There was a winning climax to the season for Stevenage seconds in the Saracens Herts League Division Three. A depleted side, which drafted in scorer Jack Nevill but still played with just 10 men, nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Opponents

There was a winning climax to the season for Stevenage seconds in the Saracens Herts League Division Three.

A depleted side, which drafted in scorer Jack Nevill but still played with just 10 men, nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Opponents Botany Bay elected to bat and mustered 165-8 off their 53 overs, skipper Martin Nevill the pick of the bowlers with 3-52 from 20 overs.

Stevenage's opening pair of Barret Ganji and Russell Hann both reached fifties as they put on 131 for the first wicket. Hann was the first to go for a fine 65 and then Ganji lost his wicket in the first ball of the new over for a hard-hitting 66.

The next six wickets fell in rapid succession including those of Sohail Idress and Saeed Ali who have been in fine form all season. With four runs needed off of the last ball of the game, Ian Brown hit a six into the car park to win the points for his side.

The third team went down by five wickets to Shenley Village 2nds in Division Nine.

Stevenage won the toss and decided to bat first on a belter of a wicket.

Laurie Brown (81) and Scott Davies (87) batted superbly to put on 130 for the third wicket as Stevenage finished on 213-3 off their 53 overs.

Shenley got off to a flier and were 160-1 before collapsing to 180-5. They got home without any further loss.

* It is all not doom and gloom for Knebworth Park despite the first team's demotion.

At every team - from second to sixth - they were the highest placed in comparison to other clubs.

Their seconds, playing in the Saracens Herts League Division Two, were the top ranked second team.

They secured their best ever position by drubbing Chorleywood.

Adam Sergeant's second successive half-century in scoring 70 opening the batting and Junior d'Abreu (79) piled on 214-7 on a difficult batting wicket.

Karl Padalia exploited this to the full in taking 5-17 in dismissing the visitors for only 78.

In an all-spin opening attack, skipper Jarrod Turner took 2-24, while emerging pace bowler Nick Simpson bagged 2-9 to complete the rout.

The third team's best ever season finished with a heavy defeat at home to Baldock.

They batted poorly in being bundled out for 123 with captain and number 10 Bill Martin top scoring with 21. The visitors then swept to an easy nine-wicket win.

The fourths, who also ended in their best ever position, needed to beat champions Met Police Bushey, who had a 100 per cent record, to snatch back-to-back promotions.

They batted with great determination as Gideon Sutcliffe (21) and Ed Wright (24) took them to 142-9.

Unlike most other sides who had crumpled to a convincing defeat against the high-riding police team, young pacemen Michael Fisher and Robbie Woodburn made them work hard for their win.

The home side lost six wickets in passing the total.

The fifth team paid the penalty for fielding lapses as the visitors Northwood 3rds were bowled out for 184. Too many misfields cost runs that inflated the total. Richard Evans (3-23) was their most successful bowler.

After being 57-5, Steve Jenkins (35) and Bobby Crowe (34), followed by Evans (18no) almost plucked an unlikely victory out of the bag but in the end they were bowled out for 156.

With a young side for most of the season, the fifths did well to consolidate their position in Division 10 and they too finished as the top fifth team in the whole county.