North Enfield Cricket Club’s 2s fell to a defeat at St Albans on Saturday, despite a fighting effort with both the bat and the ball.
The hosts chased down their target of 156 with six overs and four wickets to spare, after North Enfield had earlier posted 155 - 7 from their 40 overs.
After being put into bat on a difficult surface and despite losing opener William Munt (7) early on, North Enfield got off to a steady start through captain David Brandon and Fieaz Tazower. The pair soaked up some initial pressure amidst some tidy bowling and started to build a platform for the visitors.
From 61 - 1 at drinks, Tazower and North Enfield exploded into life, with the former reaching his maiden club fifty in no time at all, courtesy of some stunning shots on both sides of the wicket. However, he fell soon after for a fine 58 and Brandon (53) then followed him back, albeit after reaching his own, determined half century.
The loss of these two quick wickets halted North Enfield’s momentum and despite cameos from Stuart Halley (12) and Josh Corgan (8), they were unable to truly accelerate away from their opponents and eventually set them a target of 156.
St Albans got off to a fast start, but North Enfield soon dragged them back and got themselves well and truly back in the game. First, Kazi Islam claimed his first club wicket, before a wicket apiece for David Malleson and Oliver Munt saw the hosts reduced to 55 - 3.
A partnership of 61 for the fourth wicket saw the hosts steady the ship and despite two quick strikes from Garry Orton meant that they were always above the required run rate and on course for victory. Oliver Munt’s second wicket gave North Enfield hope, but in the end they just did not have enough runs to play with and the hosts squeezed home by four wickets.
Elsewhere, North Enfield’s 1s suffered a comprehensive 192 run defeat at home to Leverstock Green and the Sunday XI lost by six wickets to Mandarins, despite a 70 run partnership between Freddie Pearson and William Munt, as well as two wickets apiece for Oliver Munt and David Malleson.
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