Captain Jones inspires his team to comfortable win

SHL Division One

Leverstock Green 115

St Albans 116-2

St Albans won by eight wickets

ST ALBANS responded to last week’s disappointing defeat against Langlebury with an emphatic eight-wicket win over Leverstock Green.

Having put Leverstock into bat, captain Martin Jones vindicated his decision with a wind-assisted 5-35 to leave the visitors reeling on 36-6. Afroz Kahn and Alex Rajendran chipped in with two wickets apiece to polish off Green for 115. Saints made generally light work of the target despite losing two early wickets, as Luke Edwards (52*) and Rajendran (40*) continued their fine form.

St Albans II suffered their second successive defeat at Chipperfield Clarendon, although theirs was a much-improved performance.

They amassed a challenging 232 on the basis of a fluent 72 from Phil Dorsett supplemented by some hammer blows from Adam Hounslow (38), Grant Carveth (29) and Dave Stonestreet (32). Clarendon were reduced to 25-2 in reply, but a combination of mislaid catches and excellent batting meant they ran away with a six-wicket win.

The IIIs lost by three wickets to Harpenden VI at a squally Sandpit Lane. A gutsy 42 from Michael Eames as well as a series of helpful contributions from the Saints middle to lower order helped the Saints to 198-8. In the field, they made regular inroads into the Harpenden batting line up but ultimately came up just short.

The IVs had a convincing victory over Old Albanian IIIs by eight wickets. The ever-improving Jack Ypey (5-18) bamboozled OAs with a variety of slower balls and accurate medium pace. Manny Nisar (43) displayed some power-hitting as he guided the Saints to an easy win.

The Sunday II enjoyed an eight-wicket win over Chenies & Latimer. They kept Latimer to 203-6 thanks to frugal bowling from all seven bowlers as skipper Neil Telkman expertly juggled his pack. Telkman, 50 last Saturday, defied the passage of time by keeping, rather well, for the first time in 30 years. In reply, the younger Mark Telkman made a beautifully crafted 94 along with 51 from Manny Nisar and 35* from Ibrahim Jalai to ease the Saints to victory.