TIM Fretter’s London Colney side maintained its 100 per cent winning record in completed league fixtures with a hard fought 62-run victory over West Herts.

Going into the game without three of his top-order batsmen, Fretter felt less confident in his side’s ability to chase down a total and elected to bat having won the toss.

After 13 had come from the first over – mainly in extras – the Colney batsmen found the going hard with Paul Ferrett (2-34) removing both Ady Fisher (1) and Andy Cole (2) as the innings stuttered at 21-2.

Matt Bristow was promoted to number four and with opener Rick Zeiderman the pair put on 50 runs for the third wicket. The good work was almost undone when Zeiderman (34) became the first of Anthony Griffin’s six wickets, sparking a mini collapse.

Fretter (0) and John Pinkham (0) were removed in successive balls to leave Colney on 77-5. Billy Barnes survived the hat trick ball and he and Bristow counter-attacked with a punchy partnership of 53.

Bristow (51) fell shortly after to Griffin (6-46), whose other scalps included Barnes (23) and David Goff (10), but Simon Fretter (21no) and Jack Ray (8no) attacked to spinner to propel Colney to 175-8.

West Herts’ openers initially made good progress against Colney’s new ball pairing of Goff and Simon Fretter, leading to the early introduction of Andy Cole.

Bowling with good pace on an unhelpful surface, Cole dismissed Daniel Paxton (11) leg before and followed up by removing Kie Farrell’s (27) stumps.

Cole switched ends to allow Simon Fretter’s re-introduction. Fretter took a first ball wicket having Griffin (10) caught by Cole at deep square leg.

The decisive moment of the match came when James Phang (37) attempted to heave Cole away over the leg side and was trapped LBW. With the home side’s captain unable due to injury, the lower order quickly succumbed to Cole (6-51) and Fretter (3-18)

Colney sit second in the league and face, potentially, their toughest test so far on Saturday when Cheshunt visit Green Street.

London Colney 2s (123-9) lost to Greenwood Park (124-6) by four wickets

COLNEY came of second best in a close game against Greenwood Park.

The home side won the toss and elected to bat first, making solid, if not spectacular progress through contributions from all of the top order. Unfortunately for Colney, none of Gibbons (13), Edwards (19), Ray (13) or Graham Seymour (32) could turn their starts into substantial scores, and with wickets falling at regular intervals, Colney could only reach 123-9

In reply, Greenwood Park found the going equally as tough, but Sam Nash (52) saw them to victory.