Moor win for the second week in a row

Boxmoor's first team secured victory for the second game in a row when they won by 111 runs against Herts League Division 6B bottom side Bovingdon on Saturday.
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On an overcast day and green deck at the Moor, Bovingdon won the toss and asked Boxmoor to bat. They were rewarded early on by restricting the hosts to 39-3 thanks to some tight bowling from Stickland and Blackburn.

Boxmoor began to fight back with sensible batting from Dan Hobbs and Luke Flynn, who picked up the run-rate while the wet conditions proved difficult for Bovingdon’s bowlers. After a rain break, both began to find the boundary with greater ease and brought up their 50s, building an excellent partnership of 148.

After a second rain delay, Hobbs was cruelly run-out for 66, with Boyd deflecting a huge drive from Flynn. With seven overs to go, Flynn smashed his way to his first Saturday century with a six, finishing on 107 not out, putting Boxmoor in a really strong position of 245-5 after 43 overs.

The Bovingdon chase was full of action early, with plenty of daring shots, scoring at nine an over and putting pressure on the hosts.

Late call-up Lloyd Larkins (3-42) found plenty of swing to remove the top order at regular intervals, keeping Bovingdon in check. Captain Stan Harper came on at the other end and brought the run-rate back into balance and taking 2-25. With the game back in Boxmoor’s control, Jamie Vincent-Jones (2-30) and Amit Mahajan (2-5) quickly wrapped up the Bovingdon innings within 30 overs, bowling them out for 134.

It moved Boxmoor into a safe position of seventh in Division 6B. If they win against Bushey II in the last game of the season this Saturday, it could be a fifth-place finish.

Boxmoor’s second team lost by 72 runs away at Sandridge II in Division 9B.

Boxmoor won the toss and chose to bowl, a decision that seemed to reward them when Saair Humdani took two early wickets and Steve Alderton bowled tightly to keep Sandridge at 34-2 off the first 10.

But at drinks rain arrived which made bowling conditions very hard for the Moor. Sandridge capitalised, with a flourish of boundaries before 15-year-old Gaby Pimm removed the opener for 49 on her way to pick up a four-for. Nick Cottrell picked up two wickets and Jason Goodwin one to leave Sandridge at 187-9.

The Boxmoor innings got off to a slow start as they made 34 off the first 20 overs. Chris Bryon (11) and Ian McNicholl (20) both being removed in quick succession, which found Alderton (21 not out) and Cottrell (31) at the crease. Excellent running between the wickets and some manipulation of the field saw them put on 42 before Cottrell fell, caught at point. Alderton went on to be the only survivor of a Boxmoor collapse, as the innings came to an end at 115 all out.

In their final home game of the season and penultimate league match, Boxmoor’s third team lost by eight wickets at home to Berkhamsted IV in a crunch relegation clash in Regional Division B West.

Boxmoor were well-placed after 28 overs on 90-3, but they closed after 40 overs on a disappointing and under-par 120-7.

Berkhamsted strolled to the finishing line with only two wickets down.

With only five points taken in the match, relegation now remains a real possibility for the Boxmoor side.

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