Division Three London Colney 199-8 (53) St Albans II 173-10 (45) LONDON Colney defeated St Albans II in a controversial and competitive Division Three contest at Clarence Park on Saturday. The win almost guarantees Colney survival in Division Three

Division Three

London Colney 199-8 (53) St Albans II 173-10 (45)

LONDON Colney defeated St Albans II in a controversial and competitive Division Three contest at Clarence Park on Saturday.

The win almost guarantees Colney survival in Division Three while for St Albans defeat proved a blow to their promotion hopes, although they remain in the top four.

The dismissal of Matt Howeson was described by St Albans as a 'very helpful decision in favour of London Colney' while Colney felt the reaction to the decision was 'the kind of ill-tempered recriminations that so often dog league cricket these days'.

After winning the toss, St Albans asked the visitors to bat first and saw Colney set about grinding out a total. Paul Wise (42) put on 29 for the first wicket with Phil McLaughlin and then added a further 41 with Matt Bristow (29) and 33 with Alex McCartney, who went on to top score for Colney on 60.

The St Albans bowlers kept the run rate under control however, and it wasn't until the 43rd over that it climbed above three, as McCartney and Tim Fretter (31) got things going. Khan was the pick of the St Albans bowlers, taking 4 for 38, and it was he and Sharp (2 for 17) who pegged Colney back at the death, limiting them to just 10 runs from the last three overs and a final score of 199-8, which looked a bit short in the circumstances.

In reply, Howeson (21) and Wishnowsky went along well until Howeson was given out lbw to a ball that may well have taken a bat edge.

Wishnowsky went on to make 54 before being stumped by Alex McCartney off the pace bowling of David Goff and Sharp added 33 to his two wickets, but none of the other St Albans batsmen could build a significant innings.

After Uzman Zaman claimed three of the first four wickets to fall, the day belonged to David Goff, who finished with 6 for 32, as St Albans collapsed to 173 all out.