Redbourn 141-4 beat Totteridge Millhillians II 138 all out by six wickets Redbourn I moved into top spot in Division Three with a convincing win over Totteridge Millhillians II on Saturday. Totteridge won the toss and surprisingly chose to bat, but got

Redbourn 141-4 beat Totteridge Millhillians II 138 all out by six wickets

Redbourn I moved into top spot in Division Three with a convincing win over Totteridge Millhillians II on Saturday.

Totteridge won the toss and surprisingly chose to bat, but got off to a flying start to reach 31 in just the sixth over before three quick wickets from Jon Fleming turned the game in Redbourn's favour to leave Totteridge struggling on 41-3.

They had recovered to 82-3 when an amazing passage of play saw six wickets fall for just seven runs with Ahmed Jamal (3-72) taking three and a further three for Fleming, who ended with excellent figures of 6-56 from 16 overs.

Redbourn also caught well with Chris Godfrey, Steve Root both taking good catches.

At 89-9 Redbourn sensed an early victory but, as the bowlers began to tire, the Totteridge number 11 rode his luck and took advantage of some loose deliveries to score 38 from just 26 balls before Faisal Khan was brought into the attack and took the final wicket with just his third ball.

This left a target of 138 which could have been much lower but Redbourn would have settled for this when Totteridge were going well with at 82-3. Redbourn got off to a solid start and had reached 25 before Osman was caught behind and Dan Roe was lbw first ball.

When Chris Yorath joined them in the pavilion with the score on 40, the target looked a long way off, but this brought the experienced Gary Sandford to the crease and, along with Geoff Tookey, looked to stabilise the innings.

They moved the score on to 64 before Tookey was lbw for 13 and was replaced by Steve Root, who soon released the pressure and eased the nerves of the Redbourn players as he hit 44 from just 34 balls to see Redbourn home in the 31st over.

Sandford remained unbeaten on 26, justifying the captain's decision to move him up the order.

With other results going in their favour, Redbourn moved from third place to 20 points clear at the top with four games remaining and will look to consolidate their position at home to Hatfield on Saturday.

Redbourn's Sunday XI beat the Tabard Pilgrims in an entertaining game on the common.

Set 200 for victory, Simon Read (47), Toby Ascroft (41) and Ray Smyth (40no) saw Redbourn home for the loss of just four wickets with 10 overs to spare.