BADMINTON stars from St Albans and Redbourn helped Hertfordshire claim a double league success on Sunday. The Herts Seconds saw off Buckinghamshire Seconds to win Division 1C in convincing style 13-2 and now face the division play offs on April 26 and 27

BADMINTON stars from St Albans and Redbourn helped Hertfordshire claim a double league success on Sunday.

The Herts Seconds saw off Buckinghamshire Seconds to win Division 1C in convincing style 13-2 and now face the division play offs on April 26 and 27 for a place in Premier B next season. Rich Southward, of St Albans, and Liz Austin and Jon Austin, both of Redbourn, featured for the county seconds.

The door is now firmly open for the second team to achieve promotion after the county first won Premier B in February and moved up into the top flight. Ian Mulligan's side are under no illusions about the task ahead of them with likely opponents Lanarkshire, Kent and Wiltshire all determined to win promotion into a Premier division. Two of the four teams will go up.

St Albans duo Ed Lintott and Rachel Warnes helped the Fourth team, under the management of Colin Walker, overcome title challengers Suffolk II at the Hertfordshire Sports Village to claim Division 4B in the Inter County Championship. Despite losing 8-7, the team gained promotion on the narrowest of margins. Being equal with Suffolk on section points and wins, they won on a count back of games, 65 to 64.

The county has a further high profile event to look forward to when the 17-21 National Team Championships take place at the Hertfordshire Sports Village on the Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30. Play begins at 10am on both days, with 20 counties taking part. Spectators are welcome and entrance is free. Rachel Warnes of St Albans will represent Herts along with players from Potters Bar, Ware Hitchin, Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City. See www.hertsbadminton.net for more information about the event and the county teams.