Rehman Ahmed hits 64 as Sawbridgeworth beat Redbourn in Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League

Sawbridgeworth put last week’s disaster at Leverstock Green well and truly behind them as they secured a hard-fought 40-run home victory over struggling Redbourn in Saracens Hertfordshire League, Division One on Saturday (May 25), writes Richard White.

Having been invited to bat first, the hosts were given a rapid start by Max Osborne (31 off 23 balls) as they raced to 35-1 after four overs.

Stand-in captain Rehman Ahmed showed superb application in partnerships of 76 and 87 with Rob Sanders (46) and Joe Joyce (54) as he top-scored with 64.

The home side lost five wickets in the final six overs before securing maximum batting points off the penultimate ball of the innings as they finished on 245-8 from their 50 overs.

George Kenny and Charlie Rudkin, who took 1-16 in his 10 overs, used the new ball very effectively as they reduced the visitors to 29-2.

Conor Yorath (47) and Harry Cobb (70) added 108 before Joyce (3-41) and Syed Aziz (3-31) began to turn the game in the home side’s favour as Redbourn slipped from 137-2 to 165-7.

Ben Roe (18) and Callum Moyle (16) took the score to 202 with four overs remaining before both players departed to the returning Kenny, who finished with 3-20.

Moyle and last man James McKay were both caught by Michael Burrell as Redbourn, who have suffered three straight defeats since being relegated last season, were all out for 205.

Sawbo’s second win moves them back up to fifth in the table.

In contrast, the club’s two other sides mustered just 158 runs between them as they both suffered disappointing defeats on the road.

After losing the toss at Old Albanian in Division 5B, the second team were all out for 88 in 32.4 overs with Charlie Mann (26no) and James Bovaird (20) being their only players to reach double figures.

The hosts were reduced to 65-6 by Sam Shemwell (4-32) and skipper Harry Gale (2-40) in reply, but OAs suffered no further losses as they completed a four-wicket win in the 21st over.

As a result of taking just six bowling points from a second successive defeat, Sawbo have dropped to seventh in the table.

The third team lost by 118 runs at Thaxted, for whom Stuart Levey top-scored with 77 against his former club, in Tees Herts & Essex Border League, Division One.

After featuring in a third-wicket partnership of 112 with Uzair Saad (64), Levey helped the home side reach 188-5 from their 40 overs.

He was the second player in the home side’s innings to be run out, with other wickets falling to Harry Frans (1-41), Craig Chisnall (1-33) and Matthew Vaughan (1-22).

In reply, Sawbo were skittled out for 70 after losing their last eight wickets for 40 runs. Andrew Foster (15) and Gary Barnett (18no) provided their only significant contributions with the bat - extras top-scored with 21 - after UM Baqar (4-15) had done the early damage for the home side.

The visitors have slipped to seventh having won two from four.