Bishop’s Stortford beat North Mymms to boost Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League survival hopes
Bishop’s Stortford beat North Mymms on Saturday (August 31) to boost their Saracens Hertfordshire League, Premier Division survival chances with one match remaining.
The six-wicket home victory saw them leapfrog Shenley Village and move out of the relegation play-off place.
But Stortford, who visit fifth-placed Radlett this weekend, are just two points better off than their ninth-placed rivals as a tense final weekend awaits.
North Mymms elected to bat after winning the toss at Cricketfield Lane and posted 195-8 from their 50 overs.
The visitors started well and were 56 without loss in the 10th over when Simon Lindop (3-30) bowled Yuvresh Malhotra for 32.
Six overs later he did the same to Zaid Kureshi and Guganeshan Muralitharan became his third victim as the away side moved to 102-3.
Wickets then fell regularly, with captain Nessan Jeyaratnam (25) and Will Jones both being bowled by player-of-the-match Ben Twohig (3-26).
Dom Clutterbuck snared 2-41 before Dharmarajsinh Jhala (19no) and Richard Oxley (15no) batted sensibly to put on 45 at the end of the innings.
Stortford made a good start to the run chase thanks to an opening stand worth 78 between Sam Davis (50) and Joe Hawkins (29).
Zum Akhter and Twohig came together at the crease with the score on 90-3 and they batted responsibly, hitting the bad balls to steadily construct a 69-run partnership.
When Akhter was caught and bowled by Jhala for 35, Twohig (55no) continued alongside Will Cutlan-Smyth (18no) to get the hosts to 199-4 in the 40th over.
The promoted second team suffered only their third defeat of the season as they went down by six runs at second-placed Old Finchleians in Division 2B.
The table-toppers chose to bowl after winning the toss and they reduced their opponents to 48-5 thanks to the efforts of Harry Pigram (2-16) and Callum Sykes (3-28).
A 95-run stand was broken by Joe de Souza (2-24) and Max Sanderson claimed 3-14 as the hosts were removed for 150 in the 38th over.
Haitel Patel (40) and Henry Hawkins (43) put on 79 together at the top of the order for Stortford, but they slipped from 92-1 to 105-6.
Hugh Williams (12) and Sykes (19) stemmed the tide for a while before their team were all out for 144 in the 43rd over.
The third team ended their Tees Herts & Essex Border League, Premier Division campaign with a 42-run defeat at Bengeo.
Andrew Barder bagged 6-25 as Bengeo were all out for 238 before veteran Tim Smith’s 47 could not prevent the visitors being dismissed for 196.
It was a memorable day for father and son Fred Hussain and Daniel Laskey as they helped the fourth team beat Takeley to secure Division One survival.
The visitors appeared on course for a big score as Dominic Dann (54), Adrian Philips (50) and Vamsi Madhav (47) all got runs.
But, in a dramatic end to the innings, 15-year-old Laskey took four wickets in as many balls - all of his victims being bowled - to end with figures of 6-25 as Takeley had to settle for 215-9.
Laskey’s dad and Stortford captain Hussain then took over with an unbeaten 95 as they reached 218-7 off the last ball of the game to avoid relegation by six points.
