Knebworth Park are staring down the barrel in the HCPL Division Two East. The first XI slumped to a second successive heavy defeat at home to league leaders Radlett to leave them rooted to the foot of the table and almost certainly facing the drop. After

Knebworth Park are staring down the barrel in the HCPL Division Two East.

The first XI slumped to a second successive heavy defeat at home to league leaders Radlett to leave them rooted to the foot of the table and almost certainly facing the drop.

After Park product Steve Lowe survived a desperately close leg before call when on nought he proceeded to lead the visitors to an impressive total of 234-8.

At 105-4, the Radlett innings was evenly poised before Lowe (75no) and Nick Fielden (90) added 126 for the fifth wicket.

While the Park bowled fairly well, their out cricket was disappointing with far too many fielding lapses.

With the weather forecast having predicted rain, Park skipper Ryan Skeggs had chosen to bowl first.

The rain never came and as a result the Park then had to bat second on a surface that was deteriorating.

Brothers Ryan (18) and Tony Skeggs (17) were the top scorers as Stuart Browne (8-25) shot the Park out for 77.

* The second team also slipped to defeat against Broxbourne in Saracens Herts League Division Two.

Adam Sergeant led a recovery after a poor start of 24-4 with a gutsy fifty. A rash shot cost him his wicket and the Park then slid to 109 all out.

They were chasing 176-8 featuring an impressive marathon spell of 21 overs by Shaun Robinson (2-49).

The cancellation through weather of the third, fifth and sixth team games took the number of rained off matches suffered by the club to a massive 22, illustrating the worst summer weather for cricket for years.

Indeed, the third and fourth team's five cancelled games each may prove to deny them the chance of promotion.

After the fourth team's win over Hemel Hempstead 4ths on Saturday, they are now 11 adrift of fourth place and need to beat league leaders Met Police Bushey this Saturday in their final game.

This is a tough ask as the Police have won all their matches this season.

After a useful start by the home side they were pegged back and restricted to 183-9 by some excellent bowling from Mark Taylor (5-54 in 17 overs) and Bobby Crowe (1-34 in 14 overs).

Graham Martin (69no), Josh Roseberry (22), Bret Painter (49) and Ed Wright (23no) proceeded to stampede to victory by eight wickets in only 37 overs.