Radlett take spoils against champs but London Colney suffer heartbreaking defeat
Radlett V WGC - Abdulrahim Mulla batting for Radlett. Picture: Karyn Haddon - Credit: Archant
Radlett roared back from the disappointment of last week’s loss to Totteridge Millhillians as they beat defending Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League Premier Division champions Welwyn Garden City by 51 runs.
Radlett V WGC - Abdulrahim Mulla batting for Radlett. Picture: Karyn Haddon - Credit: Archant
It is a sign of how strong this year's division is looking that no side is undefeated after three games and no side is still searching for their first win, meaning the gap from top to bottom is a mere 27 points.
Radlett V WGC - Abdulrahim Mulla batting for Radlett. Picture: Karyn Haddon - Credit: Archant
WGC's hold on first place is down to just one point from Bishop's Stortford with Radlett a further seven points behind them in fifth.
Radlett V WGC - Chris Arul batting for Radlett. Picture: Karyn Haddon - Credit: Archant
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Radlett probably thought they had made the wrong decision when they found themselves 37-3 with Joe Cooke, Kabir Toor and Nathan Smith all back in the pavilion and only eight overs gone.
Radlett V WGC - Chris Arul batting for Radlett. Picture: Karyn Haddon - Credit: Archant
The beneficiaries of some rash shots were WGC's opening bowlers, Alex Chalker and David O'Sullivan, but they found no such luck against 17-year-old opener Josh De Caires.
Radlett V WGC - Abdulrahim Mulla batting for Radlett. Picture: Karyn Haddon - Credit: Archant
As soon as he and Muhammed Adil Zareef got in tandem, the runs started to flow with the Welwyn attack hit to all parts of the ground.
Radlett V WGC - Abdulrahim Mulla batting for Radlett. Picture: Karyn Haddon - Credit: Archant
They put on a partnership of 127 in only 85 balls to take the score onto 216 and with 16 overs still to go.
Radlett V WGC - Josh De Caires batting for Radlett. Picture: Karyn Haddon - Credit: Archant
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Matthew Grant managed to put the breaks on Zareef but only after he had bludgeoned 70 in 43 balls, complete with seven fours and five sixes, and he also finished De Caires' innings.
Radlett V WGC - Abdulrahim Mulla batting for Radlett. Picture: Karyn Haddon - Credit: Archant
However, the teenager was still able to complete his maiden century, ending on 107.
Chasing 260, WGC made a similarly poor start, slipping to 33-2 after nine overs.
But perfect line and length from Radlett ensured that they couldn't get close to the total and they finished all out for 209.
n London Colney lost by just four runs in a nail-biting game against North Mymms.
They got off to a solid start with Carl Frame (3-38), Andy Cole (2-43) and Simon Fretter (2-25) among the wickets.
But Mymms recovered to get to 181 and despite a brief partnership between Cole and Frame, Colney fell agonisingly short.
However, the seconds beat Bayford & Hertford by the same margin thanks to a brilliant 103 not out from John Gibbons and a quick-fire 75 from Sandeep Bharj.
