Ufford Park are out of the Indoor National Club Championship for 2020 after losing their County Play Off Match to Hook Norton CC from Oxfordshire.
Ufford Park CC were representing Huntingdonshire after winning the Huntingdonshire Indoor League last season (2018/2019) and travelled to Eynsham in Oxfordshire to play Hook Norton CC who won their Oxfordshire Indoor League last March.
This match was originally scheduled for Sunday 15th February 2020 but was postponed as Storm Dennis caused havoc across the country.
Ufford, (representing Huntingdonshire) knew that they were in for a tough contest with the ECB drawing them away from home and also narrowly losing to Hook Norton at the same stage last year.
Hook Norton also reached the Regional Final in March 2019 and were just one match away from National Finals Day at Lords. They have also gone 3 years without losing a match in their Oxfordshire League.
12 overs a side was the format, with bowlers limited to a maximum of 3 overs, with batsman retiring at 25 and then recycling back in order. A brand new ball was used for both innings.
After winning the toss, the Ufford bowlers struggled with line and length as Hook Norton got into their stride with some excellently judged running between the wickets. However, just as a partnership was building Captain Jan Neville struck with an excellent catch on the back wall from Waheed Javed. A second wicket partnership of 52 was instrumental for Hook Norton before Andy Larkin trapped a Hook Norton batsman lbw and Javed struck again with another trade mark direct hit.
Despite these 2 quick wickets Hook Norton batted deep and continued to find regular gaps in the hall. Despite using 5 bowlers Ufford struggled to get the 4th wicket they desperately needed. Neville returned and clean bowled a lower order batsman before two more direct hits from Sandeep Dahiya and wicket keeper Jonathan Bigham ended the innings with Hook Norton scoring 168 all out from exactly 12 overs. Jan Neville was the pick of the bowlers with 2-40 from his 3 overs.
At half way Ufford knew that Hook Norton had posted a very good score and it would be a difficult run chase.
In reply, Ufford lost a wicket in the 2nd over with Waheed Javed brilliantly caught off the ceiling. A partnership built between Joe Harrington (22) and Andy Larkin (19) with both batsman striking boundary 4’s and 6’s as well as excellently judged 3’s. After 3 overs, Ufford were on 34-2 and ahead of the run rate, but some outstanding bowling and fielding saw the last few wickets fall cheaply and they finished on 53 all out. Hook Norton showed their class in moving forward to the next round.
Hook Norton will now go to Bromsgrove School this Sunday (8th March 2020) for a Regional Semi Final v Newland CC from Wales. If they win that match they have a Regional Final on the same day with the winners of that match going to National Finals Day at Lords in late March.
Ufford Park knew that the better team had won on the day and wished Hook Norton all the best for Regional Finals Day.
Bretton CC who recently won the Huntingdonshire Indoor League for 2019/2020 will represent Huntingdonshire in the County Play Off in March 2021.
Ufford Park Team Pictured:
Back row (left to right): Joe Harrington, Sandeep Dahiya & Andy Larkin
Front row (left to right): Jan Neville (Capt), Jonathan Bigham (WK) and Waheed Javed.
