Bury beaten on final day (From Watford Observer)

Langleybury Thirds beaten by Met Police Bushey Seconds

1:00pm Friday 14th September 2012 in Sport

Division Eight

Langleybury Thirds endured a disappointing end to the season as they suffered a 45-run defeat to Met Police Bushey Seconds.

Police chose to bat and the decision looked a wise one on a dry wicket but good bowling from George Pearce (three for 52) and Kevin Kelly (three for 76) restricted the hosts to a total of 208.

Early wickets damaged Bury’s chase and despite spirited displays from Alex McLachlan (58) and Pearce (30), they ended 45 runs short.

Despite defeat, Bury recorded their highest ever position, finishing seventh.

Hemel Hempstead Town Fourths finished the season on a high beating Sawbridgeworth Thirds by eight runs.

Hemel batted first and useful scores from Steve Smith (59), Nauman Khan (24) and a late flourish from Ben Dumpleton (31 not out) saw the hosts to a total of 214.

Sawbridgeworth chased solidly but failed to up the run-rate when they needed to and despite only losing six wickets, ended eight runs short.

Division Ten

Kings Langley Thirds rounded off their season with a resounding 108-run victory over Boxmoor Seconds.

Kings had earlier posted 237 for seven, with Gordon Sambidge scoring 53 and Andrew Colquhoun 57.

Boxmoor never looked likely to reach their target and were bowled out for 124 in the 31st over.

Mark Walker and Michael Owens took three wickets apiece for Langley.

Division 12

Langleybury Fourths finished the season with six consecutive victories after they beat Hemel Hempstead Town Fifths by four wickets.

Hemel chose to bat first but committed bowling from Josh McFarlane (two for 34), Alex Denham (three for 30) and Lewis Denham (three for 25) restricted the batsmen to a total of 141.

Despite the loss of early wickets, Josh Roe (33), in partnership with his father Graeme (45 not out), steadied the ship before Josh McFarlane’s unbeaten 26 saw Langleybury to victory.

Leverstock Green Fourths finished their campaign bottom of the table after suffering a six-wicket defeat against Southgate Adelaide Thirds.

Green batted first but it was a disappointing performance with only two batsmen making it into double figures.

Opener Steve Wilson struck 20, with the other major contribution coming from Vivek Seth, who remained undefeated on 62 not out.

Leverstock ended on 118 all out and it was a target that Southgate were never really troubled by.

They reached the total in 41 overs for the loss of four wickets as Green’s Dave Cardy ended with two for 33 while Wilson secured two for 20.

Division 13

Bushey Thirds cemented their place as champions with a crushing victory over bottom side Parkfield and Headstone Thirds.

Bushey elected to bat first, and from the start the top order looked in fine touch. Pick of the batsmen was Chanaka Liyanage (83) and supporting him were Shiraz Thujadeen and Naveed Shariff, who both looked in good nick but both just failed to record fifties.

After tea it was the bowlers turn and Milan Patel and Raman Sharma starred again, taking three and four wickets respectively.

Parkfield were bowled out for a meagre 52 to give their opponents their first trophy.

Elsewhere, Abbots Langley Fourths completed their season with a 21-run victory against Rickmansworth Fourths, while Chorleywood Fourths also signed off on a high by defeating Hertford Fifths by 27 runs.