ZAHID Khan’s unbeaten half-century was the highlight of a superb all-round team performance for Old Albanian as they beat Letchworth GC by six wickets at Woollams on Saturday.

Herts Advertiser: Usman Malik steps up to the creaseUsman Malik steps up to the crease (Image: Archant)

Skipper Zahid Karim inserted Letchworth after winning the toss but his openers did not make the inroads he had hoped as Russell Hann (30) and Duncan Visser (42) put on a 51-run first-wicket stand.

After Hann was dismissed by Ashan Ali, caught by Ghulam Rasool, for his first of five wickets, Richard Walsh joined Visser at the crease and the pair pushed the score over 100.

Three runs later Ali took his third wicket, bringing David Humphreys to the crease. Humphreys kept Walsh on strike as the pair took the score to 132 before the former was caught by Khalil Rehman off Ali for seven, sparking a damning collapse as OA took the final six wickets for 46 runs.

Walsh (46) was Usman Malik’s first wicket of his four-fer, bringing up 156-5 and one run later the same bowler struck again, clean bowling Stephen Hughes (9).

The tail end offered little resistance in the face of OA’s bowlers; the final five batsmen scored just 19 runs as Ali and Malik, plus a run out from Rehman, held Letchworth to 178.

In was a day for opening batsmen as Rasool (31) and Jack Reynolds (27) got the reply off in commanding fashion, crafting a 60-run partnership for the first wicket, but both fell in quick succession to leave OA 70-2.

Sagir Ahmed and Khan attacked the bowling, hitting 12 boundaries between them as the target come into sight. When Ahmed was caught having scored 36 off 39 balls, Alf Rehman (2) made his way out to the middle but his stay lasted just 13 balls.

At 136-4 a Letchworth win was still possible, albeit unlikely, but Khan (54no) and Mozammal Hayat (19no) sliced the ball through the field to knock off the final runs in style.

Final score: Old Albanian (180-4) beat Letchworth Garden City (178) by six wickets.

OA’s next game is away to Totteridge Millhillians on Saturday.

• The seconds had an impressive victory against Potters Bar 3s, winning by nine wickets.

Harley and Victor Stairmand each grabbed three-wicket hauls as Bar were bowled out for a measly 55 runs in 26.1 overs. In reply Alex Goldstone (10) was removed with the score on 15 but Azhet Mahmood (41no) and Tom Lincoln (4no) batted OA to victory.