Baldock II secured a well-deserved promotion to the Herts League Division Nine by picking up eight points in their game against Old Cholmoelians. Baldock lost the toss and were asked to field. Old Cholmoelians openers batted superbly to score 160 with

Baldock II secured a well-deserved promotion to the Herts League Division Nine by picking up eight points in their game against Old Cholmoelians.

Baldock lost the toss and were asked to field.

Old Cholmoelians openers batted superbly to score 160 without loss.

Adrian Lees managed to eventually secure a breakthrough, and Old Cholmeolians then collapsed to 201-8 from 53 overs.

Chris Lewis bowled an excellent spell picking up four wickets for 41 runs, ably supported by Mark Lewis who took 3-10.

Baldock's response never really got going, and the loss of early wickets meant that victory soon appeared unlikely.

A solid partnership between Richie Waters (28) and Duncan Lewis (32) kept Baldock in with a chance, however once Waters and Lewis were dismissed Baldock stumbled to 109 all out to lose the game by 92 runs.

Fortunately for Baldock the other results in Division Ten went their way and they were able to celebrate promotion long into the evening.

Meanwhile, Baldock's first team saw their league season came to a close with a resounding thrashing of Knebworth Park III on Saturday.

The result comfortably left them clear of relegation and meant that they were unbeaten in their last five games.

Having lost the toss Knebworth decided to bat and on a seamer friendly wicket they lost their way losing a wicket in the first over to the improving Newman.

After a brief rally they lost four more wickets to leave them 85-5 with James Peacock taking three of the five to end with figures of 3-48 from 17 excellent overs.

The pain did not end there for Kebworth as Tim Dean rattled through the tail with Graham Letford to bowl the hosts out for 123 from 44 overs.

Dean ended with 3-26 which meant he ended up with 46 league wickets in another excellent season for the evergreen left arm slow bowler.

The Baldock reply started poorly as Letford was out for one.

But once the first few overs had been negotiated the runs came at a pace with Giles Naylor plundering a run-a-ball 64 not out with three sixes and James Peacock scoring a rapid 50 not out to take Baldock to a nine wicket victory in 19 overs.

The win, Baldock's fourth in the last five games was comprehensive and showed what had been missing earlier in the season.

Next year bigger and better things are expected from this resilient team.