Local derby sees Boxmoor go down after they are left with another large total to chase

The local derby on Saturday saw Boxmoor's first XI lose by 93 runs at Hemel Hempstead Town in the Saracens Herts League Division 6B.
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It was another game this season where the Boxmoor side were chasing a big total.

Hemel won the toss and chose to bat on a good pitch. After hitting 17 off the first over, opener Suren Perrera was bowled first ball by James McCluskey.

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Runs then flowed freely but some tight bowling from Stan Harper, captain Richard Crowther and Amit Mahajan, who took an excellent caught-and-bowled, kept the score in check with 100 runs coming from their combined 29 overs.

Matt Petchell was the pick of the Hemel batsmen with a dogged 65 that took his team into a strong position for the last five overs. Lloyd Larkins took wickets at the death, but a cameo by Charlie Hoskins (22 not out) took Hemel to 278-7, a par score for the pitch.

The Boxmoor reply got off to a perfect start with Cameron Brooks (26) and Aidan Pimm putting on 60 for the first wicket. But some solid fielding and persistent bowling unravelled the middle order and they slipped to 102-5, Aidan Pimm unlucky to be bowled on 48, as the ball rolled onto his stumps.

Anum Hamdani held together the remainder of the innings with a fluent 34 but wickets continued to fall, taking the visitors out of contention. Larkins and Harper (15 not out) put on 30 for the last wicket to salvage some points but Boxmoor were out for 185.

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This Saturday Boxmoor host Hatfield & Crusaders II, who are just a place ahead of them in the table.

The second XI were due to host Abbots Langley III in Division 9B but the match was conceded by the visitors.

And the third XI, set to face Chipperfield III at home, also got a walkover.

The Sunday first XI won by four wickets at Ley Hill in a friendly rematch after Boxmoor’s 172-run win at The Moor two weeks ago.

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Trusting in his bowlers, the Boxmoor skipper decided to bowl after winning the toss. A strong opening duo soaked up the early pressure before a sharp change of pace from Steve Butler (8-1-44-1) broke the Ley Hill partnership.

That brought Norton to the crease who proceeded to hit some big sixes on his way to an unbeaten 93. While wickets did fall, they did so infrequently as the hosts pressed reached 262 from their 40 overs.

After an excellent tea, Boxmoor began the reply with a string of boundaries from Phil Lovell (28) and Kelly Low (16) but wickets fell regularly.

At drinks the score was 77-4 from 14 overs. Lovell fell shortly after, bringing Ed Shaw (98) and Nick Cottrell (66 not out) to the crease. They reached a century inside 12 overs and pressured the field with quick running and big hits.

Eventually, Shaw fell for 98, breaking the partnership at 149, leaving Cottrell to shepherd the side over the line with three balls to spare.