DAVID Lowe struck a brilliant 143 to lead Knebworth Park to a thumping victory over Hertford on Saturday. With Adrian Holmes (40) also in good form they piled on 111 for the first wicket, Holmes being caught and bowled by former Park player Kris Canagasab

DAVID Lowe struck a brilliant 143 to lead Knebworth Park to a thumping victory over Hertford on Saturday.

With Adrian Holmes (40) also in good form they piled on 111 for the first wicket, Holmes being caught and bowled by former Park player Kris Canagasaby.

With Lowe in full cry after lunch he and Tom Jenkins (45) took the total of to 232-1 before both fell in quick succession, Jenkins bowled by Chris Box and Lowe run out, while a quick 28 from Anthony Pratt lifted the total to 282-5.

Pratt 1-28 and Chris brook 4-35 soon had the Hertford innings in tatters, Brook going on to take 4-35 as Canagasaby (30) was the only batsman to make any impact.

Graham Fisher then removed the last five for 29 as Hertford were dismissed for 99 to give Park victory by 183 runs.

On Sunday, Park went down to former winners high Wycombe in the Evening standard Trophy.

Wycombe, current leaders of the Home Counties Premier Division, showed the class with an impressive display of batting in piling on 339-3 in their 50 overs, Clayton Riley the pick of the bowlers with 2-45. Gutsy efforts by Lowe (35), Holmes (36), Rob Murphy (30), Phil Simpson (25) and Jono Evetts (22) took Park's total to a credible 223-9.

Stuart Burford's hard-hitting innings of 80 almost led the Park seconds to victory over Preston in Division Two but in the end they finished 26 runs short in the chase as the game ended in a draw.

While he was at the crease Park had a good chance of winning but once he went for 80, Steve Holmes (34) and Harry McCue (26 not out) kept up the chase, but Preston's 229-5 proved too much.

Former Park captain Ashley Catlin (51) and Ender (57) led the way for the visitors, while Sandy Reynolds plugged away for 27 overs for 2-90.

A dramatic diving catch by Gideon Sutcliffe in the last over pulled off a thrilling one run win for the thirds over Harpenden in Division Five.

With three runs needed off the last over and the final pair at the crease, wicketkeeper Jono Evetts dropped what would have been the winning catch but they were saved next ball when Gideon pulled the game out of the fire.

James Wright's marvellous spell of 4-23 supported by skipper Bill Martin's 3-47 had put Park in the driving seat before Harps' lower order fought back.

Earlier, Mark Turner responded to a late call up into the team to hit 84 in an opening stand of 44 with Josh Roseberry. Damon Lathrope (31) and Turner added a further 85 before a collapse saw five fall for 30.

Sam Jones (13 not out) and Evetts (21) helped lift the total to 200-9 which in the end proved just enough.

The fourths were denied maximum points as Wormley seconds clung on for a draw in the face of the leg spin of club coach Graham Rose who took 5-39

The home side had won the toss and chose to field first in the hot conditions, and paid the penalty as Ian Pickering (93 not out) guided Park to 217-6 in 53 overs, supported by Mark Klimek (51) in a stand of 135.

Wormley never made any positive intent to chase down the Knebworth total and gradually they were reduced to 109-9 with the last pair surviving the final three overs for a draw.

Dropped catches near the end denied the fifths a win at Boxmoor seconds after an impressive team effort.

Openers David Barwick (68) and Chris Johnson (53) in a stand of 112 set the tone with some sharp running between the wickets. Chris Bonser and John Inman chipped in with 25 apiece, while under-16 Andrew Martin impressed with 33 not out in a total of 249-6 off 50 overs.

Robert Crowe's left arm pace bowling soon had the home side on the back foot in taking 3-35 as they slipped to 17-3 before recovering. Connor Alderman's leg spin 2-53 made the breakthrough backed up by two good catches from Steve Large, and skipper Inman bagged 2-28 but they couldn't quite get across the finishing line as three catches went down near the end and Boxmoor ended on 202-8.

Sam Jones scored his first-ever century with 100 not out as he and Nathan Rose (92) rattled up 202 for the first wicket in chasing Kimpton's 210-8 in Sunday's friendly match, with the Park finishing with 211-2.