Chipperfield Clarendon Thirds were roundly beaten at Parkfield and Headstone Seconds, losing by 114 runs

Chipperfield Clarendon Thirds were roundly beaten at Parkfield and Headstone Seconds, losing by 114 runs.

The visitors won the toss and elected to field but could not repeat their previous week’s wicket-taking heroics, although Matt Parrott caught and bowled their opener with the score on 60.

The bowlers generally were put to the sword and a second-wicket stand of 148 was only broken when Harry Sansom struck.

However, the star of the show was 13-year-old Haroon Mahmood, playing his first game for the Thirds, who bowled a tidy five overs for only 27 runs to leave Parkfield and Headstone on 275 for five.

The target was always going to be challenging but Malcolm Leach (35) and Chris Buckingham (50) opened in encouraging fashion.

But once Buckingham had been removed the middle order were never able to keep up with the required run rate and the home side finished on 161 for six.

Northwood Town Thirds failed to chase down the total set by Harpenden Fifths, just coming up short by 22 runs.

Losing the toss, Town were asked to field first and after a couple of overs, Meeth Katira and Mitesh Parmar (three for 11) settled into a nice rhythm before Taz Katira ran through the batsmen to pick up a five-for.

With 124 to chase, Town were in high spirits. However, a second consecutive top-order collapse saw them reeling at 16 for five.

The middle and lower order yet again almost pulled off an unlikely win though, with excellent batting from Mohamad Vanker and Prakash Tailor guiding the visitors to 102 before they finally crumbled for good.

Regional Division B

West Matthew Atkins marked his return from injury in majestic fashion, scoring an unbeaten 176 to steer Rickmansworth Fourths to a 32-run triumph over Old Camdenians Seconds.

Sidelined for all of last year through injury, and with a previous top score of 48 for the club, Atkins amassed a huge 176 not out which included ten sixes. Indeed Atkins’ feat has only been surpassed once before in Ricky’s history, by Vic Scully in June 1907.

Skipper Richard Harwood also produced his best score of 30 and with Ben Alnutt also making 30, Ricky were able to reach 284 for six.

Old Camdenians put up a brave fight with a centurion of their own, but the ten men of Ricky kept them down to 256 for six, with Rushil Sharma claiming four wickets.

Chorleywood Fourths fell to a three-wicket defeat at Watford Town Fourths despite two half-centuries.

Batting first, Wood were disappointed to only post 141 for three, despite good knocks from skipper Simon Dare (59) and Jonathan Lyons (53).

Despite taking regular wickets, Wood were always struggling to defend such a small total and, although there were two wickets each for Mick Rose, Adrian Bryant and Neil Hodson, Wood were unable to hold Town back as they reached their target in the 36th over.

Regional Division C West A

depleted Kings Langley Fourths struggled with the bat as they succumbed to a 137-run defeat against Bushey Fourths.

Bushey batted first and posted a large total of 195 all out. Hadi Ridzi took four for 65 and Tony Thompson snared three for 14.

The run chase was too big for a Kings side who were short of a full team. They could only muster 58 before being dismissed, with Thompson top-scoring with a knock of 32.