The 1st team by skipper Jimmy Latham

2024 has been a terrific season for the 1s who comfortably won the Hertfordshire Premier League by 56 points. On top of this, the side were also crowned Hertfordshire T20 Champions. This led to the team making it to the last 16 in the country, unfortunately losing out on the last ball to Oundle CC, who are the current finalists in the T20 national competition. On another day, we could easily have been one of the last two in the nationals.

The results we have had this year support the widespread feeling that this is one of the best club sides in the country and the best team the club has produced. Hopefully this success can drive us onto yet more for years to come. The team has match winners from 1 to 11; every single player deserves a special mention for their key contributions.

In all formats the top 5 scored a combined 3,956 runs at an average of 42.08. Cole Briggs 1058; Jimmy Latham 810; Olly Batchelor 725; Andrew Neal 684; Scott Galloway 679. Even batters 6, 7 and 8 contributed the best part of 1000 runs (Ben Frazer, Usman Malik and Harry Seagrave). On the bowling front, four players took more than 30 wickets: Andrew Neal, Harry Seagrave, Tom Beasley and Usman Malik.

The 2nd team by skipper Jake Pankhurst

The results speak for themselves for the 2s this year: 16 completed games, 15 wins and just the one narrow defeat.

We’ve been a second eleven in a league of mostly first teams but have played with a level of professionalism and skill that places us above all those sides. We have played hard cricket, in a good spirit, maintaining strong basics throughout the season. We started well, steamrolling sides in the early games, and growing as a unit across the weeks, to the point of feeling unbeatable as we moved onto the business end of the campaign. More on that later.

With only one century in the 2s the previous season, the batsmen needed to step up this time around and they did so in style. One of the hallmarks of our season was different players standing up at different times: Jake Pankhurst led the way with 128 against Watford; Oliver Tuck scored a key 104 at home to Radlett; Nick Lamb hit a classy 102 against Stevenage. Ed Washington didn’t reach three figures but passed 50 four times on his way to finishing as our top run scorer. Club legend Mike Howard contributed throughout and saved his best for last (more on that later, too). Nick Reeves, Dom Tulett, Preet Bhawan, Arthur Garrett and Joel Stewart all made crucial contributions in tight games.

The top individual bowling plaudits were taken by Arthur Garrett, who ripped through Northwood with 6-21, and Will Latham, who bagged 5-20 at Stevenage. Without a 5-fer but always bowling with a searching menace, Will Downes led the bowling attack expertly, ably supported by fellow seamers Jack Manton, Nick Lamb, Joel Stewart, Mike Howard and Lilan Fernando. Jack Doyle, returning mid-season after a knee injury, was like a new signing, finding turn with the new ball. Garrett, Latham and Sam Calladine completed an ever-threatening spin attack.

Catches were taken, Graeme Sprowson with the gloves (19 dismissals) and Dom Tulett at slip (18) featuring in the league’s top five grabbers. Our ground fielding was always strong, putting pressure on the opposition, squeezing games.

When push came to shove, and we faced the three other promotion challengers in our final three matches of the season, we upped our game even further. Both Northwood and Ampthill were dismissed for double-figure totals in comfortable, authoritative wins. That left a winner-takes-all finale against Berkhamsted to decide the league title. It was Mike Howard’s turn to take centre stage, managing a tricky run chase expertly to see us home to a five-wicket win and the Division 2A title.

We’ve been lucky enough to field a side full of experience throughout the season but it’s also been great to see the young players coming through. Preet Bhawan and Sam Calladine clearly both have futures at this level and above, and it was brilliant to be able to hand 2nd team debuts to Kavin Vidhya and Charlie Moxham, both of whom bowled very well when called upon.

I couldn’t be prouder of the side - a team of champions - and look forward to taking on Division 1 with them next year.

Major thanks, too, to Geoff and Platty for their work on the ground, and to Rachel and Kyle for scoring for us. And to everyone else in a range of roles at Harpenden CC, who all make it a joy to play for the best club in Hertfordshire.

Most runs: Ed Washington 512, Jake Pankhurst 470, Oliver Tuck 275, Nick Lamb 252
Most wickets: Will Downes 21, Nick Lamb 20, Arthur Garrett 16, Will Latham 15.

The 3rd team by skipper Jack Killen

'A team that has forgotten how to lose.’

Succinctly put by Tom Atkinson after a casual, league-winning, 1-wicket victory that had me praying to the cricketing gods and peering out from behind the dressing room door. It may seem an easy thing to say post-match, sitting on the outfield with beer in hand, but upon reflection I think it holds true.

The last two games, capping off an 8-game winning streak to finish the season, were the two most fiercely contested events. These games teetered on a knife’s edge, a half-chance, a loose ball, and yet we found a way to win. It was in these tight moments that individuals excelled and a team came together.

Along this unbeaten run, smashing top of the league sides three times over, were moments of individual brilliance. A counterpunch from Nick Reeves (123*) and Gareth Taylor (42) against Holtwhites from a precarious position. A match winning 143-run partnership from Bryn Luffman (102*) and Preet Bhawan (77) against title contenders Flamstead. Commanding displays from Aidan Hincks (73 and a 3-fer) and Sam Calladine (a 3-fer) against now-promoted Broxbourne. A glorious Pat Bissett 4-fer and a dominant 112-run partnership from Barney Francis (77) and Ben Grimberg (50) against Northampton Exiles. Season defining 3-fers from Gareth Taylor and Jack Manton against top of the league (at the time) Hatfield Hyde. A swashbuckling 186-run partnership from Dan Bradley (117*) and Preet (66) to go with a cool, calm display from Tom Atkinson (3-fer) at Stevenage. Finally, the last game of the season, when Jack Manton and Pat Bissett well and truly secured their places in the pantheon of Harpenden legends.

All of that in just a few games. Not to mention the rest of the season. A 6-fer from Charlie Twelftree, a 5-fer from Ben Griggs, a 5-fer from Tom Atkinson, 141* from Bryn Luffman and a wonderful performance from Ben Newton with 101 and a 4-fer in the same game. I have been very fortunate to call upon players who not only have the skill to win a game single-handedly, but also the desire to pull the team through hardship in order to succeed.

This year we’ve had the fortune of seeing so many talented young players come through the ranks of the 3s: Charlie Twelftree, Kavin Vidhya, Charlie Moxham, Ben Grimberg, Aidan Hincks, Preet Bhawan, Harry Bradley, Harry Robinson and Sam Calladine have all proven they are stars of the future.

I would like to thank Chris Marsden for umpiring nearly every game this year, quite often umpiring both ends which is no easy task. We couldn’t do it without him. I would also like to thank the selection committee for their help and support all season. To finish off the thank-yous, I would also like to thank my vice-captain for keeping me in check with my wild theories and for his consistent contributions this season. Is there anyone that can get Dan ‘The Hermit’ Bradley out in August?

I am so proud of all 38 players who played in the 3s this year. Each one contributed to a special season and they should all be immensely proud of their achievement. Let’s do it all again next year…

Most runs: Nick Reeves 370, Bryn Luffman 335, Dan Bradley 302, Jack Killen 262
Most wickets: Charlie Twelftree 14, Ben Griggs 14, Tom Atkinson 13.