Double delight for Harpenden as they avoid the puddles and float to the top
James Latham guided Harpenden to the top of the early Herts Cricket League Premier Division table with a victory against North Mymms. - Credit: DANNY LOO
Rain may have washed out most of the opening round of fixtures in the Herts Cricket League but some games were played - and for Harpenden it proved a glorious day.
Their first and second teams both won to go top of their respective divisions.
The morning's downpour left the first team and opponents North Mymms kicking their heels well into the afternoon and in the end it turned into a 20-over per side contest.
Playing at home, Harpenden lost the toss and were put into bat but thanks to 66 from James Latham and another 33 from opening partner Scott Galloway, the hosts managed to make 140-8.
Mymms didn't have the best of starts and were 29-3 before Chanaka Ruwansiri cut loose, hitting 64 in 46 balls before being run out.
They ended up needing 16 from the final and were even helped by two wides meaning they faced eight in total.
Crucially though the most they could score from one ball was two and the game ended with them five runs short.
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Jack Doyle starred with the ball for Harps, claiming 2-7 in four overs.
Harpenden's second team strolled to victory at neighbours Old Albanian in one of just two Division One matches to play to a conclusion.
They made 180-9 in 33 overs having been put into bat, Joel Stewart getting 44 and Nick Reeves 41, with Mohammed Haroon doing his best of OAs to restrict them.
He finished with bowling figures of 4-30.
The reply by the hosts though was strangled by the Harpenden bowlers.
Stewart took 3-28 but topping that was a wonderful 5-15 from John Card in his seven overs.
It left OAs 70 all out for 110 and 70 runs short, Sagir Ahmed their top scorer on 24.
Back in the Premier Division, Radlett suffered a shock defeat at Hoddesdon.
They made 129 batting first, 29 from Neel Malde their best figures as each batsman struggled to kick on.
And despite 2-32 from Kabir Toor and another wicket from Noah Cornwell, Hoddesdon eased to victory inside 30 overs, an unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership between Jayden Broodryk (46*) and Todd Sturdy (28*) seeing the hosts home.
