SHL Division Three Redbourn 141-4 beat Hatfield 138 by six wickets Redbourn moved a step closer to promotion from Division Three with another convincing victory, this time over Hatfield. Redbourn won the toss and chose to bowl first and after conceding a

SHL Division Three

Redbourn 141-4 beat Hatfield 138 by six wickets

Redbourn moved a step closer to promotion from Division Three with another convincing victory, this time over Hatfield.

Redbourn won the toss and chose to bowl first and after conceding a few early boundaries were soon in control of the game with opening bowlers Ahmed Jamal and Jon Fleming both taking two wickets to leave Hatfield struggling on 52-4.

Fleming (2-23) struck first thanks to a sharp catch by Steve Root in the slips, but it was Jamal's (2-40) dismissal of Hatfield batsman Desai that was the key as he had looked very dangerous in reaching 18 before playing onto his stumps.

A fifth wicket partnership of 39 brought Hatfield back into the game before a sharp piece of fielding by Geoff Tookey forced a run out and a wicket from a lively spell of bowling from Steve Root put Redbourn back on top at 95-6.

It was then over to off spinner Faisal Khan who took the last four wickets in an excellent spell of 13 overs for just 18 runs.

Redbourn's reply got off to a solid start with openers Simon Osman (19) and Dan Roe (28) scoring freely before both were out shortly after the score reached 50. Gary Sandford and Steve Root then continued to attack the Hatfield bowlers with Sandford scoring 38 including eight fours and Root 35 from just 34 balls including two huge sixes.

Unfortunately both were out shortly before the end so it was left to specialist finishers Geoff Tookey and Ben Roe to complete the comfortable victory.

THE IIs were aiming for a win against Hatfield IIs to take them back into the promotion places in Division Seven. Hatfield won the toss and chose to bat on a flat wicket that offered nothing for the bowlers.

Opening bowler Dan Thatcher bowled with great pace to mount pressure on Hatfield who had started cautiously. Thatcher took the only three wickets in the first 41 overs as Hatfield crawled to 127.

Golder was stumped by Geoff Bartlett off Dan Darvell for 57 and that brought Shah and Foster together who blasted the last 12 overs to take Hatfield to 223-5. Thatcher finished with 4-57.

In reply Toby Ascroft and Bartlett played confident drives from the start. Ascroft made an error in judgement playing around a ball to have his leg stump taken out, and Jimmy Spiers quickly followed.

Anthony Mauder (38) dug in and allowed Bartlett (64) to keep scoring with Redbourn building slowly at 93 off 27 overs.

Both players started to increase the run rate to put themselves within a last 10 over assault on the total but both then fell in consecutive overs, and when a another quick wicket fell Redbourn were struggling at 144-5 off 37.

Instead of enticing the batsmen to go for shots Hatfield made the unexpected decision of putting everyone back on the boundary and as the run rate climbed the tactics did not change.

Darren Bassill batted well to reach 38* and take Redbourn to maximum batting points, finishing 200-8.