Division Three Stevenage II 190-7 (53.0) London Colney 194-3 (46.3) LONDON Colney claimed their second win of the season, with their batsmen at last producing a performance of authority to chase down a decent total with some comfort.

Division Three

Stevenage II 190-7 (53.0) London Colney 194-3 (46.3)

LONDON Colney claimed their second win of the season, with their batsmen at last producing a performance of authority to chase down a decent total with some comfort.

After winning the toss, Colney skipper Matt Bristow went for the win against struggling Stevenage, and asked them to bat first on the Shenley Village Ground wicket.

Colney's bowlers struggled to find anything out of a very slow and damp pitch until Simon Fretter (1-48) managed to beat the bat. For much of the innings, Colney struggled for any penetration, but crucially, Uzman Zaman, Matt Bristow (1-37) and David Goff sent down 30 overs between them for just 80 runs, meaning the visitors were going to depend on a late charge for any kind of competitive total.

The game changed when Scott Hadley was introduced as the fourth change bowler, and cut off any Stevenage late charge, taking 4-28 from seven overs, leaving Stevenage struggling to 190-7 at the close.

It still might have been competitive, particularly on a slow pitch and a very slow outfield.

Colney's chase was based on an adapted batting order and with three openers in the side, the plan worked. Adam Buckmaster and Matt Bristow (41) piled on runs for the second wicket, and when Bristow was stumped, Buckmaster and Scott Hadley (39) took Colney to the brink of victory.

Buckmaster found his form after three lean weeks with a spectacularly undefeated century as Colney won the game on 194-3 off 46.3 overs.

Division Seven

London Colney II 200-9 (53.0) Harpenden IV 166-10 (46.3)

LONDON Colney II picked up a fine away win at Harpenden IV in Division Seven on Saturday.

Colney skipper lost the toss and was asked to bat. The home bowling attack made good use of the wicket early on, reducing Colney to 19-3 from 11 overs.

Colney hit back as Trevor Ray produced the foil for the innings, sticking around for a gritty 40, and the hard hitting Danny Webster Smith Webster-Smith (25) gave the visitors momentum. Connor Dow (29) and John Gibbons (27) continued the assault and Colney reached 200-9 off 53 overs. Harpenden conceded 50 extras in the innings which cost them dearly in the end. Jason Guest picked up 4-69 for Harpenden from 22 overs and Mark Hoefield took 3-73 off 16 overs with Mark Bashford taking 2-34 off 15 overs.

After tea, Colney's hugely promising youngster Connor Dow struck twice in two maiden overs in an opening five over spell of 2-6.

When John Gibbons and Den Hadley each claimed a couple of wickets, the home side had slumped to 86-6 and were looking out of it until the impressive Guest (22 hit two.

Simon Caunce battled on for Harpenden and scored a superb 94 before he was bowled with the first ball of the last over of the match when Dow moved one off the seam. Harpenden were all out for 166, giving Colney a hard earned 30 points by 34 runs, with Den Hadley taking 4-43, and three wickets each for Connor Dow and John Gibbons.