After retaining the HECL Division 1 title last week, a new look Matching Green 1st XI headed to Aspenden, led by stand-in skipper Dan Sibley, with legendary club captain Paul Dawson missing for the first time in 6 years.
With overcast conditions ahead, Aspenden won the toss and elected to bowl. Their decision produced its first dividend soon after too, as opening bowler B. Surrey quickly dismissed Matching’s opener M. Keefe for 0. England Indoor International, Jason Green, soon skied one after coming in at 3 as well, leaving an impression of a side battling its own league title hangover. Opener Jack Scantlebury was batting well before falling for 22. Matching continued to lose wickets at regular intervals before a partnership of 75 between Charlie Bass (34) and H. Lees (37) managed to steady a surprisingly unsteady ship for a team that were recently crowned champions just one week ago. With HECC cricket coach Luke Humphreys taking the vital wicket of Lees, 10 man Matching were soon restricted to just 153 in little over 35 overs, B. Surrey taking 3-44.
Matching opened the bowling with their usual frightening attack of C. Bass and J. Green, in the knowledge that opener Akbar Jabar could hold the key wicket of the game. Averaging over 90 runs in his first foray in Division 1 this season with newly promoted Aspenden, Akbar recently guest-starred in a pulsating win for the HECL Representative XI against Sawbridgeworth. He began beautiful stroking the ball across the field as, at the other end, Aspenden captain Luke Clifton batted bravely. However controversy soon arose as spin bowler Dan Sibley appeared to have Akbar trapped LBW on 23, with the batsman offering no shot, only to be told not out. This vital decison proved pivotal as Akbar went on to make 82, effectively batting Matching out of the game. A late flurry of wickets with young Max Hunt (2-24) and the newly recalled Nick Scantlebury (2-10) made the game interesting before Aspenden finally chasing down the runs for a deserved 4 wicket win. A team newly promoted, beating the champions on the final day of the season, it is fair to say that Aspenden have joined a division they deserve to be in.
The presentation of a nice bottle of Champagne by ASP captain Luke Clifton to League winners Matching Green was a nice touch and very much appreciated.