Home Counties Premier League Twenty20 Cup Harpenden 220-6 beat St Albans 119-8 by 101 runs ROUND one of this week s local derby matches went the way of Harpenden in last night s Home Counties Premier League Twenty20 Cup clash. St Albans captain Martin J

Home Counties Premier League Twenty20 Cup

Harpenden 220-6 beat St Albans 119-8 by 101 runs

ROUND one of this week's local derby matches went the way of Harpenden in last night's Home Counties Premier League Twenty20 Cup clash.

St Albans captain Martin Jones won the toss and asked Harpenden to bat and the home side's powerful batting attack made the most of the opportunity with captain Ben Frazer and vice captain Nick Lamb leading the way.

Frazer put in a captain's knock smashing three sixes and eight fours on his way to a 31-ball 68 before he was bowled by Jim Chaudry with the Harpenden score on 97.

The home side added just three more runs before youngster Chris Bennett-Baggs was caught by Daniel Nicholls off the bowling of Ben Ramsay for one.

Lamb was next to go, caught by Ethan Fogarty off of Dan Longhurst for 35 bringing the in-form Gregg Cooper to the crease to partner Will Bates.

The pair put on 48 before Bates (25 off 16 balls) was bowled by Ramsay for his second wicket of the match.

Cooper, who hit a superb 106 in Harpenden's friendly win over Rajput Samaj on Monday, blasted three fours and two sixes in his 26-ball 41 but his innings was bought to an end when Matt Howeson held onto one off the bowling of Longhurst.

David Keenleyside added 14 from just five balls including a six before he was bowled by Saints skipper Jones as the home side looked to take the game beyond St Albans.

Matt Stannard (10*) and Oliver Tuck (five* from just two balls) helped Harpenden rack up 220-6 from their 20 overs.

St Albans had progressed to 25 before losing their first wicket, Nicholls (16) the man out caught by Cooper off the bowling of Richard Darwin.

The visitors chances were further damaged when skipper Jones was dismissed, bowled by Chris Roe for four leaving St Albans on 30-2.

30-2 soon became 31-3 when Phil Dorsett was dismissed by Darwin, caught by Cooper for one.

Opener Chaudry dug in with Matt Howeson and the pair added 15 before Chaudry (16) was bowled by Tuck, who picked up his second wicket when Phillip Creed was stumped by Keenleyside for 15.

Harpenden continued to turn the screw with Howeson bowled by Lamb for 17 as St Albans slumped to 86-6.

Howeson's dismissal bought Richard O'Toole to the crease who bludgeoned three fours on his way to 22*.

Keenleyside picked up another stumping removing Ramsay for eight off the bowling of Bates and the last wicket went to Lamb who had Garg (five) caught by Frazer.

Fogarty added two to the Saints score but they ended their twenty overs on 119-8 giving the home side a 101 run victory.

Harpenden's reward for winning is a tie with West Herts who gained a walk over after Radlett conceded. The game is due to take place on Wednesday, June 24.

St Albans will be looking for revenge when Harpenden visit Clarence Park on Saturday. The Division Two (East) game is due to start at 11.30am.