A strong start with the bat set Langleybury A on their way to an emphatic 87-run victory over Aldenham at Chipperfield Clarendon's ground last night to secure a first appearance in a Watford Observer Fourteen14 Plate final.

The Hunton Bridge side would have been hoping to reach the latter stages of the main Shield competition, but a second round defeat at the hands of Bushey meant they had to settle for a place in the secondary event.

But having beaten last year's Shield champions West Herts in the first round, Bury will start the final against Watford Town B at Abbots Langley on Tuesday, July 11 as overwhelming favourites; Town having progressed after Met Police Bushey conceded their semi-final on Monday.

The Division 10 A side were always expected to struggle against their Championship opponents and so it proved as, having won the toss, Bury openers Mo Manzoor (27) and Nahim Amin moved the scoreboard along to 56 without loss towards the end of the fifth over before the former was well caught by Chris Munroe in the deep.

Amin was then joined by Dan Walker and the pair were to produce the defining stand of the match, bringing up the 100 off the fourth delivery of the eighth over before Amin (48) was bowled by Munroe (1-57 from 4 overs) two runs shy of his half-century midway through the 10th.

That made the score 130-2 after the pair had added 74 runs off 38 deliveries, aided by Aldenham conceding needless runs under the competition’s four runs for a wide rule. The extras total of 37 was ultimately to prove Bury’s second highest scorer.

Langleybury may still have fancied getting a score of 200-plus at that stage, but their opponents kept plugging away and Karan Barot (2-30 from 3 overs) was twice rewarded in the next over when he got Walker (26) and Richard Soulsby (3) both trapped leg before wicket.

That was to be Aldenham’s final success with the ball as Ross Channer (21 not out) and David Best (13 not out) added 38 off the last 24 balls to take their side to 175-4 at the close.

The 2003 and 2005 competition winners’ reply got off to a bad start as Mark Needham (0) and Ithesham Haque (0) both fell for duck inside the first ten deliveries to leave their side on 8-2.

Needham’s wicket was taken by Ollie Ilott and the quickest bowler on show was to prove his side’s most dangerous, taking 3-41 off four overs – figures that would have been much better had it not been for 16 runs he conceded in wides – and he also produce a superb throw from the boundary to run out Tanios Watfa (5).

Watfa was to be the fifth wicket to fall with the score on 62, but prior to that Barot had played some good shots for his 30 before he became Ilott’s third victim thanks to a sharp reflex catch by wicketkeeper Soulsby.

Nic Hale (15) also looked comfortable in the middle before he was the last man out with the score on 88, undone by a slower delivery from Richard Oxley, who picked up 2-8 from his sole over.

Two overs beforehand, Channer (2-13 from 1) had also claimed two wickets to leave himself on a hat-trick, only to then bowl three wides in four deliveries to end a real mixed bag of an over as his side ended the match as easy winners but with a disappointing 29 extras against their name.

Prior to the Plate final, the 2017 Shield champions are set to be decided on Wednesday when Northchurch face Kings Langley at West Herts' ground. Play is due to start at 6.15pm and spectators are very welcome.