Saracens Herts League

Division Five

Hemel Hempstead Thirds claimed a comfortable seven-wicket win at Cockfosters Seconds.

The hosts won the toss and decided to make first use of the wicket but struggled to 118.

M Levy made 28 before being caught off the bowling of Matt Batemen.

D Stead (15) was one of a number of Cockfosters batsmen to scrape double figures before being bowled out.

Ryan Fraser was the star man with the ball, taking five for 48.

Hemel’s response was swift, finishing on 120 for three to win with ease.

Jitan Ravel top-scored with 43 and John Clulow hit an unbeaten 36 to guide Hemel home.

S Westbury took two for 29 for the hosts.

Division Six

Kings Langley Seconds recorded a 27-run win over Letchworth Thirds.

Electing to bat, the hosts scored 159 all out with Tony Morton (26) and Tim Piper (25) the only top-order batsmen to resist Letchworth.

The visitors were then bowled out for 132; Josh Oldham (three for 21) and Ben Joyce (two for 22) proving key.

Abbots Langley Seconds strolled to an emphatic six-wicket win over Hexton.

Dan Roche (five for 39) and the lively Neel Patel (two for 25) bowled well and, helped by some good fielding, Hexton were dismissed for a lowly 85. Mat Parkins then batted with authority in compiling a match-winning 53 not out to take Abbots to an easy victory.

Northwood Seconds eased to a seven-wicket victory at Clifton.

Skipper Ram Nandiraju (six for 38) and Chandana Silvsa (four for 19) were in fine form to bowl Clifton out for 60.

Northwood then reached their target for the loss of three wickets.

Division Eight

Langleybury Thirds trounced Bayford and Hertford Seconds by nine wickets.

Visitors Bury won the toss and asked the opposition to bat, with tight bowling from Ilott, Carson and Spinks building the pressure on the Bayford attack.

Bayford skipper Mike Samulak reached 44 before debutant Ian Woodward (four for 24) bowled him off his pads.

Kelly (three for six) was impressive once more, playing a significant part in limiting the hosts to just 91 all out.

Openers Ball (44 not out) and Roe (24) got the reply off to a brisk start before Crawley finished the task inside 24 overs as Bury finished on 95 for one.

Hemel Hempstead Fourths secured a five-wicket victory at Offley and Stopsley to get their season up-and-running.

The visitors won the toss and asked Offley to bat, with the hosts bowled out for 124.

Tail-ender C Keely top-scored with 45 to drag the hosts past 100. S Bexfield was the second-highest scorer with 25.

Phil Freebrey took four for 40 for the visitors, with Shad Khan taking three for 15.

Hemel reached 126 for the loss of five wickets; Dave Jenkins top-scoring with an unbeaten 51.

Steve Smith was the visitors’ second-highest scorer with 20.

Keely was the only Offley bowler to take more than one wicket, removing both Smith and Kyle Malan.

Division Nine

Kings Langley Thirds secured an emphatic 132-run success over North Mymms Thirds.

David Burnell top-scored with 31 and Harry Misslebank added 20 as Kings reached 180.

Harry Misslebank (two for 13), Toby Hendy (two for 14), Sifan (two for six) and Scott Rolfe (three for three) bowled well to skittle their opponents out for a mere 48.

Abbots Langley Thirds lost by three wickets at home to Welwyn Garden City Fourths.

The hosts batted first and were bowled out for 161.

Bowler Neil White (25) unusually opened the batting and along with Clive Winder (35), got Abbots off to a solid start.

James Allan (43) batted with patience as Abbots looked on the way for a big score before losing their last five wickets for 18 runs.

Bob Russell (three for 58) and White (two for 28) had Welwyn struggling at 115 for seven but an eighth-wicket stand of 47 took them to victory with 162 for seven.

Teenager Tom Callingham’s 50 was the outstanding effort from another disappointing batting display by Leverstock Green Thirds, who fell 31 runs short of the target set by Old Elizabethans Seconds.

Having inserted their hosts into bat, Green’s seam attack had put their side in with a good shout of victory.

Steve May and Brett Baney took four wickets apiece to restrict the hosts to a reachable total of 163.

But poor shot selection, added to some injudicious running, saw the visitors score well below par for a third match running.