Hatfield Madness

For many, the annual end of season trip to Hatfield Heath, in Essex, is one of the highlights of the Leisure Calender.

A heath with bomb craters, ditches and a road cutting the outfield in to two, a rickety old pavilion with one shower, two local pubs, one decent, the other slightly dodgy, doesnt sound every ones cup of tea, but usually good September weather, a nice bunch of oppo, great teas, and camping on the Heath adds to the occassion. Cricket has been played there for donkeys, and the ground and surrounding village has a real charm about it. Batman and Robin turned up one year to watch.

2009 will be the 8th year of playing. We've always played 2 innings, be it as part of one game, or two seperate ones. The first game we lost in 2002. In 2003 a 2 innings draw, 2004 a 2 innings loss, 2005 a 2 innings win, 2006 2 wins, 2007 a tie and a win and 2008, a win and a loss. So, all in all, pretty good results, for a works 2020 team against an established weekend team.

Wendel has scored 3 fifties, has a hit a six over the house one end and into the pub the other, said to be the biggest 6 ever seen there. Aussie Brett scored a couple. Paul, Adam, Rick have also scored 50's here. Maurice scored a 49. Jim was run out twice last year, but at least he wasnt run over, which is easier to do than at 3 Bridges.

Chris has taken 4/7, Adam 3/11, Duane 3/19, Brooks 3/10 and 3/5 and Martin 3/21, on various occassions. We ran out 4 batsman in one innings.

Knobby was out first ball of the day once, with wife and kids watching but scored an imporant 42 on another occassion. He still goes on about the Elvis impersonater in said dodgy pub.

The year we had the tie and a win (having scored 70 all out in 28 overs, and then bowling them out for 47) was rather exciting.

(From the archives:

Two extraordinary games at Hatfield Heath last week.
20 over game: HLCC 116/5, HHCC 116/3, tie, Adam 51, Knobby 42.
28 over game: HLCC 70/10 (27.4 ov), HHCC 47/10 (19.3ov) win, Mike 20, Robert 12, Chis 4/7, Adam 3/11)

Next week we will be there again, so lets see what awaits...