Jenkins knock buoys Radlett
Wicketkeeper puts injury woes behind him with half century in draw
HCPL Division One
Oxford 221-8 Radlett 188-9
Match drawn
TOM JENKINS’ remarkable recovery from his serious winter accident continued on Saturday as the wicketkeeper-batsman hit an unbeaten 53 in Radlett’s draw with high-flying Oxford.
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Jenkins was expected to miss the entire HCPL Division One season after suffering cracked vertebrae in a motocross accident that left him hardly able to walk. The 26-year-old has confounded all expectations though with his remarkable recovery which was continued in style by his fine innings on Saturday.
It wasn’t just with the bat that Jenkins contributed to Radlett’s cause having also been busy in the field earlier in the day snaffling Ian Crosby (13) and stumping former Warwickshire man Stuart Hole (33) to give Heath Paynter, pictured right, two of his five wickets.
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Paynter (5-92) had earlier accounted for Oxford’s top three including top scorer Daniel King for 57, while there were also two wickets for Rob Clements (2-31) and one for Matt Corran (1-35) as Oxford reached 221-8 from their 66 overs.
Things weren’t looking good for Radlett in their reply as Usman Arif dismissed the top three with just 22 on the board.
Skipper Shane Burger hit 26 from 42 balls at number four before being bowled by Nick Ferraby meaning that Jenkins arrived at the crease looking to stem a flow of wickets that had seen Radlett slip to 78-4.
In tandem with Zimbabwean Fraser Crawford, the pair began rebuilding the Radlett innings and they released some of the pressure built up by putting on 59 for the fifth wicket.
Despite the pair’s good work, Crawford’s dismissal for 53 - bowled by Shamilal Mendis - sparked a collapse again instigated by Arif who picked up three more wickets to leave Radlett teetering on the brink of another defeat at 151-9.
Jenkins and last man Daniel Foster had other ideas though as they frustrated the Oxford bowling attack putting on an unbeaten 37 for the 10th wicket.
Jenkins’ stubborn resistance was rewarded with a gritty unbeaten half century while Foster finished on 10* as Radlett earned eight points to Oxford’s 12.
This Saturday Radlett entertain basement side Falkland with both sides looking for their first league win of the season.
