd XI
M o m Ashley Bayes
24th May - STEVENAGE 3rd XI vs Parkfield 2nd XI
M o m - Phil Maguire 36 runs and 3 wickets
17th May - STEVENAGE 3rd XI vs Hexton 2nd XI
10th May - STEVENAGE 3rd XI vs Greenwood Park 1st XI
3rd May - Langlebury 3rd XI vs STEVENAGE 3rd XI
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