Battle for the summit ends in one-sided Abbots defeat

Hosts Chorleywood posting 256-8 from their 50 overs.

Abbots, five points adrift of the leaders going into it, started well when Simon Hamilton snared opener Tom Smithson (15).

But Edward Lye (68) and Ryan Evans (54) put on 96 for the second wicket to put the hosts in control.

Will Graves (3-49) took out Evans (54) with a good mid-wicket catch from Hamilton, but the hosts dug in to reach 189-5 and a sixth-wicket partnership of 61 helped them along.

One highlight included Langley’s under-16s bowler Alex Chase bagging his first league wicket.

In the chase, Abbots opener Jack Bishop was dismissed for one to become the first of Jamie Smithson’s five wickets.

A collapse saw them fall to 42-6 after 11 overs and despite number seven Graves top-scoring with 31, it was too little too late as Abbots were all out for 106.

The loss moved them down to third in the table.

This Saturday they host fourth-ranked St Margaretsbury.