Watford Observer Fourteen14 Plate semi-final

Two half-centuries laid the platform for Hemel Hempstead Town to progress through to their first Fourteen14 Plate final following a comfortable 94-run victory over Watford Town B at Abbots Langley on Tuesday.

Captain Jack Doodson led from the front with 59 at the top of the order and then Ed Langley cracked an unbeaten 57 as a youthful Hemel side piled on the runs towards the end of their innings to finish their 14, eight-ball overs on a sizeable 195 for six.

Watford were initally up with the chase as opener Sandeep Singh set about the opposition attack with relish, but once he perished for 44 in the decisive sixth over of the reply Town fell away tamely and were bowled out with 13 balls of the contest remaining.

Hemel will now meet the winners of tonight's (Thursday's) second semi-final between Aldenham and Watford Grammar School for Boys in the final, which is scheduled to be held at Met Police Bushey on Tuesday, July 14.

Having elected to bat after Town lost the toss, Hemel’s opening pair were immediately on the front foot as John Peppett’s sole over of the match cost 23, with Doodson striking three consecutive fours off the final three deliveries across the quick outfield.

Zirak Khan (two for 37 off four overs) did bowl Aaron Wilson (7) with the first ball of the second over, but by midway through the fourth Doodson and Alistair Leighton had already put 50 on the board.

Fresh from scoring a Herts League century on Saturday, Leighton was again looking in good touch but he fell for 22 in the next over to the first of three Abu Choudhury catches off the bowling of Tamiur Abbas (three for 50 off four) as the score moved on to 67 for two.

Zirak Khan was unfortunate not to enjoy more success in the sixth over. New batsman Anjam Khan was dropped off the first ball, Doodson survived being almost caught and bowled and then run out three deliveries later, while Anjam Khan was also put down off another caught and bowled chance off the final ball.

Having reached his 50 in the seventh over, Doodson’s good knock came to an end in the ninth as his side finished that over on 112 for four.

By this stage though, Langley was already in the middle and with brother Will (14) and then Brad Finch (6) playing the supporting roles, he increasingly took on the Watford bowlers as Hemel added 83 off the final five overs to put themselves in a strong position.

Watford needed to start well to give themselves a realistic chance of reaching the target. Having reached 33 for one by the end of the third over following the dismissal of Zirak Khan (7), Singh went on the offensive.

Billy May’s (three for 26 off four) second over cost 17 as Singh scored his first maximum, before Adam Moulster (one for 36 off two) saw his second over disappear for 22 as Singh smacked two sixes and two fours in five deliveries as Town raced to 72 for one by the end of the fifth.

Within the space of five more deliveries though, the complexion of the game changed entirely.

Zeeshan Ali (3) was caught off the bowling of May off the first ball, Chris Hutchison perished for a duck two deliveries later. And two balls after that, May also claimed the prized wicket of Singh as Watford slumped to 73 for four.

It was a position from which they never recovered as Doodson (one for 12 off two), Finch and Charlie Hoskins (two for 12 off two) also got in on the wicket-taking act.

Watford also saw two lower-order batsmen run out as the B side’s hopes of reaching a first Plate final since 2006 were comprehensively ended.