Tour Report

Our 3rd XI Captain gives us an exclusive report from the weekend's Tour!

"Belbroughton CC went on a pre-season tour to Hertfordshire from the 8th to 10th April 2022. The tourists were: Richard Dunn, Simon Flowers, Tom Flowers, George Flowers, Ben Gray, Justin Gray, Ben Hansford, Steve Harvey, Cameron Harvey, Andrew MacKenzie, Jamie MacKenzie, Harry Shaw, Rick Wrigley. 

We played two games against Little Gaddesden on Saturday 9th April. The first was a 100 ball game which was a new experience for most of us. Little Gaddesden scored 124 off their 100 balls. Tom Flowers bowled some very accurate leg spin that belied his age. At one point in the innings, it began to snow. Ben Hansford suffered from mild hypothermia. Andy MacKenzie developed back spasms however carried his bat in our second innings as we tied the game. With Hansford and MacKenzie unable to play in the second game which was reduced to 50 balls, Cameron Harvey captained the team; Harry Shaw opened the batting and top scored; Jamie Mackenzie and Rick Wrigley got golden ducks and some tight bowling somehow made 47 a competitive total with defeat only coming off the penultimate ball. The food provided by Little Gaddesden was some of the best I have ever experienced at a cricket ground. We were delighted that Mick and Nick Ross came to support. 

Following an evening of quiet reflection in Berkhamstead, the team reassembled the next day at Great Gaddesden CC in bright sunshine. After a late fitness test, A MacKenzie was ruled out and had to have regular fluids to enable him to even umpire. Hansford had thankfully recovered and opened the batting with Richard Dunn. A brisk opening stand followed by some remarkable hitting from Wrigley (63) and J Mackenzie, on his birthday (53 not out) enabled Belbroughton to post 277 off 35 overs. The innings was held together by a brilliant 100 not out from Dunn. That the game was a contest was down to R Mainwaring, one of the Great Gaddesden openers who played fluently for a century but we prevailed and won the game by 29 runs. A key passage saw the return of Cameron Harvey to the attack. He bowled with good pace and accuracy to slow Great Gaddesden's run rate and put pressure on the batsmen. George Flowers, Tom Flowers, Ben Gray and Wrigley also bowled well. The Ross family and Nick Kates came to support us. 

The tour provided an excellent warm up for the season ahead. Thank you to everyone who took part."