SHL Division Three Redbourn 153-1 beat Waltham Cross Rosedale by nine wickets AFTER the disappointment of defeat last week, Redbourn bounced back with a comprehensive victory over Waltham Cross Rosedale on Saturday. Redbourn captain Dan Roe won the toss a

SHL Division Three

Redbourn 153-1 beat Waltham Cross Rosedale by nine wickets

AFTER the disappointment of defeat last week, Redbourn bounced back with a comprehensive victory over Waltham Cross Rosedale on Saturday.

Redbourn captain Dan Roe won the toss and chose to field, but it looked like that decision may have backfired with opening bowlers Ahmed Jamal and Dan Thatcher struggling to find a consistent line and length as Rosedale raced to 39 after just six overs.

Things soon changed when Jamal took the first wicket in the next over, clean bowling the Rosedale captain for 19.

The score had moved on to 59 when Jamal then took two wickets in two balls but was denied the hat trick when a very close lbw appeal was turned down.

Jon Fleming was then introduced to the attack and kept the pressure on the batsman and was rewarded with the wicket of opener Parmar, who top scored with 37.

An injury to Fleming (1-21) then forced Roe to bring Faisal Khan on to bowl earlier then he had planned but this may have turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Khan produced his best bowling spell of the season, returning figures of 2-30 in 12 overs.

By now Thatcher returned to replace the tiring Jamal (4-48) and picked up two wickets thanks to excellent catches by 'keeper Geoff Bartlett, playing his first game for the first XI for two seasons.

A run-out then ended a stubborn last wicket partnership of 24 to leave Waltham Cross all out for 151.

Redbourn never looked in any trouble during their run chase.

Openers Chris Yorath and Simon Osman batted sensibly to ensure that there was no panic in the dressing room as they compiled an opening stand of 62, before Yorath was well caught in the covers for 34.

Roe then joined Osman and continued his good form with the bat, never looking in any trouble as he scored 57 not out from 77 balls.

Redbourn reached their target in 41 overs for the loss of only one wicket to complete the victory. Osman remained unbeaten on 53 in what was a welcome return to form for the opener.

REDBOURN II dropped out of the Division Seven promotion places with a heavy defeat away to Hexton.

On a stodgy pitch skipper Antony Mauder elected to bowl first after winning the toss. Alex Cashman opened the bowling with a tight a spell and Peter Cridland backed him up with an early wicket.

Redbourn had no pace bowlers to make the most of the unreliable wicket allowing Hexton to reach 50 before the next wicket fell.

Martin Benfield tightened up his line and took regular wickets during a 21 over spell finishing with 5-60. Nigel Wellsbury's sharp fielding produced a run out while Chris Godfrey bowled some unplayable leg spin and was rewarded with two wickets.

At 133-9 and two junior players at the crease Redbourn felt the end was inevitable, however the young batsmen did themselves credit by sneaking runs to reach 158 before Cridland (2-23) took a wicket in the final over. A lack of a penetrative bowler had cost 25 extra runs.

In reply Toby Ascroft looked in formidable touch but he lost a succession of partners as Redbourn's batsmen took turns to play poor shots.

Hexton's opener S Marshall (4-20) bowled with good pace and showed Redbourn what they are missing in their bowling line up. Matt Gibbs played some nice shots but when Ascroft fell for 30 with the score at a terrible 47-7 the game was up.

Cridland's was the last wicket to fall for 14 as Redbourn slumped to 74 all out.

REDBOURN III recorded a commanding win at home on Saturday against high flying Botany Bay III to earn a vital 30 points.

Redbourn batted first and their top order were soon in trouble at 35-4, and it required a patient innings from home captain Tom Cridland (36) with good support from Rakesh Bajpai and Mark Artis (both 19) to guide them to a reasonable 157 all out.

In reply the Redbourn's opening attack of Robin Mauder and Nathan Ascroft found an excellent line and length from the start, and soon had Botany Bay three wickets down with less than 20 on the scoreboard. After Cridland found some swing to claim the wickets of numbers six and seven Botany Bay never looked likely to chase the total.

It was left to Jimmy Lee to mop up the tail with some deadly swing bowling, ending with 5-9.