Letchworth's frustration at an end

Letchworth GC finally got the winning habit back at Dunstable with an excellent team performance after several weeks of frustration. Dunstable won a toss that both captains wanted to lose and, after some deliberation, decided to bat. Their doubts were soo

Letchworth GC finally got the winning habit back at Dunstable with an excellent team performance after several weeks of frustration.

Dunstable won a toss that both captains wanted to lose and, after some deliberation, decided to bat.

Their doubts were soon justified as, with the fourth ball of the match, Ed Morse had opener Moody taken at first slip by Aussie Dom Marsh, setting the scene for a vastly improved fielding display after the previous week's debacle at St Albans.

Andy Newland then picked up two early wickets to leave the home side in trouble at 47-3 before a good stand of 52 between Bucks star Sam Cherry and Boocock took the score to 99-3 and Dunstable looked to have recovered.

But then in quick succession, Cherry was bowled by Newland for 54 and Boocock followed soon afterwards, run out by a direct hit from Richard Barclay for 29 after which the innings subsided to Newland at his best and aided by some good catches.

Morse (2-33) was brought back to grab the last wicket, but it was Newland who took the accolades with 7-50 as Dunstable were all out in the 49th over for 142.

Only two overs were bowled after tea before the rain came down and when play finally resumed, the Garden City had lost 10 overs.

Tom Cranston and John Hilliard made light of the reduction racing to 70 before Dunstable skipper Steve Watts introduced himself and Cherry into the attack, which immediately changed the game.

Watts caught and bowled Cranston for 28 then had Hilliard (42) and Simon Elliott leg before and suddenly it was 82-3.

Seb Franke-Matthecka and skipper Steve March then struggled for 10 overs against tight bowling and the target started to look increasingly difficult.

But they finally gained the ascendancy and saw their team home by seven wickets with three overs to spare.

March won the game by hitting his rival for a straight six, which left him and Franke-Matthecka both on 32no.

* With a weakened bowling attack, second XI skipper Brian Mebourne won the toss at Whitethorn Lane and invited Totteridge Millhillians to bat.

His depleted forces bowled well but could not prevent the visitors from reaching 223-7 off their 50 overs, with Adam Jenkins taking 3-50 and Dan Burley 2-37.

Letchworth's top four made light work of chasing the target down, Dom Chatfield (59), Richard Walsh (43), Sam Booth (41) and Tom Simmons (28) between them getting the home side to 180-2 with overs in hand and a strong batting line-up to come.

But panic set in and several cheap wickets were lost, ending with Letchworth GC finishing five runs short with two wickets left.

The third team reached 223-7 declared off 48 overs at Fairfield Park against Broxbourne, with Sarbjit Chahal following his century of the previous week with 83 and there were also good contributions from Matt Dear (40), Matt Bridge (24) and Gurdeep Jandu (21).

Despite having 52 overs, Letchworth were unable to break the visitors' resistance and they finished on 177-8.

A virtuoso performance by 13-year-old Tim Graham helped the fourths to a resounding win at Cheshunt.

He made 88 out of a total of 170, supported by Mike Fernando (31), and then took 3-4 as the home side slumped to 29 all out. Jo Hartley also took 2-4.

The fifth XI lost their first game of the season at Fearnhill School, scoring 144 against Northampton Exiles with Chris Hughes making 39 and Matt Dyer 28, but the visitors then cruised to a six-wicket victory.

Hitchin (191-8) earned a draw against Reed (228-6) in the Saracens Herts League Division One.