Totteridge Millhillians II 221–5

London Colney 103

Totteridge won by 118 runs

LONDON Colney slipped to a tame defeat at home to Totteridge Millhillians II and were relegated ending a four season stay in Division 3 of the SHCL.

After a catastrophic previous week against Potters Bar II, skipper Seymour knew his side had to win in order to have any hope of salvation and even then would be relying on other results to go their way. Therefore, with bonus points irrelevant, Seymour had no hesitation in electing the field and putting his side’s destiny in their own hands, with survival dictated by his batsmen’s ability to chase down a total.

On a good looking pitch, things started well for the hosts, with openers Tim and Simon Fretter conceding less than two-an-over in their opening bursts, with the impressive Tim bowling opener Nadeem to claim his 20th league scalp of the season. Off-spinner Matt Bristow, introduced in the 16th over, struck immediately, removing Khan before Fretter added the wickets of the dangerous Warsi (33), Ali (3) and Trevor Ray removed Shezad (13).

With the visitors stumbling to 119-5 in the 42nd over, Colney were eyeing a low total to chase, but a disastrous final 11 overs during which the sixth wicket pair of Siddiqui (61*) and Mathew (81*) chanced their arm and plundered 102 runs from the flagging home attack, took the game away and broke the spirit of the hosts.

Despite countless, miscues and edges, Colney were unable to break the partnership and on a pitch offering some spin and variable bounce, 222 looked a tough ask.

In response, Colney were choked to slow death by the Totteridge Millhillian spin bowlers, who used the soft old ball and the waring pitch to strangle the scoring rate, whilst taking regular wickets as the hosts fell further and further behind the rate.

Only Ady Fisher offered any real resistance with a battling 28 but when the visitors’ skipper took the new ball, Colney’s middle order folded to Ali (3-9) and Khan (2-11) as the home side were dismissed for a paltry 103 with nine overs remaining.

Colney had failed to take a single bonus point from the game and were relegated.

London Colney II 222-7 drew with Botany Bay II 236-7

Den Hadley’s IIs put up far more of a fight against Botany Bay II but were also unable to secure a last day win and were relegated.

Like his first XI counterpart, Hadley also elected to chase having won the toss and saw the home side rattle up an imposing 236-7, despite the efforts of Colney seamer Russ Blackman who returned a very credible 4-62 on Botany Bay’s fast scoring ground.

On a good track, with short boundaries and with a strong side, Hadley would have felt his side had a chance and in in-form opener Mitch Bradley, they had the man to lead the chase.

Prior to this game Bradley had recorded six half centuries in 13 league innings and signed off his league season is style with a fine 104, taking his tally to over 600 league runs for the season. He was ably supported by Rick Zeiderman (35) Paul Seymour (27) and Adam Stuart (19*) but the target proved just too great for visitors who had to settle for a draw, falling 15 runs short of their target.

Results elsewhere meant that even had Hadley’s men won, they would still have been relegated to Division Nine. Though this will be of scant consolation to the men from Green Street who also saw their Sunday Chess Valley side relegated to Division Six after a rain off against OCS Old Boys sealed an exceptionally disappointing season.