WHEATHAMPSTEAD took a step closer to playing at the home of cricket with a convincing win over Botany Bay in the National Village Cup.

Herts Advertiser: Richard Winchester hits one off the middle of the willowRichard Winchester hits one off the middle of the willow (Image: Archant)

Sunday’s win sets up a tie against either Preston or Langleybury on June 16 in the regional finals. If WCC can progress through to round five then they are just four games wins away from playing at Lord’s where the final will be hosted.

WCC came in to the game having won by 76 and 75 runs in rounds one and two respectively. But this Sunday they were asked to bowl first and they responded in emphatic style.

Nick Martin (4-20), Daniel Norris (3-28), Adam Robbins (2-42) and David Dabare (1-15) were unplayable at times, suffocating the batting attack who only managed 120 runs.

Martin got the party started by removing both openers with seven runs on the board before having number three Mark Bott (9) caught by Adam Winchester.

Robbins caught and bowled Imran Shah (11) to get in on the act before Martin was back at it again to complete his four-wicket haul, smashing Chris Marchant’s stumps.

Norris took the next three wickets to leave Botany Bay at 85-8, and all that was left was for Dabare to get a well-deserved wicket and Robbins to claim his second scalp to bring the innings to an end.

Facing a low total, WCC made it more difficult that it should have been as Chris Marin (0) and Richard Winchester (5) departed within denting Botany Bay’s total.

However, Mark and Adam Winchester were on good form, scoring 13 and 29 runs respectively. But it was Sam Ledger (27no) and Steve Booth (24no) who saw WCC into the regional final.

On Saturday in SHL Division Two captain Adam Winchester batted magnificently on his way to 111 and Chris Martin added 35 to the total, but the rest of the line-up failed to score double figures as WCC ended on 185-7.

Kings Langley showed why they are third in a competitive division as Leslie Brown carried his bat for 100 and Simon Walker added 69 as they recorded an eight-wicket win.