The Moor first team make it two wins from two to start their season in style

Winning the toss, home skipper Richard Crowther had no hesitation in bowling first to make maximum use of the overcast conditions.

The Moor were further aided by the unfortunate injury in the warm-up to Berko’s number three batter.

Opening pace bowler Shaun Nichols quickly got into his stride as he ripped through the top order, including the prize wicket of dangerous Brad Klosterman.

Nichols’ seven-over spell (3-18) meant his side took a tight grip on the match with Berko reduced to 20-3.

Joe Hall continued the stranglehold with six tight overs and two wickets as Berko slipped to 60-6.

Young Saair Hamdani bowled the ball of the match, surprising a victim with a quality inswinger to knock the top of middle stump.

It took a positive knock from opposing captain Mason (48) to give Berko any hope of staying in the game as he tried to shepherd the tail. But Mason’s stay at the crease was ended when Crowther (2-3) wrapped up the innings with his side needing 124 for victory.

The Moor had to face a tricky 10 overs in damp and gloomy conditions before the tea break but despite the loss of opener Aidan Pimm and some light rain the hosts sat pretty at the break on 48-1.

The weather held off as Boxmoor resumed their innings with Matt Smalley-Harris (55) and Crowther (19) playing positive strokes backed by some quick running between the wickets in their 74 partnership.

Smalley-Harris reached a deserved half-century before all-rounder Hall hammered the final runs, hitting a boundary to see the Moor home.

Boxmoor travel to newly-formed Cheshunt Rosedale II this Saturday.

The second XI lost by 117 runs when visiting Bayford & Hertford II in Division 9B on Saturday.

On a green top, Bayford were put in and got off to a steady start with the openers putting on 70 before Dave Harley struck. One wicket then brought two catches on the boundary by the skipper and an excellent catch at mid on by Amit Mahajan backed up by some good ground fielding to restrict the hosts to 212.

Tight bowling from Anum Hamdani (9-2-29-0), Paul Biddle (7-0-35-2) and Mahajan (6-0-32-3), left The Moor with a chase that seemed reasonable, but Boxmoor’s chase never got going, as wickets fell frequently and the Moor found themselves all out for 95.

Only Phill Lovell (23 not out) managing a score past 20.

Boxmoor’s third XI got a walkover win over hosts Leverstock Green IV, who were unable to raise a team.

The Sunday first XI won by 148 runs when entertaining Studham in a friendly. The Moor were reeling on 28-2 but former chairman Ian Gorringe, returning for his first game in two years, hit a fine 108 off 61 balls in a partnership of 148 with opener Ben Mannering (72) to help the hosts post 268. They were also helped by a quick-fire 25 off eight balls from Hall.

Boxmoor’s bowlers took full advantage of the swinging conditions to skittle Studham for 120. Stan Harper (2-29) and Hall (3-12) took a couple of wickets each in the first eight overs. Lloyd Larkins bowled like a miser and ended with figures of 4-3-4-2.