Saints looking over their shoulders as Hitchin loss draws relegation spots closer
St Albans' Simon White bowls against Hitchin. Picture: SIMON JENKINS - Credit: Archant
St Albans fell to a 64-run defeat that pulls the Clarence Park Cricket Club closer to the relegation places in Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League Division Two A.
Batting second and chasing Hitchin’s 200-8, their hopes floundered in the first 15 overs as six wickets were lost for just 45 runs.
Choosing to bat on a warm day, Hitchin’s Chris Maylin and Salim Hussain took the score to 90-1 before Simon White removed the latter.
But then four wickets fell for 25 runs and with the tail exposed, Saints sensed a low score.
But a sixth-wicket partnership of 76 changed the dynamic again and saw the visitors to their total.
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White was the pick of the bowlers with 3-19 while Max Capaldi grabbed two wickets.
White and Adam Hounslow started steadily in reply but the former was adjudged lbw on 19 and within 10 balls both Hounslow and Jamie Regan were out too.
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A second flurry left the chase at 45-6. Phil Caley counterattacked with five boundaries in his first 20 balls faced, eventually adding 56 with Capaldi, who top scored with a patient 43.
His departure, having been well-caught at mid-wicket, brought on a quick finish as Saints missed out on batting points by four runs.
The 2nd team were victorious against Bentley Heath however – although only just.
Dan Rosson got an early breakthrough and Richard O’Toole, Ben McInnes and Amit Rajani shared six wickets between them.
It left Heath on 196 at the end although that could have been better had Saints not dropped five catches.
A partnership of 66 from Rajani and Syed Kirbia steadied a ship rocking at 55-4, as did one of 65 between O’Toole and McInnes for the seventh wicket.
Three wickets in one over though with six runs required left nerves jangling but Rosson got the winning runs.
The 3rds drew at Ware with Mark Telkman hitting 64 and claiming 4-21. Andy Milnes was also on form with 60.
The 4ths 65-run victory came against Watford Town 5ths.
Nauman Nisar top-scored with 68, closely followed by Nick Ralfe on 53.
Jon Little, Craig Roseman, Moksudul Islam and Andy Loe all took two wickets.
