Hoddesdon210-6

Stortford206-10

(Home Counties Premier League Div Two East)

BISHOP'S Stortford were unable to follow the previous week's win against St. Albans when they fell to a four wicket defeat at Hoddesdon on Saturday.

Stortford had to concede defeat by four wickets in the end, with matters being made worse by the fact that Chorleywood and Luton Town both won.

Forced to field a weakened team that was missing key men Ben Debenham, Adrian Wacey and Abdul Sattar, the visitors soon found themselves 14-3 after being asked to bat first.

They finally reached a respectable, but inadequate, 206 all out from 51.1 overs thanks to a fine innings by Jannisar Khan, who made 98 in 110 balls, although he received limited support from the lower-middle order. Hoddesdon bowlers Terry Savanhu (3-43) and Kevin Walls (3-35) took the lion's share of the Stortford wickets.

In reply home skipper David Hughes went early when he was bowled by Khan, but a second-wicket stand worth 86 between Francois Herbst and Ruan Premadasa (30) soon put them back in control.

Premadasa's departure brought Steve March to the crease and he added a further 59 with Herbst, who went on to make 81 off 74 balls.

Despite some good bowling from Charlie Bannister (3-28), an undefeated 63 from March saw Hoddesdon to victory, with four wickets and 16.2 overs to spare.

August 22, 2002 13:00