HCPL Division One Reading 281-8 (66) Radlett 284-9 (52.3) HERTS spinner Paul Barker bludgeoned a maiden club century as Radlett recorded a spectacular win at Reading to climb to the top of the Home Counties Premier League Division One on Saturday.

HCPL Division One

Reading 281-8 (66) Radlett 284-9 (52.3)

HERTS spinner Paul Barker bludgeoned a maiden club century as Radlett recorded a spectacular win at Reading to climb to the top of the Home Counties Premier League Division One on Saturday.

Radlett skipper Shane Burger lost the toss and was asked to bowl first on a hot day in Reading. Burger struck early with two wickets in his first three overs, reducing Reading to 15 for 2.

Heinrich Le Roux, the Reading overseas player, opened and played superbly, anchoring the innings. The next wicket didn't fall until 122 and it was Paul Barker who had Barr stumped by keeper Jenkins for a well played 36.

Le Roux regularly hit boundaries and continued his way to a very well played ton with some assistance from the rest of the batting line up. Reading ended with the score on 281 for 8 off there allotted 66 overs. Felix Walker was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 36.

Radlett's innings got off to a poor start when Steve Lowe was adjudged lbw in his last innings for the club before moving to Hong Kong. Kabir Toor was joined by Graham Dill and the innings looked to be gaining momentum, before Toor was caught in the gully for 18. Radlett's hopes of winning the game were soon fading when Burger was caught for a duck off the third ball he faced with score on 38.

In walked Felix Walker and, supported by Dill, set the innings back on track with a 50 run partnership, ended when Bevan bowled him for 39. At tea the score was 100 for 5 with Tom Jenkins being caught just before tea for a duck.

After the break, Dill was joined by Barker and the game looked like it would be heading towards a draw or a Reading victory. Barker had other ideas and started hitting the ball as a clean a whistle. Dill lost his wicket on 52 and things got very tense when another two wickets fell with Radlett still requiring four runs to win.

Barker finished the game off by hitting the Reading skipper back over his head for six and also secured the 25 points that takes Radlett to the top of the table by one point. Barker hit seven sixes in his innings of 110 not out and it only took 101 balls. Skipper Shane Burger said: "Barks played the innings of his life today and what a fitting time to do it. We are really chuffed with the win and the fact that we are at the top of the table. What happens from here is in our hands."

Radlett now lead the table by a point from High Wycombe and two points from Tring Park, with Oxford just six points back in fourth spot.

In Division Two of the Saracens Herts League, Radlett II restricted Northwood to 181 and had little trouble in passing that total to win on 183-4 in just 33 overs.

Radlett III returned to winning ways as Hertford II fell 16 runs short chasing 203 to win. Iain Edwards won the toss and chose to bat first. Dom Ingram (55) and Matt Soffair (26) gave Radlett a good start and Zahur Gitay (40) upped the tempo but 202 looked not enough.

Superb bowling from spinners Prabhu Arumugam and Hasit Mehta (four wickets each) supported by the wicket keeping of Colin Warne and excellent all round fielding gave the team another victory.

Radlett IV fell just short at Boxmoor. Jamie Wells won the toss for the 12th match in succession and chose to bowl.

Boxmoor were contained and were all out for 186, with Neil Lederman (6 for 52) in particularly fine form. Jeremy Menzies and Richard Hardy each took two wickets.

In reply, Radlett collapsed to 62-7 until an inspired 90-run partnership from youngsters Lloyd Paternott and Shameel Ahmed saw them to 152, with the chase still on.

Paternott went on to score a brilliant 108 which completely changed the dynamic of the game but, when Lederman (16) was out in the 49th over Radlett were beaten, five runs short of the target in what turned out to be another exciting finish.