Premier Division

West Herts’ winless run was extended to two matches following a four-wicket defeat against table-toppers North Mymms, a result that leaves them further off the pace in fourth.

With the timed fixtures now under way, it was the visitors who won the toss and inserted the Stags into bat first.

After a measured start West Herts soon lost opener Alastair Lewis for 10 off the bowling of Rhys Wynne, the pick of the Mymms attack with 4-58, to leave them 29-1.

Daniel Vaughan’s well-fought 45 helped steer his side towards the 100 mark, only for the opener to miss out on his half-century after being stumped off the bowling of spinner Imran Qayyum (1-43).

An excellent 115-run partnership between Jaahid Ali (99) and William Jones (52) threatened to build a big total, but neither player was able to push on further and seize the initiative with Ali cruelly missing out on his ton when he was adjudged leg before wicket off Wynne.

In fact, after losing both Ali and Jones within nine runs of each other – dismissals that left them at 220-5 – West Herts’ innings hit the buffers, eventually finishing on 233-7 from 60 overs.

However, North Mymms’ reply got off to less than an ideal start. Jones turned provider with the ball to take three early scalps, while Ali Shah (2-46) combined to dismiss opener Hamza Qayyum for 28, to leave the visitors in trouble at 34-4.

Hopes of victory though, would desert the Stags thanks to a magnificent 151-run stand between centurion Steve Snell (112) and a handy 47 from wicket-keeper Richard Soulsby that helped Mymms to 237-6, a win that extended their lead at the summit to five points.

Radlett were held to a draw by Harpenden as they failed to bowl out their stubborn opponents in their clash.

Having batted first, Radlett posted a score of 230 before being bowled out in the 60th over and would have fancied their chances.

They looked to be in a spot of difficulty though, when their top five were dismissed for a collective total of 39 to leave Harpenden in a position of dominance.

The Cobden Hill side's hopes were boosted by fine knock from Azhar Niyazahmad, who top scored with a total of 66 before having his stumps rearranged and being sent back to the pavilion.

His effort provided the linchpin of a middle-order rallying cry which allowed Radlett to post a total which they would be capable of protecting in the field.

Charlie Nicholls added a useful 34, while Fakir Dungaria scored 42 as the only other batsmen who really managed to trouble the scorers.

With the competition structure now changed to the timed format, Radlett went out with the ball knowing they had to claim all 10 opposition wickets if they were to record a first win in all competitions since May.

Adil Zareef did more than most to give them a chance of doing just that as he picked up figures of 4-25 to finish the day as Radlett’s most productive bowler.

There were wickets for all but two of the bowlers as Dungaria (1-12), Abdul Mulla (1-19), Archit Goenka (1-25) and Kabir Toor (1-83) all struck.

While Radlett had been able to restrict their opponents, they couldn’t account for the final two Harpenden wickets and ultimately saw the visitors close their innings on 201-8.

Radlett’s poor run of form has seen them slip to sixth in the Premier Division table after eight games this season.

Championship

An 82-run defeat at the hands of Ampthill Town, Hemel Hempstead Town’s second consecutive home defeat, has left them rooted in fifth in the standings.

The Heath Park side lost the toss and were forced into the field, but registered the early breakthrough when Brett Penny (1-22) removed Carl Baker for 8.

Hemel were now beginning to turn the screw and Bryan Lewin was next to go for two to leave them 39-2.

Captain James Kerr (37) and Nick Barden then combined to put on a further 40 runs before Lewis Hodgins got one to sneak through the gate.

A score of 79-3 then became 158-6 as Parth Mehta took the first of his three wickets with the prize dismissal of Barden for a rapid 66 off just 57 balls, an innings that included 11 boundaries.

That temporarily halted the momentum before explosive hitting at the back-end from Jack Fuller, 59 from 22, and Liam Everitt’s 47 at quicker than a run a ball, propelled Ampthill to 286 all out.

In response, Hemel’s innings suffered a double early setback with the departures of Hodgins, bowled Will Sneath (2-28) for two and Tom Elborn for 15.

However, Town quickly rebuilt and passed their 100 without any further losses thanks to a half-century from Penny (57), 35 from Johan Maritz and a cameo from Jack Doodson (21), but a flurry of wickets left them in a hole as they slipped from 106-2 to 137-5.

Matthew Dale, also with 21, threatened to revive Hemel’s prospects only for George Darlow (3-40) and hot-shot Liam Everitt (5-71) to dismiss the hosts for 204.

Division Two A

Abbots Langley cruised to a six-wicket victory against Holtwhites Trinibis in a low-scoring affair that ensured they continue their steady start to the campaign.

However it was Trinibis who won the toss and batted first, only for that to quickly backfire with the loss of two wickets without scoring.

Star bowler Anish Khiroya (5-34) made the early inroads by taking two wickets in as many balls to dislodge Habib Younis and Abdul Rahman for ducks.

That early momentum for Langley did not relent either. Indeed, the first five wickets all fell with only 27 runs on the board.

Haseeb Kashmiri led the mini-revival for Holtwhites with a series of boundaries, including three maximums, to bring up what, in the circumstances, was a fine counter-attacking 50.

He fell soon after for 57, however, caught behind off the bowling of Matt Dunstone, and Abbots never let up from that moment on to skittle their opponents out for just 123 in the 31st over.

It was clearly a wicket that favoured the bowlers as Abbots found to their detriment early in their reply. Openers David Cleary and Barry Warner found the going tough, falling for three and four respectively, to leave Abbots in early trouble.

Tinache Mahachi then claimed his second scalp with the dismissal of Will Graves for 11, and Matt Parkins soon followed for 21 to reduce them to 46-4.

But Nick Gurney, who crashed the winning runs with a mighty six, and Simon Hamilton combined to lead Abbots home.

Watford Town, meanwhile, notched up a relatively comfortable 75-run victory at home to St Albans, a win that sees them keep pace with second-placed Hitchin.

The hosts won the toss at Woodside and decided to have a bat in what looked to be perfect conditions. Indeed, they got off to a flier, hurtling along at a scoring rate of almost 10 for the opening five overs.

Simon White put the brakes on with three wickets in as many overs, but 54 from Syed Ali, 65 from in-form Kashif Ali, and 41 from Asad Sajjad took Town to 261-9.

St Albans, however, never looked capable of lodging a credible reply, slipping to 84-4 at the half way mark.

Kashif was the pick of the Watford bowlers, finishing with figures of 4-38, as the visitors eventually stumbled to 186 all out.

Division Three B

Hemel Hempstead Town Seconds risk being cut adrift of the rest of the chasing pack after a four-wicket defeat at Flitwick Seconds left them second-bottom of the table.

Hemel batted first and reached 250-6 from their 50 overs thanks in large part to an unbeaten 58 from Kevin West, and another half-century from Craig Weston (56).

Flitwick in reply, meanwhile, constructed their innings around a pair of fifties, including an excellent 67 not out from Dom Moxon.

Late support from Matt Pateman (35 not out) and 26 from Ben Barzilay subsequently helped them to their victory target with an over to spare.

Division Four B

West Herts Seconds were consigned to their first defeat of the season after slipping to a 16-run loss at Reed Seconds.

The Park Avenue side were in the field first after losing the toss, with bowlers Josh Stevens (3-50) and Ryan Magee (1-35) erasing a good start by the north Hertfordshire side.

Yet the game looked to slipping away from West Herts thanks to a terrific partnership between Chris Jackson (78) and Mitchell Cooper (75) which saw the score close in on 200.

Then came an inspired spell of bowling, led by Vinny Gorasia (3-34), which saw Reed slip from 190-2 to 240 all out.

In reply, Gorasia (36) and Richard Mason (28) helped West Herts recover from the loss of Kie Farrell without scoring.

However a plethora of wickets, that saw the visitors sitting at 111-6, all but looked to have ended their prospects of a successful chase.

A 70-run seventh wicket stand between captain Duncan Kendal (55) and Lachlan McLean (27) restored hope of an unlikely salvo.

With a further 40 runs required off the final five overs it was game on again, but West Herts would fall narrowly short of their 241 victory target.

Division Six B

Hemel Hempstead Town Thirds retained their place at the top of the table after a comfortable 68-run victory against North Enfield Seconds.

Batting first, Hemel opener Ryan Bell (42) and a well-struck 46 from captain Graham Clark helped Town get off to a promising start.

A late 25 from Andy Turbutt, combined with 47 extras, helped Hemel post a competitive total of 219 all out.

Three wickets apiece for Will Hodgins (3-22), Suren Perera (3-38) and Adam Moulster (3-17) ensured North Enfield never threatened victory in reply en route to 151 all out.

Division Nine B

Hemel Hempstead Town Fourths remain in fifth despite cruising to a stunning nine-wicket victory against Waltham Cross Rosedale Seconds.

After winning the toss, Hemel were devastating with the ball. Ross Chapman was the pick of the attack with 3-9, but he was well supported by Martyn Bell (2-15) and John Peppitt (2-27) as they dismissed the hosts for just 87.

Town lost captain Mike Samuels for a fourth ball duck, however it was plain sailing from then on as Ram Hussain (43) and Scott Radcliffe (35) took Hemel to their victory target inside 15 overs.