Haitel Patel hits 80 as Bishop’s Stortford II thrash Flitwick counterparts by 121 runs in Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League

Haitel Patel hit 80 as Bishop’s Stortford II thrashed their Flitwick counterparts by 121 runs in Saracens Hertfordshire League, Division 2B on Saturday (July 20).

The victory means they go into this weekend’s top-of-the-table clash at Potters Bar II seven points clear at the summit.

Stortford won the toss and elected to bat first at Cricketfield Lane, putting 264-7 on the board from their 50 overs.

Openers Patel and Joseph Bunyan (33) put on 61 together before the former also received the backing of Jonathan Gaffney (45) and Henry Hawkins (41).

Patel was eventually caught and bowled for 80, but Richie Heywood added a brisk 31 as the leaders passed the 250 mark.

Flitwick’s response was slow going, with captain Michael Bodo putting up the main resistance with a 31-run knock of his own as they were removed for 143 in 45.4 overs.

Hugh Williams got 3-19, Bunyan got 2-11 and Harry Pigram claimed 2-23 while there was a wicket apiece for Heywood, James Woollerson and Joe de Souza.

In the Premier Division, the first team suffered a 65-run defeat at table-topping Harpenden.

The visitors opted to field on an overcast morning and Sam Davis (2-39) bowled Scott Galloway in the third over.

That brought overseas batsman and the division’s leading run scorer Cole Briggs to the crease and he sent the ball to all corners of the ground before being caught by Davis off the bowling of Dom Clutterbuck (2-66) for 73.

Harpenden were 141-4 at lunch and Andrew Neal and Charlie Mumford added 48 before the latter was caught by Tom Howes for 29.

Neal then put on a big-hitting 71-run partnership with Alex Gosling (34), finally being caught by Adam Bassingthwaighte off the bowling of Davis for a well-made 75.

Stortford bowled well to restrict the strongest club in the league to 283 all out on a flat wicket as Ben Twohig ended with 3-66 and Callum Sykes got 2-45.

The visitors had 37 on the board in reply when Davis was caught by Ben Frazer for 19.

Will Cutlan-Smyth joined Howes (27) and they were progressing well when the former was lbw for 16.

Wickets fell regularly, but Joe Hawkins produced a fine 51 from 53 balls before he was out to leave the score on 152-6.

A 10th-wicket partnership between Clutterbuck and Simon Lindop (16no) added 41 before the former was adjudged lbw for 34 as Stortford were removed for 218. Harry Seagrave was the pick of the bowlers with 6-51.

The third team hung on to claim a home draw against Farnham in the Tees Herts & Essex Border League, Premier Division.

The away side batted first and amassed 279-4 from 45 overs thanks to Sam Hyne (100) and B Notley-Griffiths (59).

Stortford were looking good in reply as Harrison Barrett (84) and Adrian Wacey (61) scored well, but a flurry of wickets left the last pair clinging on for the draw as they closed on 240-9.

The fourth team went down by 21 runs at Stansted in Division One.

The hosts registered 218-9 from their 40 overs as Ben Baker made 47 and Emiel Pronk hit 72. Ant Foster took 3-57 and Daniel Laskey got 3-25, but they were left rueing some dropped catches.

Stortford openers Jay Ward (52) and Clint Williams (63) gave their side a solid start to the run chase, but tight bowling kept them behind the rate and they were unable to accelerate as they ended on 197-7.