The best run chase of the day came in 10A, where Bentley Heath II probably thought their 310-9 off 45 overs was enough. Luke Peace had scored 102 but was upstaged by Mike Robertson (108) and George Garrott (106*), leading to a four-wickets victory for Reed II, and with more than five overs to spare Week 4. 1 June Three weeks after becoming European champs, our sponsors Saracens today secured the double by overturning an 11-point deficit to defeat Exeter Chiefs in a gripping Gallagher Premiership final at Twickenham. As the sun shone, there was some quality fare at the top, with victories for all those Premier teams who batted first. Hertford’s 239-6 was impressive but was the lowest winning score of the day Only one of those winners, WGC, lost the toss but having been inserted they went back to the top with a 65-run win over Potters Bar. Luton moved up to 2nd, with Radlett going 3rd, pushing their opponents Stortford down to 4th, following victory by 80 runs. The Luton victory, over West Herts, was virtually decided by Murtaza Shabbir Trunkwala, such a Championship batting star last season and now captain, who scored his highest in England - 166*. After this fourth round of matches, eight points separated those top three in the Premier, all having tasted one defeat, whereas in the Championship, the top three remained unbeaten. They weren’t all equal, however, with Reed in 3rd finding themselves two points adrift, as a result of a fine imposed for an admin transgression. Would that prove decisive in September? There was similar bunching in Division One, where Langleybury were top in spite of being the only team among the top three to have lost. They suffered that defeat today against 2nd placed Broxbourne who, along with 3rd placed Preston, remained behind as a result of their earlier wet weather cancellations. Analysis elsewhere can begin with another tie, in 10B, where Old Owens III defended 213-9 in their 45 overs, before bowling out Totteridge IV for the same total in the 44th over. In 3B, two matches saw victories by just three runs for the teams batting first; Chipperfield’s 221 being just enough against Wheathampstead and Hemel II defending 173 against Langleybury II, whose disappointment was increased by their last pair having brought victory within sight, with a stand of 47. In 9A we find one of the week’s big centurions, Aldenham’s Chris Munroe, who scored a career best 155* off 102 balls. Not far behind was Nasir Khan, with 138, who along with 108* from Fezan Bukhari, enabled Markyate in Regional B West to post an untouchable 370-3 to defeat Bushey IV by 290 runs. That match makes it into the top ten of all-time highest victory margins. The final word is for St Albans, who ended Rickmansworth’s proud record of being undefeated for a year, winning the 5A match by five wickets.
Chris Munroe, Aldenham
Week 5. 8 June The build-up to the week-end was disrupted by Friday’s storm ‘Magellan’ and 25 matches were cancelled, as a result. Owais Shah didn’t seem to be affected, however, stroking 169 off 150 balls, keeping WGC top of the table with their 109-run victory over Mymms. Two Premier grounds were given time to dry out and the resulting shorter matches produced thrilling finishes. Hertford were bowled out for 168, with one ball of their 30 overs remaining but that was enough as Totteridge fell two runs short and with four wickets in hand. Luton and Harpenden enjoyed a 20 over thrash at Wardown Park, with the visitors unable to overtake 78