Defending Watford Observer Fourteen14 Plate champions Watford Grammar School for Boys began their quest for another title with a comfortable victory and West Herts B have joined them in the semi-finals, but this week’s bad weather has had a knock-on effect on our limited overs competitions.

The Rickmansworth Road school, who have won the Plate on four previous occasions, got the better of Leverstock Green B by 24 runs following a dominant performance by their opening batsmen.

The Green bowlers were unable to take a wicket as Jack Doodson (68 not out) and Luke Samarasinghe (65 not out) batted through the 14, eight-ball overs to enable Watford Boys to post a total of 164 without loss.

In reply, opener Joe Hill and Manav Gupta both made 23, while James Downes top-scored with 37 from number eight, but it was James Dyson (5-31) who starred with the ball as the home side posted 140 for eight in reply.

The School team will now face the winners of Watford Town A’s quarter-final against Langleybury, which has been rearranged for Tuesday after falling victim to the weather.

This means the first semi-final, due to be played at Abbots Langley on Tuesday, has also been put back to a new date to be confirmed.

The rain has also impacted the bottom half of the draw with Watford Town B’s home clash with Leverstock Green A put back until Monday.

The winners of that last-eight game will face West Herts B after they beat Aldenham – and the weather - by seven wickets on Tuesday.

Aldenham opted to bat after winning the toss and runs came quickly on a bowler-friendly wicket, only for wickets to start to fall to some vicious deliveries.

This inhibited the run rate in the later stages of the innings when only 25 runs came from the last four overs as Aldenham closed on 127 for eight.

Dan Knight scored 26 and Charlie Munroe made 19, while the pick of the West Herts bowlers were Rajan Sanghera (3-24) and Abdullah Wasim (3-22) as Josh Stevens claimed three smart catches.

The Stags reply started badly with Charlie Smith departing in the first over. However, Dan King and Kiran Agnihotri consolidated the position, taking the score to 52 from six overs.

After King was removed, Tommy Wheeler came to the crease and played the dominant innings of the contest, scoring 31 not out including two sixes.

Despite losing Agnihotri to a run out, West Herts reached their target for the loss of three wickets with 11 balls remaining.

In the main Shield competition, Watford Haidery remain the only side through to the last-four after the other three quarter-finals had to be rearranged.

Bushey and Aldenham School are due to try and get their game played tomorrow evening, while Radlett vs West Herts A and Chipperfield Clarendon vs Abbots Langley are now set to be played on Tuesday.