Sawbridgeworth lose top-of-the-table Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League clash at Hitchin

Sawbridgeworth slipped out of the Saracens Hertfordshire League, Division One promotion places after they lost by six runs in a dramatic top-of-the-table clash at Hitchin on Saturday (July 13), writes Richard White.

Chasing 204 for victory, the visitors lost Joe Joyce (1) in the fourth over of their reply before Rehman Ahmed featured in partnerships of 41 and 43 with Michael Burrell (31) and Steve Ashman (27).

When Ahmed was adjudged lbw for 43, this sparked a mini collapse from 93-2 to 105-5 before Ashman was joined by Charlie Rudkin and the pair added 40 for the sixth wicket.

Rudkin (48) struck eight fours from 55 balls, but holed out to cover with 20 needed to win, leaving Sawbo on 184-8.

George Kenny (12) was trapped in front by Hitchin skipper Musa Ilyas (3-43) before Charlie Mann departed in identical fashion to Toqeer Hussain (2-30) off the first ball of the last over, leaving Sawbo 197 all out.

Earlier, Rudkin had also starred with the ball by taking 2-18 in his 10 overs as Hitchin recovered from losing both openers in the first two overs of the day to reach 203-9.

Shaftab Khalid (55) and Saad Waqas (54) featured in a fourth-wicket stand of 63, with Ilyas (22) and Sam Rippington (13no) helping them past the 200 mark.

Alan Ison (2-16) and Kenny (2-37) also took two wickets with the others falling to Max Osborne and Sayed Aziz, whose direct hit saw him run out Will Guest.

The result means Ison’s men drop to fourth in the table on the same points as Luton Town & Indians and two behind second-placed Old Elizabethans. Hitchin’s victory puts them 15 points clear at the top.

There was also disappointment for the second team as they lost to Botany Bay by four wickets at Town Fields in Division 5B.

After being put in to bat, they were all out for 221 in 47.4 overs as Luke Garratt top-scored with 84.

Garratt featured in a second-wicket partnership of 108 with Tommy Hamilton (23) while Brad Oakes contributed a useful 38.

The visitors’ reply was dominated by Kasey Harris, who scored an unbeaten 129 out of his team’s total of 223-6 as they completed their victory with 19 balls to spare.

Andrew Dongworth took 3-21 with Sam Shemwell, Harry Gale and Charlie Newman taking a wicket each as Sawbo claimed 14 points to remain seventh.

The third team moved out of the Tees Herts & Essex Border League, Division One relegation zone and up to seventh with a nine-wicket home win over Takeley.

Chris Thake top-scored with 79 as the visitors amassed a total of 226-7.

Saad Naveed took 3-66 on his return to Sawbo with Charles Robinson taking 2-35 before scoring 33 out of an opening stand of 83 with Rob Sanders (119no).

Skipper Adam MacDonald hit a run-a-ball 63 as the hosts reached 227-1 in 32.3 overs.