11:40am Thursday 19th August 2010
By Simon Mail
Harpenden were knocked out of the Sunday Cup in their semi-final after a three-wicket home defeat to Bishop's Stortford.
The visitors are flying high in the division below Harpenden and they took their form into the cup tie.
After so much rain, the playing conditions were always likely to be difficult but having been asked to bat Harpenden were 159 for two with opener Chris Bennett-Baggs (56 in 59 balls) and Aussie Ben Clements (82 in 85) both going well.
A collapse, prompted by some poor shot selections, saw this solid base fall to 184 all out with Mike Howard (11 in 28) the only other batsman to make double figures.
Credit certainly went to the Stortford bowlers with Alexander Smith (four for 21), Steve Colman (three for 34) and Simon Lindop (one for ten) all making life very tough for Harpenden.
Captain Ben Frazer might well have preferred over 200 on the board but 184 was a total to defend with a lush outfield making for slow scoring and a pitch not conducive to free flowing stroke-play.
Chris Arnold (two for 28) was a handful with the ball and Stortford ran in to their own problems at 17 for two and then 43 for four but three fine 40s from man-of-the-match Smith (42 in 80), Luke Padgett (47 in 80) and Lindop (40 not out in 45 at No. 8) were enough to see them home.
Frazer rotated his bowlers as best he could but a damp ball and the lack of one more bowler thwarted any hopes of one last twist in the tail.
Harpenden, whose league game was washed out on Saturday, must now turn their attention to a hugely important Home Counties match at High Wycombe this weekend.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/trade_directory/