Saracens Herts League Division 2 Potters Bar II 196-8 beat Old Albanian 188 by eight runs OAs entertained Potters Bar II at Woollams on Saturday in the Saracens sponsored Herts Cricket League. Captain Graham Dill won the toss and had no hesitation aski

Saracens Herts League Division 2

Potters Bar II 196-8 beat Old Albanian 188 by eight runs

OAs entertained Potters Bar II at Woollams on Saturday in the Saracens sponsored Herts Cricket League.

Captain Graham Dill won the toss and had no hesitation asking Potters Bar to bat first.

The Bar scored consistently against all the OA bowlers, but OA were hampered by Dill suffering a groin strain while bowling the 22nd over having just taken two wickets to reduce the opponents from 51-1 after 15 overs to 60-3 in the 18th.

A fourth wicket partnership of 49 between Norman and Owers took Potters Bar to 130-5 after 35 overs, and a base to push on. The innings finally closed at the end of the 53rd over at 196-8.

In reply, Rehman and Roy built a platform with a partnership of 37 but when Roy was out in the 13th over, OAs began to find runs hard to come by and at the mid point of the innings were only 58-2 with Rehman back in the pavilion being stumped trying to accelerate the scoring.

The asking rate was now at six an over and this proved too much for OA's batting. 31 in 26 balls from Nguyen and 20 in 22 from Todd Baines kept OAs in the hunt but the rate required stayed over six an over.

When Jon Freedman was caught on the backward square leg boundary to make the score 167-7 with only three overs remaining, the writing was on the wall.

Desperate attempts to score 30 off the last three overs failed as Dill (batting lower than usual and with a runner) and Jones were run out looking for ambitious second runs, and Rhodes missed a big hit when nine were needed off the last three balls to confirm defeat for his side.

Saracens Herts League Division 5

Hatfield Crusaders 106-4 beat Old Albanian II 104 by six wickets

OAs II traveled to Hatfield Crusaders, a new venue for many of the OA second string.

The overnight rain, on an uncovered wicket, meant that the toss was likely to play a major part in deciding the outcome of the match.

The hosts won the toss and without hesitation from the home skipper OA were asked to bat first.

OAs found themselves batting against a lively new ball attack made to look very useful as the ball seamed about due to the conditions. Andrew McCree was the only OA batsman to score more than sixteen ending not out on 46 as he watched a procession of wickets fall at the other end. In reply Hatfield Crusaders made short work of the run chase completing the victory in 24 overs with Perry Hall claiming two of the four wickets to fall.

Saracens Herts League Division 11

Old Albanian III 188-8 beat Pirton 187-9 by two wickets

OAs III, struggling near the foot of Division 11, entertained high flying Pirton on Saturday. OAs won the toss and inserted the visitors.

Tony Matfield (3-44) and Ieuan Weir (4-60) were the pick of the bowlers as OA restricted the visitors to 187-9 off their allotted overs.

In reply the OAs inning got off to a good start with Simon Wakeling (43) and Gareth Weir (36) putting OAs in with a chance of victory that was sealed in the last over by Man of the Match Weir who made a quick fire 60.