Rain hampers Hemel as they lose pace in league

The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method came into play when the heavens opened at 6.30pm in Hemel’s game against Ampthill at Ampthill Park and the game was abandoned. The hosts got the verdict with a win and earned 25 points, while Hemel were awarded six points.

When Hemel were 69-6 after 20 overs they might have been relieved with that outcome.

Centurion Jack Doodson (100 not out), who came in at number five, was the saviour of the Hemel innings as he hauled them back up to a more creditable score of 200-9 from their allotted 50 overs.

In reply, Hemel reduced Ampthill to 47-3 after 10 overs with Steve Reader (2-37) nipping into their early order.

The Ampthill skipper Jim Kerr (54 not out) dug himself in and managed to guide the home side to the rain-affected victory.

With one league game remaining this season, it kept Ampthill in the shout with Hoddesdon for a play-off game against Harpenden or Bishop’s Stortford for a place in the Premier Division in 2019.

Hemel have a local derby against sixth-placed Leverstock Green with a mid-table finish in the Championship at stake in their final match of the season this Saturday .

It was a case of being brought back to earth with a bump for Hemel’s second XI on Saturday.

After six straight victories in the Saracens Herts League Division 3B, which had propelled them up to third place in the table, Hemel came across second-placed Flitwick II and got a rude awakening.

Put in first, Flitwick were all out for 206 in 46.3 overs, with Anjam Khan leading the Hemel bowlers with 3 - 32.

There were also a couple of wickets each for Rory Fraser (2-29) and Ed Langley (2-51).

It was a total to chase and Hemel’s openers Suren Perera (10) and Craig Weston (29) set off towards the 50 mark in the first six overs.

But that was as far as double-figure scoring went for Hemel.

Flitwick’s opening bowler Liam Peters returned figures of 5-27 and left-arm spinner Mike Ellis took 3-7 from 6.1 overs.

The victors are now in with a shout at the top of Division 3B with a game of the season to go. Hemel are now in fourth place in the table.

There was no game for Hemel’s third team in Division 6B as scheduled opponents North Enfield have now dropped out of the league.

The last home game of the season for Hemel’s fourth team at Heath Park’s Nursery Ground resulted in a surprisingly narrow victory against Waltham X Rosedale II, a side they had comprehensively beaten at their ground earlier this term.

In fact, at 135-7 Hemel were in a bit of trouble until the tail, in the form of Vinnie Liddar (26), Dil Khan (15) and John Peppett (33 not out) wagged to push them up to 227 all out.

Earlier in their innings Jim Langley (45) and Lewis Boughton (36) were the main run scorers.

Waltham chased the total with some force, with Klayton Tyrell (89) and Mark Gentle (59) leading the way.

But there was to be no support, as Dil Khan (2-21), Vinnie Liddar (2-27) and Nic Benson (2-48) chipped away at the wickets and Waltham ended up eight runs short of victory.

Hemel’s fourth team will end up in fourth place in Division 9B.

Sunday’s Lords Chess Valley game was rained off.

A win would have given the Hemel Sunday first XI the Division 3 title.

As it is, they already have a promotion berth in the bag and a win at Chingford this Sunday will earn them the championship.