Division Two A

Leverstock Green clinched promotion to Division One after their eight-wicket victory over Watford Town.

Captain Dayle Littlejohn and his squad will point out that the job isn’t finished yet; though, the Division 2A championship is still up for grabs.

Six more points are needed away at Old Owens tomorrow to ensure they crown an already excellent achievement by lifting the fourth-tier title.

This situation was arrived at after Green made short work of Watford, who chose to bat on what looked a bowler-friendly track at Bedmond Road.

And so it proved. Adam Thomas’ fine ten-over spell saw him yield three for 24 while Majid Khan was just as parsimonious: two for 19 from his eight overs as Town fell to 98 all out.

Openers Miles Barnard (41) and Lewis Koch (46) continued their fine form, and had most of the total knocked off before they each got out, meaning Levy would claim an eight-wicket win and promotion back to Division One.

Radlett Seconds dropped out of the promotion places after a 24-run defeat at the hands of Preston.

Winning the toss and choosing to bowl, captain Dan Foster was keen to return from first team duty with a win. Things started well as Ross Carpenter and Stuart Browne (one for 17) kept things tight, reducing Preston to 59 for two from 21 overs.

They were ably assisted by spinners Foster (two for 36) and Simeon Cohen (one for 32) but Preston kept plugging away attempting to set a target.

A quick piece of fielding from Browne saw Preston’s captain run out with a direct hit and good bowling from Troy Barrett (two for 38) saw their opponents at 165 for seven at the 45-over mark.

However, poor fielding led to three dropped catches and Preston managed to reach a respectable 215 for seven from their 50 overs.

The Radlett reply once again got off to a very good start with Alex Cooke (55) and Noah Lipschitz (39) putting on a hundred-run partnership. The young pair from St Albans School batted very well and are showing real progress this season. However, both fell and what followed disappointed everyone from the club watching.

Radlett went from 108 without loss from 20 overs to 144 for seven after 37 overs and they were staring at a second successive defeat. Cohen (22) started to mount a counter and marshalled the tail well until he fell and left captain Foster to try to see his side home.

Foster (28) was the last man to fall after a real fight to win in the dying light of the day, but he was caught on the boundary off a dubiously high full toss and this meant Radlett fell short of victory.

The loss means Radlett’s promotion chances are out of their hands and are relying on other results to go their way in the last game of the season.

Division Two B

Abbots Langley secured the title and promotion after their game against St Albans and West Indian was conceded.

It leaves Abbots 54 points clear at the top of the league with just this weekend’s game against Met Police Bushey remaining.

Division Four A

Rickmansworth’s long-expected relegation was confirmed with defeat to nearest rivals Northwood Town by three wickets.

Teenage bowling prodigy Raunak Khanduja took three wickets but it wasn’t enough to defend Rickmansworth’s total of just 103.

Skipper Marty Jaynes said: “It was always going to be a struggle after losing a number of senior players this year but with the younger players really stepping up, especially at the end of the season where we had chances to win all four games, I hope we can bounce back strongly in 2016.”

Chorleywood Seconds extended their unbeaten run to eight matches as they crushed Southgate Adelaide by 172 runs in a one-sided contest to leave themselves with a chance of overtaking league leaders Berkhamsted in their final day clash.

Wood’s batsmen put the home side to the sword as they racked up a mammoth 300 for four in their 50 overs, with Tom Wilson leading the way as he finished unbeaten on exactly 100.

Wilson and Chris Lee (62 not out) pushed the game away from Adelaide in the latter overs of the innings with an unbroken 150-stand at quicker than a run a ball.

Matt Rose had earlier posted another impressive half-century with 58 as Wood notched their highest total of the season.

Wood’s bowlers then blew the home side away for just 128 with an equally impressive showing – Jonathan Rice was the stand-out performer as he took five for 21 from his eight overs while Steve Dellavedova picked up three for 26 as Wood wrapped the match up in just the 35th over.

Division Four B

Langleybury Seconds claimed a sixth consecutive win to keep up the chase for second place after a three-wicket victory over Ampthill Town Seconds.

Andy Felton won the toss and decided to chase a total set by the opposition, asking them to bat first. Lee Stafford and George Pearce opened the bowling but could not make a breakthrough as Ampthill got off to a good start.

First-change bowler Ross Channer (two for 39) got the first wicket with the score on 43. Eddie Gunning (four for 22) was the pick of the bowlers as he took wickets and slowed the scoring rate.

Andy Stone (one for 36) and Ian Woodward (one for 30) also chipped in and Ampthill found themselves at 153 for eight.

But an unbeaten ninth-wicket partnership of 47 took the score to 200 for eight after 50 overs.

Langleybury got off to a poor start as Danny Walker and Channer were both out with only 17 runs on the board. Alex Gunning (36) and Andy Hopping (42) put on 60 runs before the former was out and Tom Warrell soon followed with the score on 79.

With the side on 121 for six, Langleybury were at the crossroads, but captain Felton (42 not out) came to the rescue as he saw his side home with the help of Woodward (13) and Stafford (18 not out) with three wickets and ten balls to spare.

The win keeps the pressure on Flitwick, who probably need to beat Ampthill in the last game of the season. Langleybury are at home to Hertford Thirds and also need a win as they try to sneak into second place.

Leverstock Green Seconds need 14 points from their final match at home to table-toppers Sandridge this weekend to make absolutely certain of their hard-earned Division 4B status.

Promoted last summer, the Seconds have been hit hard by diminished availability in recent weeks. Skipper Jamie Wallis will lead his side into battle at The Green knowing a good performance is required after they lost to nearest rivals Hertford Thirds.

Wallis’ superb return of six wickets for just ten runs was backed up by three for 23 from Dom Clarke as hosts Hertford ended 149 all out.

In reply, no one scored more than opener Ben Parkes’ 20 in a first-wicket stand of 34 with Wallis (12) as Green crumbled to 84 all out.