Cumbria enjoyed a very good first day of their NCCA Championship game at Bishop’s Stortford.
They dismissed hosts Hertfordshire in 74.2 overs for 158 and at the close were well poised for a good lead at 108-2 from 32 overs.
JJ Fielding had just completed his 50 in the final over of the day as he and Matthew Sempill (9no) were starting to put together a third wicket partnership.
Cumbria had lost opener Freddie Fallows (10), caught behind, after he and Ben Walkden had put on 28 for the first wicket.
Walkden (29) then moved the score on to 73-2 with Fielding before he went down the wicket to drive but didn’t catch the ball right and spooned-up a catch to mid-off.
Fielding and Sempill had been largely untroubled, adding 35 in an unfinished stand before the close.
Cumbria skipper Michael Slack had won the toss and elected to field, and it wasn’t long before he struck the first blow for his side. He had Arjel Patel caught behind by Drew Postlethwaite and seven balls later Sam Sharp trapped the other opener Dom Chatfield leg before.
Hertfordshire were 12-2 and needed the 54-runs partnership which followed to breathe some life into the innings. Jamie Southgate stuck around for an hour and a quarter for 35 before he got well forward to Walkden but was given out leg before.
His departure signalled something of a collapse as they lost their next four wickets for the addition of only 20 runs.
Matthew Siddall had Aaron Beard caught in the slips by Fallows; David Burnell, who had figured in the third wicket stand, was finally out caught at cover by Sam Dutton off Walkden for a patient 18; Siddall, refreshed by an enjoyable lasagne for lunch, had Charlie Mumford lbw and Slack also had a successful leg before shout against Jack Plom.
Hertfordshire were now 86-7 and if there was a disappointment for Cumbria it was that their tail added another 72 runs before they were all back in the pavilion.
Andrew Neal (23) skied one off Siddall and running back from mid-wicket Walkden took the catch.
Walkden bowled a lovely delivery which left Chinmay Mullapudi (11), found the edge of his bat and was pouched by Postlethwaite.
Finally, the man who had inspired the resistance, skipper Ben Waring (41) was superbly caught off Walkden by Dutton, leaping one-handed to grab a ball that was almost past him at cover.
Walkden was Cumbria’s most successful bowler, taking 4-32 while Siddall took 3-53. Slack (2-25) and Sharp (1-23) were the other wicket-takers.
Cumbria will be hoping for some good weather today so that they can push on and establish a big lead.
