RESULT - Match Drawn
A much changed Stevenage side lined up against recently crowned League Champions North Mymms and thanks to further outstanding performance's from 2 of the season's most consistent players claimed the best of a hard fought draw.
On a good batting track, on a warm sunny day, Stevenage were again fortunate with the toss and took the opportunity to bat first against what was a mediocre bowling attack. However, some profligate batting from the upper order, the majority of whom had got themselves in, left
the bulk of the runs to be scored by Naseer Ahmed. David Carr (13), Pete Magafas (25) and Rajeev Rajacopal (28) were all guilty of seeing the batting equivalent of £ signs in front of their eyes and getting out to lazy attacking shots. However, Ahmed, was set in for a big score and
flayed the bowling to all parts of the ground mixing exquisite late cuts with powerful drives through and over the infield. Ahmed was eventually dismissed for 112, thanks to a blinding catch in the covers, with a dozen overs remaining. This left Faisal Yazin (26no) to squeeze out as many extra runs as possible from the lower middle order and
tail enders. The final total was a below par 229 and with the North Mymms over rate being so high, Stevenage were preparing themselves to bowl about 60 overs back to North Mymms rather than the minimum of 50. The other noteworthy event that occured during Stevenage's innings was lunch. It was phenominal, consisting of everything from Yorkshire puddings
and beef to spicy chicken and sweetcorn and choc ices and fresh fruit to yoghurts and cheese and biscuits.
The North Mymms innings was a steady affair after the loss of an early wicket and it was this steadiness that eventually proved the home sides undoing, because they allowed themselves to play out too many low scoring or maiden overs in the middle of their innings. The Stevenage fielding was a bit ropey, particularly after tea, which was possibly a reflection of overindulgence
at the second high quality meal break of the day. Again the selection of foods on offer was outstanding and was topped off by the presence of a big plastic container of sherbert filled flying saucers and an equally large container of flumps. Stevenage eventually claimed 8 of the Mymms wickets, with Azhar Ali completing a brilliant season with five wickets for 64 runs from 29 overs to take his
season total to 60 wickets. The other wickets fell to Yasin (1 for 78), a run out and to Ahmed (1 for 35). Carr, who needed 2 stumpings to equal the league record number of stumpings; held by Andy Armstrong also of Stevenage; only claimed one, to finish with 17 for the season.
This being the last league game of the season thanks need to be expressed to Pete Magafas for doing a great job of captaining the side on the pitch, all of the players; irrespective of the number of games played; the back-room staff (I've always wanted to use that term) that's you Ray, the club sponsors, RJB, the lunch and tea ladies, the groundsman and all of the supporters that have made the effort to come and watch whatever games they
have been able to
Man of the Match - Naseer Ahmed
detailed scorecards available on Stevenage Play Cricket Site
RESULT - Stevenage Won
I only went and overwrote this match report with the North Mymms one; stupid idiot. Never mind it wasn't one of my best. The most important fact was that Stevenage won
and that David Carr batted supremely well in making 55 runs. Other half decent performances came from Naseer Ahmed 56no and 5 wickets a piece were taken by Saeed Ali Kazmi and Azhar Ali.
Man of the Match - Mark Sinclair (he still knows why)
detailed scorecards available on Stevenage Play Cricket Site
RESULT - Stevenage Won by 10 wickets
Stevenage steamrolled Welwyn Garden City and move to 3rd in the table with two matches to be played, including the final game against current league leaders North Mymms.
Pre-match talk was about the start times because Welwyn's "Hertfordshire County Players" had to catch the 19.19 from Stevenage to Jesmond for their Minor Counties Match on the Sunday.
It was, therefore, ironic that the match was delayed due water getting under Welwyn's covers from heavy overnight rain. It was finally agreed that the match should get under way at 13.20 with the overs being reduced to 74. The side batting first to receiving 42 overs.
This meant that the toss became vital so it was just as well than that Peter Magafas woke up that morning to clearly remember a dream. This dream was unusual, I'm assured, in that it was of a coin toss and involved Peter seeing himself call tails and the coin coming down heads.
So with the dream still fresh in his mind at Saturday's toss Magafas called heads and low and behold the toss was won. "Bag of Wheat"! Magafas, very astutely chose to bowl first and his team never looked back from that moment on. Mark Sinclair lead the way with some high quality
seam bowling removing 3 of the top 4 Welwyn batsman. Sinclair finished with the impressive figures of 3 for 21 from 12 overs with 2 maidens. He was supported primarily by the ever dependable and recently rather controversal Ahzar Ali. Ali completed 20 overs, with 3 maidens and claimed 4
wickets for 34 runs. Ali's maturity and self confidence has been shining through in these past weeks as he has suffered regular claims from the sidelines and batsmen that he chucks a number of his deliveries. These, initially, isolated claims have spread "chinese whisper" like through the
league without any evidence or calls of no-balls from the umpires to substantiate them and is something Ali's team-mates find distasteful and targetted, albeit unsuccessfully, to undermine the effectiveness of the League's best spinner. After 30 overs, Welwyn were struggling on 58 for 4 wickets
and eventually finished on 102 for 8 off 42 Overs. Between innings there was much talk about how long it would take Stevenage to win and whether Welwyn's Hertfordshire players could perhaps catch an earlier train. Magafas and Saeed Ali Kazmi opened and closed Stevenage's reply. The pair raced to
the winning total with Ali Kazmi unbeaten on 39 and Magafas, 54 not out, having hit consecutive fours to win the game in the 17th over of Stevenage's innings.
detailed scorecards available on Stevenage Play Cricket Site
RESULT - Stevenage Won by 6 wickets
Stevenage's consistently good run of performances over the last month continued against Hemel and was rewarded with a resounding victory. Stevenage won the toss and elected to bowl first on a pitch that was damp due
to heavy rain the evening before and the opening pair of Mark Sinclair (8/5/7/1) and Ali Kazmi Snr (8/2/10/0) made the most of the helpful bowling conditions. By lunch Hemel had only managed to accelerate their run-rate from 1 an over to 2 and with the score on
71 for 1 from 35 overs, Stevenage were well placed with the wicket drying out under the sun and gradually becoming easier to bat on. Apart from short spells by Faisal Yasin and 1st XI debutant Will Leslie before and after lunch respectively Stevenage turned to the spinners and they
maintained the pressure forcing Hemel to take risks in their attempt to raise the run rate. The main beneficiary of the pressure was Saeed Ali Kazmi who picked up 3 wickets, 2 stumped and 1 clean bowled as he bowled his left arm spinners with considerable control and variation. The Hemel score eventually
came to rest on 189 for 5 of the 60 overs and represented a testing target for Stevenage from their alloted 50 overs Stevenage's reply began well with Peter Magafas and Saeed Ali Kazmi scoring fluently, until the loss of Magafas for 21 runs. Naseer Ahmed (15) and Ian Baker (24) both shared usefull partnerships with the
younger Ali Kazmi brother and maintained a scoring rate that kept the run rate between 4 and 5 runs an over throughout the innings. The loss of Yasin for only 8 gave Hemel a little hope but with 50 odd needed from 11 and a bit an over, David Carr (23 not out) and Ali Kazmi Jnr (93 not out) saw Stevenage to victory with 2 overs and
2 balls to spare. Ali Kazmi Jnr putting his third consecutive man of the match award beyond doubt by winning the game with a straight six of Waterman.
detailed scorecards available on Stevenage Play Cricket Site
RESULT - Match Drawn
Stevenage arrived at Hoddesdon on probably the hottest day of the year so far and found before them a parched dry outfield and a flat batting track, so the early pressure was sitting squarely on the shoulders of Captain Peter Magafas.
He simply had to win the toss. Luckly, for Stevenage, Magafas had discussed coin tossing tactics with veteren SCC player Richard Burling before leaving Stevenage and it was made clear that on scorching hot days TAILS was always successful and the advice proved worth
heeding as the coin landed TAILS and Stevenage chose to bat first. The opening partnership set the tone for the Stevenage innings as David Carr (55) and Saeed Ali Kazmi (93) put on 130 for the first wicket at around 6 an over, with the only bowler able to exert any sort of
control being Kevin Walls, who went for approximately 3 runs an over compared to his compatriates who went for between 5 and 9 runs an over. At lunch the score was 195 for 1 of 35 overs and a huge total was looking a formality as the Hoddesdon bowlers and fielders roasted in
the sun. Naseer Ahmed was promoted to number 3 raced to 64, before being the second wicket to fall and he was followed shortly afterwards by Ali Kazmi Jnr, who fell 7 runs short of what would have been a deserved 100. The loss of 2 wickets in quick succession did nothing to slow
the run-rate or ease the suffering of the Hoddesdon fielders because Magafas was joined by Ian Baker and both filled their boots hitting fours and sixes with abandon. Coleman was particularly harshly treated because despite having almost everyone on the boundary he was regularly picked off
for a couple of boundaries an over. Baker fell for 32 with about 10 overs left and the score approaching 300, but Magafas (73), now accompanied by Ali Kazmi Snr (15no) showed no mercy. The score rocketed past 300 and the 56th and 57th overs went for 40 runs swelling the total to 371 for 5
at the point of declaration, which was being vocally encouraged off the pitch by the 3 wise men and Ian Baker and everyone of the Hoddesdon players on the pitch. The benign nature of the batting surface and the lightening nature of the outfield was further exemplified by the Hoddesdon opening partnership of 88
against the off-spin of Ahmed and left arm spin of Ahzar Ali. However, the first wicket eventually fell on 88 thanks to some inspired bowling from Ahmed. He switched ends and turned to some gentle legspin rather than his usual off-spin and although his deliveries disappeared fairly regularly to the boundary he was rewarded
for his endeavour with the wicket of Klocker, smartly stumped down the leg side by Carr. The Hoddesdon run-rate remained at around 6 an over for the first 20 or so overs of the game, but the Stevenage spinners kept finding wickets at crucial times as a result of good, well disciplined bowling. Ali dismissed the other opener for
51, but the match was really taken under Stevenage's control thanks to a high quality spell of left arm spin by Ali Kazmi Jnr. He was responsible for slowing the run-rate and the dismissal of Hoddesdon's two danger men, Van Bunge for 39 and Herbst for 20. From then onwards Stevenage bossed the game with Ali taking full advantage
of the first signs of wear on the wicket, arguably helped by the unilateral decision of umprire Hart to change the old ball, which was badly worn and relatively soft as a result of the hammering it taken throughout the game, for a slightly harder spare. This change coincided with more
turn and bounce off the wicket and this aided Ali in taking five additional wickets and put Stevenage on the brink of victory. Ali's third, fifth and sixth wickets of the game are particularly worth a mention. His third fizzed off the wicket turning and bouncing sharply to fly of the edge of the batsman's bat as he left it shouldered
at chest height and the resulting edge was sharply taken by Ali Kazmi Snr at second slip. His fifth was a fast arm ball that thundered into the batsman pads before he had time to react and the sixth was on a par with Warne's dismissal of Gatting in the 1990s. The ball pitched slightly outside of leg stump on a good length and as the batsman
opened up to play a forward defense the ball spun sharply passing the outside edge and across his body to clip the top of off-stump. Unfortunatley the 4 balls that were left in the game to dismiss Hoddesdon's number 11 were not sufficient and Stevenage settled for 17 points and the knowledge that they hadn't had to suffer 60 overs
in the field on such a hot day and a flat wicket.
detailed scorecards available on Stevenage Play Cricket Site
RESULT - Stevenage Won by 3 wickets
Stevenage recorded a long awaited and much deserved win with a 3 wicket victory over title hopefuls West Herts. Having lost the toss and been put in the field on a very hot day Stevenage took vital early wickets
to keep the spirits up. Both opening batsmen were dismissed with just a total of 5 runs on the board. Ali Kazmi Snr trapping number 1 LBW and Mark Sinclair having number 2 well caught at slip by Faizal Yasin. The visitors middle order rallied well
but in Azhar Ali Stevenage have a well documented wicket taker and his four wickets from his economical left arm spinners gradually exerted pressure on West Herts and took his tally for the season to 39 in 12 matches. At the outset West Herts' target was probably well over 200 on an excellent cricket wicket,
but as the screw tightened they never looked like achieving anything more than a challenging total. This was due to Stevenage's tight bowling, enthusiastic fielding and good team spirit. Despite Ali taking 4 wickets, the pick of the bowlers was undoubtedly Saeed Ali Kazmi (Jnr). Junior picked up 3 wickets for 39 runs and caused
every batsman considerable trouble, drying up the runs from one end and forcing the batsmen to chance their arms against Ali. The home side started the run chase well. An 82 run opening stand between skipper Peter Magafas and Saeed Kazmi was an excellent foundation. There was a blip, as is Stevenage's wont, as four wickets went for 14 runs,
but Faisal Yasin who continues his good form with the bat and Mark Sinclair, who is constantly improving his form and developing an important role with the bat pulled the game round. Both batsmen were dismissed with around 20 runs to win but the hard work was done and it was left to David Carr and Gary Brown to take the home side to vistory with 2
overs to spare. This win puts Stevenage in a secure mid table position and with still an outside chance of promotion if they finish the season with a strong finish.
detailed scorecards available on Stevenage Play Cricket Site
RESULT - Match Drawn
Stevenage have now drawn six league matches, which makes them the league's draw specialists, but it is not for want of trying to gain victory,
because in all matches they have had a good chance of winning and Saturday's match verses Sawbridgeworth was no different. Stevenage were put into bat and despite the early loss of both openers, including Pete Magafas to the first of many LBW
decisions posted a good total of 209 for 9. This was largely thanks to Ian Baker, who had his sights set on a hundred until his innings was cruelly ended on 68 by a LBW decision. He got good support, initially from Ali Kazmi jnr (20), who had set about batting
through the innings until a stunning one-handed catch ended his knock, and latterly Ali Kazmi Snr who made 37 before being run out. The other notable innings came from Faizal Yasin who continued his good form with an unbeaten 34.
The Stevenage defence of their total got off to a good start, with the run-rate barely at 2 an over and one of the two Australian openers dismissed by Ahzar Ali in single figures. The next wicket didn't fall until after tea with the period up to tea being memorable for only 2 reasons. Firstly and most importantly
because of the quality of Ali's bowling, but more amusingly because of Baker's baiting of the remaining Australian batsman, who got unusually upset by the mild and humorous sledging originating from first slip. The tea break proved beneficial for the game as both teams returned ready to play for a victory. Initially the remaing Aussie was removed thanks to an LBW that went the
way of Ahzar Ali, leaving the match interestingly poised at 65 for 2 and the next two wickets fell to inspired pieces of cricket. Firstly, it was a bowling change made by Magafas, who having accurately assessed how the wicket was playing brought himself on and was rewarded with a wicket in his first over. This was quickly followed by outstanding outfielding from Mark Sinclair, who launched
a rocket of a throw in from the fine leg boundary to score a direct hit on the stumps and run out Sawbridgeworth's number 4 as he returned for a second run. Sawbridgeworth's fifth wicket partnership was the one that threatened to take the game from Stevenage, who found themselves two bowlers light because of
Naseer Ahmed's absence for family reasons and Yasin's damaged elbow. Nevertheless Ahzar Ali raised his game to cover those absences and found good support as the match drew to its conclusion in Mustafeeq Ur Rehman. Ur Rehman took the crucial wicket of Birch, who had previously survived a caught behind appeal off Magafas,
with an excellent yorker and finished with figures of 3 overs 1 wicket for 7 runs at a time when quick runs were being sought. Ali eventually finished the game having bowled 26 overs and 9 maidens for 61 runs and having taken 6 wickets; but the 2 balls that were left for him to bowl at the number 11 were not enough for Stevenage to steal a victory, having to settle instead for 15 bonus points.
detailed scorecards available on Stevenage Play Cricket Site
RESULT - Match Drawn
This is a shorter report than normal, because at the time of writing this I should be writing the match report for the 24th July. Stevenage fielded first on what turned out to be a good batting wicket and generally speaking fielded
poorly and bowled averagely. Faizal Yasin picked up 2 wickets and the best of the seamers Ali Kazmi Snr took 1 wicket and the other wickets fell to Ali Kazmi Jnr who along with Ahzar Ali (wicketless for the 1st time this season) bowled tidy, if unthreatening spells. Naseer Ahmed
had the pick of the bowling figures bowling 3/0/12/2 in bowling the final overs of the St Albans innings. Having said the fielding was poor there is always and exception and in this case the exception was Mark Sinclair who took an incredible diving catch at running from a wide fine leg to deep backward sqaure leg
to remove St Albans overseas batsman for 75. The other highlight of Stevenage's time in the field was the vocal presence Ifty Mahmood, who managed to talk to anyone that would listen and all those that wouldn't for all but 1 minute 37 seconds of the St Albans innings of 246 - 7.
Stevenage's reply got off to a brisk if unconvincing start, with Carr hitting 4 boundaries in his score of 16 during which time he managed to head an O'Toole bouncer to the wicket keeper. The Kazmi brothers batted at 2 and 3 and each got starts Jnr making 18 and Snr a good 38, but with Ahmed playing on for 12 Stevenage were left
with a lot to do. Rajeev Rajacopal's poor run of luck continued as he was brilliantly stumped down the leg side by Sandford off the medium pace of Choudray, but from that moment the game swung back Stevenage's way. St Albans sensed victory was in their grasp and attacked Peter Magafas and the new batsman Yasin, but Magafas had become
settled despite wickets falling the other end and progressed to 58 before being bowled with the score on 149. Gary Brown (16no) joined Yasin (55) at the crease and the pair made hay with the close set field sharing a 72 run partnership and took Stevenage to within reach of a famous victory. Unfortunately, with 26 runs to win from 3 overs Yasin
was run out and Sinclair sent in to give it a whack were dismissed in consecutive balls, which left Stevenage to bat out the last 2 overs for a draw. This was done with ease as Brown played with solid defence and Mehmood unleashed an array of effortless leave alone shots to the delight and amusement of his teammates.
detailed scorecards available on Stevenage Play Cricket Site
RESULT - Match Drawn
Stevenage drew their home match against middle of the table Millhillians, who were without their St Lucian allrounder, Darren Sammy, who had been called into the West Indies 1-day squad and as such was on duty at Lords
against the New Zealanders. Because of the inclement weather the game ended up being a golden opportunity for both sides to make progress up the table, but while the home side were willing to risk defeat in pursuit of victory, Millhillians seemed intent on
claiming a draw and in doing so highlighted all the negative aspects of the game and the flaws in the format of the game in the Home Counties Premier League. Stevenage batted first with the new opening partnership of David Carr and Senior Ali Kazmi surviving until
the first rain break. On the restart Ali Kazmi was dismissed for 7 and Ian Baker (12) followed sometime later caught behind aiming an aggressive drive through the covers. Naseer Ahmed replaced him and showed his class scoring with ease and moving rapidly to
35 before falling to an over ambitious cut shot against Millhillians left arm spinner. Junior Ali Kazmi was next to the crease and approached his innings as if he were batting in a 20/20 game attempting all sorts of shots to all parts of the ground but unfortunately connecting with
few before being clean bowled. Carr's vigil was ended on 39 by a good low catch at backward point, but Magafas kept up the attacking intent and progressed serenely to 36 before holing out with about a dozen overs to go. The Stevenage lower order hung on for the remainder of the rain reduced
52 overs and raised the total to a competive, but far from intimidating 162 given that a minimum of 42 overs were available. The Millhillians reply got off to a disasterous start with both openers falling for single figures, one to Ahzar Ali and the other to Naseer Ahmed. These wickets were
then followed by two completely avoidable run-outs to leave the visitors on 31 for 4 from 17 overs and in a position from where they had managed to bat themselves completely out of the game. It was left to new boy Faizal Yasin to try to blast out the remaining batsmen and while he picked up
2 wickets once the only shots on show were backward or forward defensives the writing was on the wall and the Stevenage players were wishing that they'd "took a lot of pills (and died)".
detailed scorecards available on Stevenage Play Cricket Site
28th August - Stevenage 1st XI vs St Margretsbury
21st August - Welwyn Garden City vs Stevenage 1st XI
Man of the Match - Peter Magafas - for winning the game with his "eyes closed"
14th August - Stevenage 1st XI vs Hemel Hempstead
Man of the Match - Saeed Ali Kazmi
7th August - Hoddesdon vs Stevenage 1st XI
Man of the Match - Saeed Ali Kazmi
31st July - Stevenage 1st XI vs West Herts
Man of the Match - Saeed Ali Kazmi / Match Ball Sponsor - Putterills
24th July - Stevenage 1st XI vs Sawbridgeworth
Man of the Match - Ahzar Ali / Match Ball Sponsor - Ken Brown Motors
17th July - St Albans vs Stevenage 1st XI
Man of the Match - Faisal Yasin
10th July - Stevenage 1st XI vs Millhillians
Man of the Match - The entire Stevenage side for staying awake during Millhillians innings. Match Sponsor - Howard Crompton
back