Match Report: 4s vs Hampstead CC (14/05/2022)

Toss: Kenton 4s won the toss and elected to bat first.

After a disappointing start to the season against Crouch End many positive from the second match of the season. Two changes to the side helped strengthen the playing XI. Toss won by Kenton there was a slight reluctance to bat first but it was the right decision. Searan and Snehal gave Kenton a brilliant start with an opening partnership of 99 off 17 overs. Snehal made the most of his dropped catches and smashed 16 4's and Searen being the steady rock needed at the other end. Vijay helped continue the partnerships supporting Searan before Pranav Dave came in and played a superb innings finishing unbeaten on 88. Although we could have reached 280+ with more contributions from the middle and lower order a total of 249-9 off 45 overs was rare for the 4s and something we could hopefully defend. At one stage there was a risk we wouldn't have batted the full 45 overs but I'm glad the team have progressed this year with the batting to ensure that we were not all out.

Vijay and Zabiullah opened the bowling with the senior bowler being on the spot from ball 1. Although Vijay did not take a wicket his opening spell of 7 overs for 19 with 3 maidens kept the pressure on Hampstead. Zabiullah bowled some loose deliveries but again showed a lot of promise and improvement down to his winter training. Although Hampstead did not loose early wickets the runs were hard to come by and Zabiullah made the breakthrough at the end of his 6 over spell. 1st Change Pranav Dave was wayward and not effective so was taken off after 2 overs. That meant our 2 frontline spiiners in Mansoor and Mihir had to be the one's who started to make inroads into the opposition batting. Mansoor continued from the previous week and bowled a impressive spell of 11.1 overs taking 6-42 and the key wicket of Dayal who creamed one to the captain at cover. At the other end Mihir finally turned up and made the batsmen struggle from his first over. Constantly beating the bat Hampstead could not score and that was reflected in Mihir's figures of 9 overs, 3 maidens 3-13. In the whole the bowling and fielding performance was a 100% improvement from the week before with 4 catches(especially Vijay's one running from mid on towards midwicket), a stumping and a lost tooth for our keeper! Let's keep up the progress and performances team.