Day 4 - Herts CCC Vs BPCC - 28/06/23

Day 4 was set up to be one of the toughest of the week versus Hertfordshire CCC. Cameras were set up and the game was live streamed by the opposition who interestingly brought a video analyst but no scorer.

BPCC won the toss and elected to bowl first, which looked an excellent decision when Dominic Manthorpe got opener Gugan Muraltharan to nick one to keeper Gary Knight in the second over for 4. However, other opener Dominic Chatfield had other ideas and steadily racked up the runs with Alan Jones at the other end, building a 52 run partnership until Jones mistimed one to Tom Knight off the bowling of Sam Baugh, out for 19. That was the last glimmer of hope BPCC had with Chatfield and David Burnell making light work of the toiling bowlers for the next 35 overs, compiling an impressive 3rd wicket partnership of 215 runs before Chatfield eventually hit one in the air to Tom Knight in the 49th over off the bowling of Mitch Harris, out for 125. Herts ended their innings on an imposing 279 for 3 with Burnell on 122 and Arjun Patel on 3, both not out.

In reply, things got off to a shaky start when Will Evans got a surprise short ball in the second over from Chinmay Mullapudi and edged through to Chatfield at slip. Gary Knight and Stuart Drakeley worked hard against some tight bowling, building an 81 run partnership until Drakeley got hit on the front leg off the bowling of Alex Gosling and walked, out LBW for 33 in the 18th over. After taking a heavy landing in the 1st innings, Dave Roffey was batting with effectively one arm but battled well, compiling a partnership of 54 before Knight was out LBW for a fluent 75 off the bowling of Ben Waring. Roffey fell to Waring as well in his next over, LBW for 23. Tom Knight and Micky Martin kept BPCC in the chase, adding 42 before Martin was caught by Arjun Patel off the bowling of Mullapudi for 21.

The weather was starting to look like prematurely ending the match so Manthorpe, Josh Johnson and Baugh tried to up the ante and force the result but Manthorpe and Johnson both feathered through to keeper Burnell for 2 and 4 respectively and Baugh was bowled by Waring for 2. Mitchell Harris was halfway to the crease when the heavens opened and called time on the game with BPCC 219 for 8. Match Abandoned.