Bishop’s Stortford beat Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League relegation rivals Old Owens by 69 runs
Bishop’s Stortford pulled themselves out of the Saracens Herts League, Premier Division drop zone with a 69-run victory at relegation rivals Old Owens on Saturday (August 3).
They now sit in eighth place, 24 points clear of their opponents who find themselves in the relegation play-off spot.
Stortford lost the toss and, having been asked to bat, were 88-6 at the lunch break.
Joe Hawkins batted well for his 39, but wickets kept falling and they were 100-8 with 27 overs remaining.
A superb ninth-wicket partnership worth 96 followed between Adam Bassingthwaighte and Dom Clutterbuck as they hit the bad balls and took no unnecessary risks.
Bassingthwaighte reached his 50 in 53 balls before being caught on the boundary for 60. Clutterbuck was left six runs short of what would have been a well-deserved half-century when the side were all out for 199.
Rhys Carter was the pick of the hosts’ bowlers with 4-77.
Stortford’s opening bowlers Zum Akhter (3-21) and Sam Davis (2-32) had success and there were also wickets for Ben Twohig (2-33) and Clutterbuck (2-28) as Old Owens lost wickets at regular intervals.
There was a stand of 35 late on, but Simon Lindop took the final wickets to dismiss the home team for 130 after 34 overs.
The second team recovered from a poor start to triumph by 67 runs at home to Kings Langley in Division 2B.
The leaders won the toss, but slipped to 12-3 and needed Jonny Gaffney and Will Heywood (46) to dig in as they produced a 98-run partnership.
Richie Heywood joined Gaffney and enjoyed a run-a-ball 26 before being adjudged lbw with the score on 150.
Gaffney was finally dismissed for 76 and the innings closed on 192-8, with Andrew Burnell taking 5-25 in a good spell of bowling.
Kings Langley were reduced to 24-3 before they fought back with a 72-run stand in 25 overs.
But wickets fell regularly and their innings came to an end on 125 in the 43rd over when captain Mark Brazier (58) was bowled by Joe de Souza (3-16).
Austin Osborne and Callum Sykes got two wickets apiece for table-toppers, who are 43 points clear with five games left.
A fine partnership between Adrian Wacey (96) and Ruan Premadasa (79) helped the third team win by 40 runs at Abridge in the Tees Herts & Essex Border League, Premier Division.
They guided the visitors to 260-7 in 45 overs before Andrew Barber’s 3-24 proved crucial in removing the hosts for 220.
Zac Ahmed hit an enormous six with two balls left to win the match for the fourth team at home to North Weald in Division One.
He began the day by taking 2-9 as the visitors posted 204-8 having been 65 without loss after eight overs. Cameron Krauth, 15, got 2-29 and Nadia Wheeler claimed 3-46 late on.
Ant Foster hit 39 and Krauth made 41 in the reply, but wickets fell regularly to leave the game in the balance.
Stortford required four runs to win from the final over and Ahmed’s late heroics ensured they reached 208-8 in the nick of time.
