SHL Division Five Sandridge 190-6 beat Hitchin II 189-9 by four wickets WITH Hitchin in the top half of the league and Sandridge struggling in the bottom half, on paper this looked a very difficult game for the home side. Skipper John Murphy won the

SHL Division Five

Sandridge 190-6 beat Hitchin II 189-9 by four wickets

WITH Hitchin in the top half of the league and Sandridge struggling in the bottom half, on paper this looked a very difficult game for the home side.

Skipper John Murphy won the toss and knowing 30 pts was vital decided to put Hichin Town in on what looked a very good batting track.

Opening bowlers Ian Merryfield (1-29) and Logs White (2-41) started well removing the first three batsman, and at that stage Hitchin were 44-3.

However, with the Hitchin Batsman staging a recovery, skipper Murphy turned to Dave Muskett (5-52) who bowled unchanged for the rest of the game and backed up by some good fielding managed to restrict Hitchin to 189-9.

Sandridge began slowly against the lively Hitchin opening attack, and when they lost Camm in the fifth over with just 10 on the board, things weren't looking good.

However, when Ian Merryfield came to the crease to join Adam Temple the game suddenly took a dramatic change of course.

Merryfield, backed up by Temple, quickly made inroads into the Hitchin total.

The drinks interval came at just the wrong time because soon after Merryfield went caught in the deep for a superb 78 off just 62 balls, the two putting on 123 for the second wicket.

The score was then 133-2 and when Andy Norman (11) came in with Temple they took the score to 172, Sandridge looked home and dry.

Hitchin brought back their opening bowlers and having reduced Sandridge to 178-6 victory was looking very shaky.

Opening batsman Temple however had other ideas and proceeded to hit the winning runs to the relief of his team mates, finishing unbeaten on 65.