Hitchin remain on course for the title and promotion in Herts Cricket League Division One after an easy nine-wicket win over Old Albanian.

They are 21 points clear of Broxbourne in second place with six games to go.

The latest success at Lucas Lane saw them rattle through the visitors' line-up after winning the toss and electing to field.

Musa Ilyas took 4-19 and there was 3-38 for Duncan Howells as OAs were all out for 101 inside 29 overs.

The reply took six overs less than that, Luke Day the only man out for 14 and skipper Sam Rippington and Shaftab Khalid scoring unbeaten knocks of 58 and 22 respectively.

Ickleford could not take full advantage of the OA defeat as they lost by four-wickets at Sawbridgeworth.

They do close the gap on the team directly above them, earning 11 points in contrast to the St Albans-side's one, thanks to a late rally.

They recovered from 34-5 to 171 after an excellent partnership of 109 for the sixth wicket between Tom Willoughby (28) and Thomas Brown (74).

But despite 3-38 from Luke Marsden and Brown's 2-29, the hosts got home with overs to spare.

Datchworth made it seven successive wins and closed to 20 points of the Division Three A summit by beating leaders Eversholt.

They scored 206-8 batting first at home, Ben Rotheram (77) and Tom Vits (72) combining for a 146-run sixth-wicket partnership.

And that was backed up by 4-34 from Tom Bennett, plus a brace of wickets each from Tom Butler and Kieran Atkinson, as Eversholt were bowled out for 158.

Baldock are still second in Division Five B after a seven-wicket win at Luton Town & Indians kept them three points behind Redbourn.

Having won the toss Baldock inserted Luton and watched them put on 58 in nine overs.

But the visitors dug in and eventually had the hosts out for 161, Adam Hewitt again in the wickets with 3-29 and Tim Dean with 3-17.

And a relatively tricky chase became a walk in the park as openers Jag Lalli (55*) and Rob Peacock (68) put on 139 for the first wicket, allowing Baldock to cruise home in 44 overs.