Roberts' efforts not enough for Shenley

Saracens Herts League Division Three

Hemel Hempstead II 128-8 beat Shenley Village 127 by two wickets

Shenley Village took on fellow high flyers Hemel Hempstead II on a glorious afternoon at the Shenley Cricket Centre.

Home captain Jemile Al-Darraji won the toss and elected to bat first on a wicket with a tinge of green to it.

Shenley openers Anooj Vadgama and Morgan Stanley made a solid start until Vadgama was caught off the bowling of the economical Collman for 12.

Collman's nine overs went for just nine runs and included five maidens.

Stanley followed in the Hemel opening bowler's next over, leaving the score at 27-2.

Lloyd Willingham hit three fours in his 12 before becoming the first to fall to Petchell.

Al-Darraji (19) and Gajjar (25) recovered things somewhat for Shenley, but a flurry of wickets for Hemel saw Shenley Village finish on 127. Petchell bowled 20.5 overs for his 5-52.

In reply, Shenley got off to a fantastic start with overseas strike bowler Wendell Roberts (6-50) completing a five-wicket haul within just nine overs to leave Hemel on 40-5, with none of their top five having got into double figures.

However, as Roberts tired the wickets began to dry up for Shenley as the middle order of Weston (22) and Hemel skipper Clark (20) brought the visitors within reach of their target.

James Davenall (0-39), bowling all 15.2 of his overs uphill, and Al-Darraji (1-21) toiled away with little reward.

It was a valiant effort but Hemel eventually reached their target with two wickets remaining, thanks to Collman's 25* and a valuable contribution at the end from Jahn (9*).

The result leaves Shenley Village in touch in sixth place, while Hemel Hempstead second XI are the only side in Division Three with a perfect record of four wins.

Next Saturday, Shenley again face a tough challenge in the form of a visit to seventh-placed Totteridge Millhillians.