HEREFORDSHIRE Win One Lose One in their latest NCCA T20 double-header against Dorset

9 Jun 2025   |   By Richard Prime

HEREFORDSHIRE once again won one and lost one in their latest NCCA T20 Group 40 double-header against Dorset at Wimborne.

But the county side should have returned with three points from four from the two games but for a moment of madness in the first match which they lost by two wickets.

Dorset needed two to win from the last ball from James Rudge. The ball beat the bat and the batsmen attempted a run, which they were going to achieve with ease.

All that was needed was to hold on to the ball to gain a tie, but, as the red mist descended, the ball was hurled at the stumps and an overthrow resulted, with the win handed to Dorset on a plate.

It was unfortunate for Herefordshire who had battled back strongly after the game was fast slipping away from them.

With Dylan Church (57) looking in ominous form and the home side well placed at 68-3 with more than half of their overs remaining, Herefordshire began to get a grip on the game.

Rudge (3-25), Hasan Mahmood (2-24), Ollie Walker (1-19) and skipper Matt Pardoe (1-14) all played significant parts in restoring Herefordshire’s fortunes until the last mad moment.

Pardoe had earlier played a fine innings of 60 from 37 balls as, with able support from Hasan (24), Walker (16) and debutant Seth Essenhigh (13), Herefordshire set what proved to be a challenging target as they reached 135-7.

In the second match, Herefordshire had once again closed down their hosts who threatened a big score as they raced to 55-1 from the first five overs with Will Tripcony (66) taking full toll of the visiting attack.

But Hasan (3-14), Imaad Mahmood (3-16), Rudge (2-26), Ben Clements

(1-24) and Pardoe (1-27) all picked up wickets as the scoring slowed and the hosts were dismissed for 135.

In reply, although Hasan (15) departed quickly, Essenhigh (42) and Walker (59) took Herefordshire close to victory with a second-wicket stand of 94 before a flurry of late wickets made the result look closer than it should have been.

Herefordshire, who are second in the five-strong group, are next in action when they host Devon at Eastnor on Sunday, June 29.

CAPTION: Seth Essenhigh lashes a four in the first match at Wimborne.