HITCHIN won by five wickets at Totteridge Millhillians but with other teams at the top also winning, they remain fourth in Division One. Playing at Totteridge Green, Simon Bayston s best figures for the club (6-30) produced a monumental collapse that saw

HITCHIN won by five wickets at Totteridge Millhillians but with other teams at the top also winning, they remain fourth in Division One.

Playing at Totteridge Green, Simon Bayston's best figures for the club (6-30) produced a monumental collapse that saw the home side fall from 162-5 to 163 all out.

With the bat, Mick Lee made 29 and Jimmy Lewis 28 with extras top scoring with 42 as Hitchin chased the target for the loss of five wickets.

The home side won the toss and elected to bat and despite the loss of an early wicket, the pairing of Gloucestershire and Ireland opener Will Porterfield and Lee Hodgson put on 90 for the second wicket as the home side looked to build a good score.

Totteridge then lost another couple of quick wickets, but O'Brien made 43 before Dave Moore bowled him before Bayston brought about the collapse.

Totteridge lost four wickets for no runs as Bayston took five of the last six wickets to fall. He bowled three, Chris Maylin took a catch and there was a leg before.

At the other end, Moore took three wickets, with Ian Bowyer claiming one.

After tea, Lee and Lewis got Hitchin off to a great start in pursuit of the target, reaching 76 before Lewis was run out for 28.

Hitchin were two down only one ball later as Bowyer was caught and bowled by Hodgson.

Lee and Will Pugh then fell to leave Hitchin at 87-4 and after Danny Fair was run out for 23, Hitchin found themselves at 106-5.

Oli Hammond and Maylin made slow but steady progress towards to the target, with extras playing a big part as 42 were conceded.

Maylin finished on 21no, with Hammond on 19no, as there were no further alarms as Hitchin reached the target with eight overs to spare.

The result means Hitchin are 22 points off second in the table, but only a victory over St Margaretsbury and several improbable mathematical possibilities involving other teams would see them promoted.

Instead they will spend another season in Division One, but it appears the second team may be taking a step closer towards them after victory on Saturday.

* The second team's promotion to Division Five lies in their own hands after they beat Southgate Compton by 116 runs at Lucas Lane.

The win means that they need a victory at St Margaretsbury this Saturday to assure promotion, although they could still go up if other results go their way.

It will be fitting send-off for Ian Mills and Scott Marshall who play their last games for the club this weekend.

Hitchin posted a score of 217-9 in 53 overs with Devon Woolley falling just six short of a deserved century.

After taking the new ball after 10 overs, Steve Flint and Chris Slack reduced Southgate to 45-3.

Gavin Bidgood and Will McKeran were then reintroduced to the line-up, and each took a pair of wickets to reduce Southgate to a sorry 66-7.

A period of consolidation followed before Flint (3-16) managed a breakthrough and Bidgood picked up his third of the afternoon to leave Hitchin on the brink.

With just six balls left and one wicket needed, Flint was handed the task of getting the last wicket. He obliged when Daryl Collins took arguably the most important catch he has ever taken.

The thirds completed the perfect weekend with a four-wicket victory over Berkhamsted thirds.

Berko were never in the game after Hitchin bowled them out for only 89, reaching the target for the loss of six wickets.

Ian Goddard and Pete Middleditch each took three wickets. and skipper Andy Beaton also weighed in with two wickets as Berko were all out in the 45th over.

After the interval, Hitchin made tough work of what should have been an easy chase.

They got past the line with six wickets down as Luke Renshaw guided them home with 13no. Alex Stoner (23) and Marcus Hernon (20) had got Hitchin off to a good start before a wobble.