Five Stevenage cricketers are among the best of the best in the Home Counties Premier League Division Two (East). At the halfway stage of the season, before Saturday s fixtures, three of the first XI were in the leading batting stats and two in the bowlin

Five Stevenage cricketers are among the best of the best in the Home Counties Premier League Division Two (East).

At the halfway stage of the season, before Saturday's fixtures, three of the first XI were in the leading batting stats and two in the bowling.

Nas Ahmed was eighth in the list with 361 runs, three more than all-rounder Tanweer Sikandar in ninth (358). Herts county opening bat Gary Brown also features with 233 runs.

Spin twins Amit Dattani (23) and Azhar Ali (22) are in the bowling list at fifth and sixth spots.

Stevenage's league game at Hemel Hempstead on Saturday was cancelled due to their ground being waterlogged.

They travelled to Hemel but on arrival at 10.30am found a damp ground and an even soggier pitch as a result of the previous day's heavy rain which had got under the covers.

The captains hung around hoping the pitch would dry out sufficiently but it was still squelching three hours later so the match was abandoned.

* The seconds endured a frustrating afternoon at Shenley Village.

Superb bowling limited the visitors to 140 and then Russell Hann scored a hard-fought 42.

Another rain shower reduced their overs and in the chase they lost wickets and had to settle for a draw at 137-9 in 39 overs.

The thirds recorded their fifth straight win after recovering from 55-5 to post 147 against Bayford and Hertford seconds thanks to Richard Curtis (27), Rhys Stewart (31) and Jack Mitchell (27) who put in superb rearguard performances.

Ian Brown (4-17) then mopped up the tail to win with one over to spare, Bayford 84 all out.

Phil Ashby's 6-34 overwhelmed visitors Potters Bar fifths who were bowled out for 54 as the fourths recorded an easy win by eight wickets.

John Barton with 37 was the foundation for the fifth team's total of 132.

Baldock thirds found the bowling of the Stevenage youngsters far too accurate and the game petered out into a draw at 110-8.

The sixth team match at Chiltern was abandoned due to overnight rain.

* Stevenage lost their 100 per cent record in the Millman Sunday League when they went down by one wicket to visitors Luton Cricketers.

Several players made double figures but it was 57 from Jack Mitchell which rescued the innings to 157 all out.

The Luton visitors were cruising after their opening bat hit 75. But Stevenage's spinners (Thahir, Rhys Stewart and Scott Reid) got a grip and wickets fell at regular intervals until their number 11 bat squeezed a ball through point.

In the Development Division, Welwyn GC posted 161 all out.

Stevenage Academy closed on 149-5 in their 40 overs. Brothers Craig (52) and Chris Whitworth (41) added 75 for the first wicket, but Stevenage batters got well behind the clock and failed to chase down the home side's total.

In a friendly, the thirds (126 all out) beat Dunstable (61 all out) by 65 runs. John Barton (35) and Owen Bowser (27) led the batting and then Faraaz Kaskar (4-11) spun out the visitors.