Five-star Futcher rips through Radlett in Wheathampstead win
Mitchell Futcher took five wickets for Wheathampstead against Radlett. - Credit: Archant
MITCHELL Futcher tore through Radlett’s top order before clearing out the tail end as his five-wicket haul helped WCC to its first win of the season.
Radlett were facing an obtainable target of 213 as they started their reply but Futcher removed the top three batsmen with 17 runs on the board to kill the innings before it started.
Openers David Robinson (1) and Nick Fielden (1) were first to go, both being caught, before James Lewis (11) was removed after showing a bit of resilience. WCC’s other opening bowler, Adam Robbins (3-15) pitched in with a scalp of his own, removing Robin Willis (0) for a first-ball duck.
At 17-4 play was delayed due to rain, reducing the innings to 35 overs.
With 16 overs to claim six more wickets, WCC came up against a resurgent Radlett as Johnny Armitage (64) and Andre Sharma (29) but the end of the innings came about in spectacular fashion.
Having pushed the score up to 127-8, Robbins bowled Armitage and Daniel Cohen (5) with successive balls to complete his three-wicket haul. Then with the very next delivery Luke Samarasinghe caught Ben Lederman (0) off Futcher’s bowling to win the match.
Earlier in the day, having been put in bat, Mark Winchester and Samarasinghe put on a 79-run first-wicket stand before the former was dismissed for 25.
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Samarasinghe (77) and Adam Winchester (62) pushed the score up to 191-4, with the help of Chris Martin (12), before both were bowled by Lederman.
Richard Winchester (10no), Robbins (8) and Pete Bush (11) saw out the remaining overs.
Final result: Radlett 2s (127) lost to Wheathampstead CC (213-6) by 86 runs.
WCC are third in SML Division Two with 48 points having won and drawn their first two games. They welcome top side Botany Bay to Nomansland on Saturday, May 18. 1pm start.
• WCC 2s (167-5) beat Clifton (166) by five wickets. Keith Martin (4-29) and Dave Tree (3-26) starred with the ball before Pete Griffiths (58) and Todd Houlahan (51) helped WCC surpass their target.
• WCC 3s match against Baldock 3s was abandoned due to rain.
• WCC 4s SML Division 14 campaign begins with a trip to Hitchin 4s on Saturday.
