The 2nd XI suffered an agonising defeat against Boxmoor 2nd XI in a tight finish, powered by incredible individual performance by Nishan Senarathne on league and 2nd XI debut.
Fielding first, Kings Langley made a solid start and kept things tight – but struggled to make the breakthroughs needed to pile the pressure on the opposition – with a couple of missed chances in the field. Kings stuck at the task well and although the runs flowed at some stages of the innings, wickets fell regularly at the end as Boxmoor finished on 217-9 from their 40 overs. Jidran Khan finished with 3-23 and Matt Owens picked up 3-32.
In reply, Jeremy Richardson got Kings off to a flying start with a boundary-laden innings of 41. Opening partner Min Patel was largely just a spectator as their opening stand passed 50. Once Richardson fell, Min picked up the charge but having lost a couple of partners, he was forced to retire hurt with cramp in testing, hot conditions. There were some useful cameos that kept Kings in the hunt for victory – but it always felt like it was slipping away – until Nishan entered the fray.
He came to the crease with the score at 130-5 and when a couple of overs later he watched 3 wickets fall in a single over, he was re-joined by Min Patel with the score now 138-8. At this stage, 80 runs were needed with 12 overs remaining and Nishan started to find the boundary with ease and the team watched on as the target fell. Min eventually fell for a battling and hugely valuable knock of 40 – and the equation was 13 needed on 15 balls as Rich Davis walked out at number 11. He just about kept out 3 balls to leave Nishan on strike – but it wasn’t to be. He would be bowled off the first ball of the 49th over for an outstanding innings of 61. His 3rd consecutive half century and enough to sneak him into the position of club leading run scorer for the season. Boxmoor secured victory by 12 runs.