Abbots Langley have become the first club to reach the quarter-finals of the Watford Observer Fourteen14 Shield after beating Leverstock Green B by 28 runs yesterday.

The beaten finalists for the last two years made 154-8 off their 14, eight-ball overs after Brad Finch ledt the way with 55. Jamie Wallis was the pick of the Green attack with 3-26, while John Mathew claimed 3-40.

Green were unable to get close to the target after initially struggling in their reply, but 48 from Luke Weston and a quick-fire 32 not out from Weladstone goalkeeper Jonathan North, which included three sixes, ensured their reply closed on 126-6. Ibby Usman (2-26) and Nick Gurney (3-35) claimed the majority of the wickets.

Abbots will now travel to the winners of the second round clash between Hemel Hempstead Town and West Herts in the last eight.

A young Hemel side safely progressed through the first round after a comfortable eight-wicket win at Met Police Bushey last Thursday.

Batting first, Met Police strugggled against tight Hemel bowling to reach 99-9 off their 14 overs.

Only Imran Hayder really troubled Hemel, making 44. Eighteen-year-old spinner Stan Hayden returned 3-14 off four overs, while Brett Penny chipped in with 2-8 off his solitary over.

Despite losing captain Jack Doodson to the first ball of their reply, Hemel put together a 67-run partnership for the second wicket between Josh Graves (42) and Tom Elborn (29 not out) and got home with more than two overs left.

Tight bowling also laid the platform of success for Aldenham School as they reached the second round with a seven-wicket victory at Bushey on Thursday.

Apart from opener Michael Foley (20), no Bushey batsman made it into double figures as they were also restricted to 99-9 off their 14 overs after the wicket-taking was primarily shared between Charlie Irish (4-20) and Luke Kirsten (3-36).

Irish then scored 26 at the top of the order before David Goodchild saw the school home with an unbeaten 47.

Another school side through to round two are Watford Grammar School for Boys after they defeated Watford Town B by 25 runs yesterday.

The boys’ school, who have won the Plate competition in three of the last four years, posted 138-4 thanks primarily to Luke Samarasinghe’s unbeaten 54 and James Dyson’s 36 before limiting Watford to 113-7 in reply.

Revised Shield second round draw (seeds in bold): Langleybury B or Northchurch v Watford Haidery; Kings Langley v Chipperfield Clarendon or Aldenham; Hemel Hempstead Town v West Herts; Watford Grammar School for Boys v Langleybury A; Aldenham School v Radlett; Watford Town A v Leverstock Green A; Frogmore v Rickmansworth School Staff.

Shield quarter-finals: Langleybury B/Northchurch or Watford Haidery v Kings Langley or Chipperfield Clarendon/Aldenham; Hemel Hempstead Town or West Herts v Abbots Langley; Watford Grammar School for Boys or Langleybury A v Aldenham School or Radlett; Watford Town A or Leverstock Green A v Frogmore or Rickmansworth School Staff.