Shenley snatch a draw from the jaws of defeat

7:04pm Thursday 18th May 2006

Shenley Village 162-9
Ampthill Town II 168-8
Saracens Herts League Division 4
(Match drawn)

Shenley welcomed Ampthill Town to the Shenley Cricket Centre on Saturday and the visitors won the toss and elected to bat first.

Openers Reynolds and Archer made slow but steady progress advancing to 22 runs from ten overs before Dave Shelley bowled Archer (13) with a ball that came back sharply up the slope.

Jemile Al-Darraji claimed the next wicket, Ross (14), beating him for pace to hit his off-stump and Ampthill were left on 43-2 from 16 overs.

In the next over Shelley claimed his second wicket enticing Ampthill number four Passman to give a small edge which was duly caught by Shenley wicket keeper Fazly Wahab.

Reynolds and Howson went on to make a partnership of 70 runs before Reynolds (35) was caught by Wahab off the bowling of Geoff Evans in the 36th over. This left the score on 114-4 after 37 overs.

The score advanced to 127 before Craig Rawlings claimed his first wicket for Shenley having Howson caught by Wahab for 45.

The score was on 142 when Evans trapped Haxell lbw for one in the 47th over.

Rawlings claimed the wickets of Steele, again caught by Wahab for eight runs and Ruddick bowled for 20 runs to leave Ampthill on 157-8 from 50 overs.

They managed to push the score on to 168 from their 53 overs.

Shenley's reply got off to the worst possible start with Dilesh Sangaran bowled by Steele in the first over for 0.

The next wicket to fall was Jose Fedee who gave a catch to the keeper off the bowling of Degwan for two runs. This reduced left Shenley on 28-2.

Rahul Gajjar looked in good form, making 32 runs before mistiming a pull shot to give a simple catch off the bowling of Steele. This left Shenley on 42 after nine overs.

Wahab made a quick 25 before being bowled by Haxell in the 21st over, with the score on 89-4.

Al-Darraji was in good form making 22 before being run out after a mix-up when Evans slipped.

Liam Willingham was out lbw for 0 in what appeared to be a very poor decision from the umpire. The score was now 99-6 from 29 overs.

Evans went on to make 24 runs before being bowled by Steele.

After Ron Brown gave a catch off the bowling of Wythe for four runs, the Shenley score was 119-8 from 39 overs.

The game looked to be slipping away from Shenley and a loss was on the cards but Rawlings and Shelley were in no mood to go down without a fight.

Shelley was dismissed by a brilliant catch at gully slip for 11, leaving the score on 143 for 9.

Rawlings (24) and Evans (2) finished unbeaten and the game was drawn with Shenley reaching 163 from their 47 overs.

Tomorrow, Shenley travel to take on Langleybury II in a league match.

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