Bancroft brothers ensure draw

8/22/2009

The brothers Bancroft made this game safe for Hertford after another middle order collapse had made North Mymms think they would gain a comfortable victory. Hertford had been in a promising position at tea with their score on 136 for 2 chasing the visitor's formidable total of 302 for 5 declared, but a minimum of 30 overs remained.

On the resumption, however, Hertford lost three wickets for the addition of one run in 5 overs as left arm spinner Rob Clements had skipper Box caught for 33, bowled Ollie Ray next ball and had Andy Searson caught in his next over. Clements followed up by dismissing Richard Cordingley an over later and Hertford were 143 for 6. Meanwhile Tom Bancroft, who had opened the innings, was standing firm at the other end. Rob Slater gave him some support for 25 minutes but when Thurstance had him caught, minimum of 14 overs remained and Mymms scented a win. Will Bancroft joined his brother and with newfound confidence, following his 80 the previous Sunday, he defied the Mymms bowling with a judicious mix of attack and defence. The attack brought him 10 boundaries in his 48 not out as the pair added 74 and made the game safe. However the real hero of the hour was Tom Bancroft who batted for 3 hour 20 minutes for his maiden senior cricket century. His 112 not out included 19 fours.

The day had started promisingly for Hertford as tight opening spells from James mead and Tom Bancroft had restricted the scoring and Bancroft had picked up two wickets before the total had reached 40. Then Rhys Carter joined Andrew Hicks and they upped the tempos, being particularly harsh on first change Rob Slater. The first fifty on the innings had been pretty sedate but the second fifty came up in 26 minutes and the third in the same time. Richard Cordingley stemmed the flow of runs for a while, but it was Mead who finally broke the partnership when he bowled Hicks, who had just reached his half century, in the third=d over of his second spell. Mymms were 194 at that point and in the next 12 overs they added over 100 runs before declaring on 302 for 5 in the 51st over. By then Carter had reached his hundred and been dismissed by Bancroft but that had not broken the momentum of the Mymms innings.

Despite losing Elliot King in the first over, Hertford started their reply positively and were scoring at around 5 an over until the tea interval. Bancroft was particularly fluent at this stage and his first fifty came up in just over the hour and Chris Box also looked in good form. Then came tea, the collapse and the final match saving partnership.