SHL Division Five Sandridge 187-7 drew with St Albans West Indian 135-9 Sandridge produced a fine performance on Saturday when narrowly failing to achieve victory against promotion-chasing St Albans West Indians. Winning the toss the West Indies skipper

SHL Division Five

Sandridge 187-7 drew with St Albans West Indian 135-9

Sandridge produced a fine performance on Saturday when narrowly failing to achieve victory against promotion-chasing St Albans West Indians.

Winning the toss the West Indies skipper elected to field, no doubt hoping that the overnight rain would provide some early assistance.

Despite the early loss of Adam Temple, Sandridge began steadily and had reached 57 before Ian Merryfield was dismissed for a boundary-filled 24.

Pete Camm continued to bat with customary application and with the in-form Andre Norman took the score past the 100 mark in the 37th over.

However, the loss of three quick wickets including both Camm (39) and Norman(30), checked the villagers' progress. Sandridge were grateful that a late partnership of 61 between Steve Thomas (34) and Dave Muskett(28) enabled them to reach 187-7.

In reply the West Indians started to bat in customary positive style despite the early loss of Alexander.

However, Dave Muskett bowled with his usual metronomic consistency and, ably supported by skipper John Murphy, began to reduce the scoring.

With excellent fielding also in evidence from the Sandridge side the West Indians run chase started to lose momentum.

When three wickets were lost in quick succession to leave the visitors on 42-4, there was still a lot of work required for a victorious run chase.

However, despite requiring a run rate of only five-runs-per-over for the final 28 overs the visitors decided that this was too big a challenge and decided to bat out the game for a draw.

Fitzroy Stapleton in particular proved difficult to dismiss and showed excellent defensive technique before being finally dismissed for two runs after 13 overs at the crease.

Ian Merryfield produced a fine spell of bowling as wickets fell, and as he began the final over two wickets were still required for victory.

He bowled a beautiful yorker with the fourth delivery to give himself two attempts to dislodge number 11 Ken Stapleton.

A yorker and a bat-beating final delivery failed to do the trick as the visitors survived at 135-9 and secured the draw to the delight of his watching team-mates.

Sandridge took 17 points from the game to stay in the bottom four of the table whilst promotion chasing St Albans West Indians took only two points, which made their overly conservative tactics all the more difficult to fathom.

Sandridge host Hitchin II this Saturday while St Albans West Indian travel to Parkfield & Headstone.