Radlett remain firmly in the battle at the top of the Herts Cricket League Premier Division after a Joe-Cooke inspired victory over West Herts at Cobden Hill.

Herts Advertiser: Nick Lamb top scored for Harpenden in their rain-shortened game with Luton Town. Picture: DANNY LOONick Lamb top scored for Harpenden in their rain-shortened game with Luton Town. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Danny Loo Photography - all rights reserved)

The opener smashed 50 off the first 38 balls he face, eventually getting to 86 off 78 deliveries in a knock that included 12 fours and two sixes.

That got Radlett to a total of 240 and he returned to take two wickets as the visitors were bowled out for 181, 59 runs short.

He wasn't the only one to star with skipper Kabir Toor continuing his good form with another half-century, his 58 part of an 89-run partnership with Cooke for the second wicket.

And like Cooke, Toor was also a major tormentor of West Herts with the ball, claiming a wonderful 4-17 in just shy of eight overs.

Anthony Hill also helped himself to two wickets.

The victory means Radlett remain third, five points behind Luton Town & Indians and a further three points adrift of leaders Welwyn Garden City.

Luton kept up their own challenge with a narrow victory in a rain-shortened game against Harpenden.

Played as a 20-over contest, Luton batted first and got to 123-6 with 43 not out from Dhruv Patel primarilly responsible.

In reply Harpenden lost two wickets early but Nick Lamb played a captain's innings to pull the visitors back into contention.

He hit 54 from 43 balls while Aaron Burrage chipped in with a valuable 32 but in the end Harps fell four runs short with six wickets down.

They will host Radlett on Saturday.

Elsewhere both Shenley Village and Redbourn lost their unbeaten starts to the season.

Shenley's first loss in the Championship came at Lancot Park where hosts Dunstable Town won by 47 runs.

The Villagers had put Town into bat and the home side were all out after 39 overs for 161.

That came after Shenley had them struggling at 36-6 and was courtesy of seventh-wicket partnership of 79 between Sam Marshall (34) and Luke Cherry (52) plus a valuabe last-wicket stand of 28.

Kris Nissen took 3-37 and Fahim Akbar 3-40 while there were two wickets for Richard Turpie.

However, the visitors' reply never got going and only Morgan Stanley with a stubborn 31 provided any real resistance.

Redbourn meanwhile lost by two wickets at home to Flitwick.

Josh Arnold's 50 not out had dragged them up to 184-9 at the close but Flitwick opener Joshua Malkani hit 68 and despite a wobble through the middle order, they were able to seal the win.

Stevie Richards did his level-best to stop that but his 5-38 was ultimately in vain.