Herts Cricket League 

Championship

West Herts consolidated their position in third place with a 48-run victory over Langleybury on Saturday.

Tomorrow’s (Saturday’s) game against second-place Reed becomes must-win if the Stags are to retain any hope of winning promotion.

Langleybury won the toss and elected to field on a wicket that had been affected by overnight rain.

Runs were hard to come by on a slow track and West Herts closed on 188 for eight, with Craig Sanders (44) and Barry Marshall (43) making important contributions.

Langleybury lost a wicket off the first ball of their innings before slumping to 42 for six.

Josh Godden and Habib Alam made a nonsense of what had gone before with a confident 43-run partnership until Godden was run out for 38.

At 95 for nine, the game appeared over until Andrew Cheeseman hit an unbeaten 44 from 25 balls, including three sixes and five fours.

It was a great relief for the Stags when Matt Smith (five for 48) took the final wicket to reduce Langleybury to 140 all out.

Premier Division

Hemel Hempstead were unable to build on a comprehensive ten-wicket victory at Potters Bar the previous weekend, falling to a seven-wicket loss against Bishop’s Stortford.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, Hemel started well, with Brett Penny making 56 from 82 balls. However, opening partner Hemish Ilangaratne was dismissed for just two.

Adam Winchester (17) could not pick the run rate up and Josh Graves (21) scored just one single from 62 deliveries as Hemel faltered.

Jack Williams proved a thorn in Hemel’s side, taking four for 35, also removing the key wicket of opener Penny. Supported by Christoper Green (three for seven), Bishop’s dismissed their hosts for 137.

Two wickets in quick succession saw Ryan Wells (24) and Taylor Weeks (32) removed to leave the visitors at 64 for two, before Green (21) and Dominic Chatfield (32) eased the away side towards victory and 138 for seven.

Stuart Browne took four for 31 as Radlett strengthened their Premier Division title claim with a 74-run win at third-place Harpenden.

Inserted into bat, Radlett got off to a shaky start when opener Kabir Toor (3) was dismissed.

Jonathan McLean’s (29) arrival at the crease saw a good partnership forged with Fraser Crawford (51), with the pair boosting the score to 86 for two by the time McLean was run out by Dan Wightman.

Shane Burger came to the crease and put on 33 before being caught by Ben Frazer off the bowling of Wightman. Further runs were provided by Matt Creese (42) as visitors Radlett were eventually removed for 203.

Nick Lamb was the pick of the Harpenden bowlers, finishing with two for six. Will Jones took two for 33.

Browne (four for 31) and Creese (three for 13) took apart the hosts’ top order, with Gregg Cooper, Frazer (6) and James Latham (13) removed by Browne.

The home side were unable to build any momentum and at 61 for seven, it took some late resistance from Alex Spencer (25) and Simon White (22) to prevent a more comprehensive victory for Radlett.

The Cobden Hill side made it a successful weekend by lifting the Readers County 20-20 Cup after overcoming Bishop’s Stortford by 33 runs in Sunday’s final.

Put into bat first, Radlett set a target of 159 for four before removing Bishop’s for 126.

Earlier in the day, Radlett had secured their final spot by beating Hemel Hempstead by 95 runs.

Posting 163 for four, Radlett then skittled out Hemel for just 68 to seal their place in the final.

Division One

Kings Langley suffered a disappointing two-wicket defeat against bottom-of-the-table Holtwhites Trinibis.

Kings scored 232 for seven from their 50 overs. Ricky Mohamed struck 71 and Shandy Ratnakuran added 51 as the duo put on a 99-run partnership.

Duncan Fleming had earlier scored 28 and Mark Brazier chipped in with 27.

Steady batting from the Holtwhites top order, in particular opener Habib Younis with 81, saw them to 177 for four.

But a wobble then ensued and wickets began to fall. However, Dan Bonner (14 not out) and Abdul Mateen (15 not out) guided Trinibis to victory.

With the ball for Kings, Brazier took three for 79, Ben Joyce claimed two for 31, Matt Wells ended with two for 61 and Mohamed secured a single wicket.