Saracens Herts Cricket League

Division Seven

Rickmansworth Seconds secured a two-wicket win over Eversholt Seconds.

Skipper Benn Glazier put the opposition into bat on a pitch that would prove difficult to score on for both teams.

Through accurate and controlled bowling, most notably from Ajay Thakur (29 for three), Stuart Darbyshire (36 for three) and Glazier (four for two), Ricky reduced Eversholt to 153 all out.

In reply, Ricky managed to keep up with the run rate while continuing to lose wickets at regular intervals.

But club chairman Mark Raine (37 not out), batting at number seven, helped shore up the middle order to take Ricky over the line with two wickets in hand.

Abbots Langley Seconds had an afternoon to forget but still kept their place at the top of their division despite a 33-run defeat to Codicote.

Fielding first, Abbots kept the Codicote batsmen in check with some tight bowling. George Agius (four for 38), Sam Bailey (two for 14) and Dan Roche (two for 21) kept Codicote to a respectable 151 all out.

In a game they really should have won comfortably, only skipper Rob Handoll with 46, and Mathew Parkins (18), got among the runs as Abbots were dismissed for 118.

Division Eight

Langleybury Thirds sealed a seven-wicket victory over County Hall Seconds.

After winning the toss and asking the visitors to bat, Langleybury didn’t get off to the greatest start due to a few chances going down early on.

Langleybury picked themselves up and finished the innings on top, with some good pressure bowling from Kevin Kelly (three for 43). County Hall ended on 177 for seven off their allotted overs.

Langleybury started slow and steady, reaching 36 without loss after 13 overs. They then picked up the pace with Chris Currie (63 not out) and Graham Roe (59 not out) chasing down the score with an over to go and after only losing three wickets.

Outstanding performances from Suvin Mekwan and Geet Patel couldn’t quite see Northwood Town Seconds over the finishing line in their home game against Letchworth Garden City Fourths.

Openers Mekwan and Sandip Thakrar set about constructing a perfect opening partnership with some assured batting. The pair put on a morale-boosting 116 before Thakrar was caught on 40.

With some quick wickets falling around him, Mekwan continued with his shot making to charge the Town innings along with a flurry of boundaries.

On 98, Mekwan brought up his ton in style with a majestic six before finally falling for 116. This helped his side finish on 215 for eight.

With regular wickets falling to Geet Patel, it was soon clear that Letchworth had only one thing in mind, to bat out and save the game.

With 37 overs gone, the ninth Letchworth wicket fell and Patel had his seventh victim in a superb spell of seven for 55. But Letchworth stubbornly held on for the draw as they survived on 131 for nine.

A weakened Hemel Hempstead Fourths side were beaten by four wickets in a low-scoring contest against Met Police Bushey Seconds.

Hemel batted first but could only post a disappointing total of 126 with Phil Freebrey top-scoring with 25.

It wasn’t a big enough total to defend and Met Police chased down the runs in the 36th over.

Rahul Kedia (three for 29) did well with the ball but was ultimately left unrewarded.

Division Ten

A ruthless bowling performance from Paul Reeve helped him claim eight wickets as Northwood Thirds completed a convincing 134-run win against Flamstead Seconds.

Wood scored a total of 203 all out with Richard Mackey (79) and Paul Keller (44) both in good form with the bat.

Reeve then did the damage with the ball as he ended with eight for 33 as Flamstead were skittled for just 69 in the 21st over.

Kings Langley Thirds kept themselves in the promotion hunt as they recorded a three-wicket victory against Hoddesdon Thirds.

Hoddesdon batted first but were bowled out for 125 with Sifan Naeem and Josh Oldham taking three wickets each.

Kings made hard work of chasing down that total but a composed half-century from Naeem helped them complete the win.

Chorleywood Thirds were on the wrong end of a heavy defeat as they were crushed by 174 runs at Luton Town & Indians Fourths.

Wood’s bowlers all took some punishment as the home side ran up 250 for four before declaring after 49 overs.

Harry Brooks bowled unchanged and picked up three wickets as Wood wilted in the heat under an onslaught from the Bedfordshire batsmen.

In reply, Wood failed to put up much resistance and were bowled out for just 76 with only Will Bryant (20) and Callum Neal (17) managing to reach double figures in a game they will want to put behind them in a hurry.

Abbots Langley Thirds fell to a six-wicket defeat against North Mymms Thirds.

Batting first, only Kudip Hayer (29) got to grips with the Mymms bowlers as they crumbled to a meagre 88 all out.

Lewis Hodgins, with two for 33, tried hard to stem the flow of runs but Mymms ran out easy victors.