GREAT Chishill recovered from a seemingly impossible position on Saturday to claim a narrow three-wicket win against Bassingbourn. They remain at the head of affairs in Division 2SA of the CCA junior league, albeit by the slender margin of 0.3 of a point.

GREAT Chishill recovered from a seemingly impossible position on Saturday to claim a narrow three-wicket win against Bassingbourn.

They remain at the head of affairs in Division 2SA of the CCA junior league, albeit by the slender margin of 0.3 of a point.

Batting first in drizzly conditions Bassingbourn were given a flying start by Smith, who hit 85.

Chishill were guilty of dropping vital catches that, were they taken, would have meant they would not have needed to chase such a large total.

With Nigel Tegg hitting 28, the target at tea was 184. This looked to be a long way off as the home side nosedived to 52-5 after 16 overs. Simon Coxall was hanging on at one end and, when he was joined by Guy Musson, the pair raced to 140 before Coxall went for 59.

Musson also went on to get his 50 and Simon Lipscombe made sure of the points with an athletic 21.

Close rivals NCI II slipped up in their match with Romsey Town, but Chishill still have a number of difficult matches to come, including clashes with the three teams immediately behind them in the table.

Baldock suffered yet another miserable defeat to league leaders West Herts II on Saturday at Avenue Park.

Having lost the toss Baldock were asked to bat and, despite losing an early wicket, were going well at 40-1.

However an amazing collapse followed as the hosts lost five wickets for 10 runs to the rampaging Griffiths.

A brief recovery was mounted, but when the one batsman to bat with any skill,

Graham Letford was dismissed for 40 the tail was dismissed as quickly as the middle order and Baldock were all out for a painful 81 off just 27.1 overs. Griffith ended with 8-53 in a fine spell.

Baldock took the old ball as West Herts set about the target and for a while the game looked tight as Letford took two wickets quickly with his leg spin.

At 10-2, and the new ball to come, Baldock had a remote sniff.

However the runs then came at a fair rate thereafter as Hodges dispatched the bowling to various boundaries at will to end 38 not out as West Herts ran out winners by eight wickets.

The Baldock team have to summon up something in the coming weeks or face the ever growing threat of successive relegations. They play host to Luton Town & Indians II on Saturday.

There was no joy for Baldock II, either, as they slumped to a five wicket defeat in a high scoring encounter at Cockfosters III.

Baldock played Holwell on Sunday and, on another hot and sultry day, lost by five wickets.

Baldock batted first and managed only 124 all out from 39.4 overs.

The main contributions came from Andy Payne with 26 and young Nick Blenkin who impressed again with 23 runs. John Mansfield took 4-23 in a probing spell.

In reply Holwell got off to a flier with Adam Parkin smashing 34 in rapid style as they reached 80 in nine overs.

The rot was stopped by Alistair Jones taking the wicket of skipper Julian Rudder for 36 and then Letford who took four wickets after being savaged by Parkin to end with 4-61.

However Holwell got home comfortably as Wayne Alleyne with 24 guided them to 127-5.