Back-to-back home wins as The Moor climb up table

On the hottest day of the year, the pressure fell on skipper Richard Crowther to win his first toss of the season.

This he successfully achieved and had no hesitation to bat first. Despite the loss of an early wicket, Boxmoor started to dominate, with Crowther and Aidan Pimm setting the tone, with a fluent second-wicket partnership of 122.

Pimm, continuing his good form with 39, played second fiddle to Crowther’s chanceless run-a-ball 94, which helped build a winning total. Despite the captain’s dismissal in the 36th over, runs continued to flow as Cameron Brooks (21), Ravi Giriyappa (27) and 15-year-old Ed Shaw (28 not out) ran Chipperfield into the ground in the searing heat.

Shaw showed great maturity in seeing the innings through as Boxmoor lost late wickets to end on 234-9, in far and away their best score of the season so far.

Early wickets have eluded the Moor this season but Dave Young and the re-energised Giriyappa didn’t disappoint this time, as they had the youthful Chipperfield top order rocking at 6-2.

Dan Furkins, playing his last Boxmoor game before moving on to pastures new, followed suit, sending their dangerous number four back to the pavilion, thanks to an excellent low slip catch by David Coster.

After some good middle order hitting, Stan Williamson took the pace off the ball to claim 2-17 with both wickets falling to stumpings by keeper Dan Hobbs.

Regular wickets allowed Young (2-10) and Giriyappa (3-39) to return to clean up the tail which they duly did in the 42nd over for a 154 total.

The win enabled Boxmoor to leapfrog the opposition and look forward to an away trip to bottom of the table Hatfield & Crusaders this Saturday.

The 2nds travelled to Chorleywood III looking to consolidate second place in division 10a and won by 160 runs.

The Boxmoor innings got off to a flyer, with Nick Cottrell (46) and the returning Rob Smith (39) putting on 92 for the first wicket. Helped by at least 10 dropped catches, runs continued to flow.

Jai Nandwani (22) and Dan Smith (32) helped the score but the highlight was a superb unbeaten 78 from Anum Hamdani, who helped Boxmoor amass 273-7.

Lloyd Larkins (1-30) and Jay Goodwin (2-11) made the early breakthrough and wickets then fell regularly. Jai Nandwani (4-28) ripped the heart out of the middle order and Rob Smith (2-4) finished off the tail as the hosts were dismissed for 113.

Boxmoor III lost by 80 runs at Chorleywood IV and the next day, the Boxmoor Sunday 1sts won by 154 runs at Simmons in a friendly.