Division Five A

Hemel Hempstead Town Thirds are level on points with second-placed Hatfield & Crusaders after edging to a one-wicket win over Flamstead.

After winning the toss, Hemel put their opponents into bat and dismissed them for 178. Anjam Khan was the pick of the bowlers, taking three for 29 from ten overs, while Adam Moulster chipped in with two for ten.

In reply, Hemel reached the target for the loss of nine wickets in 45.1 overs. Opener Rahul Wickramsinge notched 25 and there were knocks of 22 from both Taq Hussain and Khan. But Matt Dale proved Hemel’s match winner as he scored 51 to rescue the side after they were in trouble on 82 for five.

It leaves second place up for grabs heading into the final game with Hemel only behind Hatfield on their number of victories.

Division Six A

Kings Langley Seconds’ losing run continued after succumbing to a five-wicket defeat at the hands of champions elect Parkfield and Headstone.

Having been inserted on a wet wicket, Kings couldn’t build any meaningful partnerships on their way to being bowled out for 144. Only captain Tom Clark offered any resistance with a fine innings of 56.

In reply clever tactics from Kings, starting with the slower bowlers, meant Parkfield struggled to get the ball away and it looked at this stage it might be a close game.

However, a good knock from the Parkfield skipper resulted in them being crowned champions, chasing the Kings total down for the loss of five wickets. Duane Smith and Josh Oldham were the pick of the bowlers, both collecting one wicket each from their ten overs.

Division Seven A

Rickmansworth Seconds boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation after a 14-run win over Watton-at-Stone.

Effectively batting one handed due to an injury, Majid Khan set the tone with a majestic 80 out of Rickmansworth’s 145 all out.

Fifteen-year-old Nathan Soames then demonstrated the capability of the club’s up-and-coming youngsters as he took five for 30 in a fine display of quick bowling that enabled Ricky to bowl out Watton for just 131 with seven overs to spare.

Division Nine B

Abbots Langley Thirds ended any fears of relegation with a 41-run win over Knebworth Park Fourths.

After losing the toss, the opposition decided to put Abbots into bat on a surface which looked very lumpy after the overnight rain.

Abbots wanted to start positively but after reaching 25 following a bright start things started to go wrong.

The side were struggling on 48 with five wickets down when Lee Rossiter came in. His form helped the team recover and post a total of 164 with Christopher Theaker hitting 18.

In reply, Abbots opened with Theaker and Matthew Gentry. Both did well but Theaker was in fine form, conceding just two runs in seven overs.

Jack McRae also impressed taking one wicket for 12 in six overs.

Abbots managed to bowl out Knebworth for 123 to clinch a much-needed victory.

Leverstock Green Thirds endured a tough afternoon after losing by 225 runs to Flitwick Thirds.

They were bowled out for 69 after Flitwick set a target of 295 from their 50 overs at Parmiter’s School.

Plenty of effort and energy went into Levy’s performance but individual highlights were few and far between. Five ducks in the Green lower order followed 25 from Steve May at number four and saw the last six wickets fall for the price of just two runs.

They’ll be looking to finish their mid-table campaign in stronger fashion with a season-closer at Knebworth Park Fourths this weekend.

Division Ten A

Chorleywood Thirds secured a mid-table finish with their third win in the last four games as they chased down Rickmansworth Thirds’ low total.

Wood’s bowlers performed well to bowl Ricky our for just 169, but will probably feel that they shouldn’t have let the home side get that far after some late order hitting and a couple of dropped catches.

Wood opener David Harrigan picked up three for 25 with a couple of early wickets before coming back to finish off the tail, whilst spinner Rich Lake took his third successive four-wicket haul with four for 19 from his ten overs.

Ben Soames top-scored on 47 while Adeel Usman contributed 39 and Tom Watson managed the same score for Ricky.

In reply, Wood found the going tough with a slow wicket and long grass on the outfield preventing too many boundaries and found themselves limping to 45 for one after 25 overs, but, after a couple of quick wickets, stand-in skipper Mike Reeve and Robert Kennedy then saw the visitors home with an unbroken stand of 106.

Reeve finished on 38 not out in a knock without a single boundary, whilst Kennedy proved to be the match-winner with an impressive 53 not out as Wood reached their target in the 48th over.

Friendly

With both their games conceded by the opposition, Northwood Thirds defeated Rickmansworth Fourths in a friendly.

Teenager Scott Jackson fell just two runs short of a maiden half-century for Ricky, while Alex and Jack Lee set a new record as the youngest pair of brothers to open the bowling for a team from the club in more than 50 years, with a combined age of just 30.

Northwood chased Ricky’s total of 144 for the loss of just five wickets.