ANOTHER clinical performance helped Royston seconds maintain a comfortable position in the Cambs Junior League Division 4C, with an emphatic 171-run win against Whittlesford seconds. Asked to bat first, openers Mick Miller and Rory Harper put on a half-c

ANOTHER clinical performance helped Royston seconds maintain a comfortable position in the Cambs Junior League Division 4C, with an emphatic 171-run win against Whittlesford seconds.

Asked to bat first, openers Mick Miller and Rory Harper put on a half-century stand, while several players with double figure knocks supported admirably - particularly Joe Carver with a well-worked 44.

But it was Miller, imperiously despatching the Whittlesford bowling to all corners of the field, who provided the main Royston threat.

He eventually fell for 92 to a smart catch from White, with Whittlesford's C Parfey (3-45) and T White (2-43) managing some degree of respectability as Royston finished on 242 for 8 off their 40 overs.

In reply Naveed Ahmad and Nick Hootton soon had the visitors wobbling.

As a result the stage was perfectly set for the leg spin of Bruce Robinson who had the Whittlesford batsmen further on the rack as he bamboozled his way to 5-1-14-3.

A hostile spell from Carver and some steady bowling from Safwan Akram and Neil Addison left a single wicket for Dave Boddy, who helped wrap up an impressive victory with Whittlesford all out for 71.

n BUNTINGFORD lost their position at the top of the Herts and Essex League Division One with their defeat to South Loughton.

Chris Chambers and Richard Pearce opened the bowling for Buntingford and made life difficult for the Loughton batsmen.

Before leaving the field through injury, Chambers had conceded just eight runs from his eight overs, while Pearce finished his spell with 1-24 from 10 overs.

Bob Costen also impressed with the ball, and helped Buntingford keep South Loughton to a reachable 179.

However, a nightmare start to the Buntingford reply made things almost impossible, and they were left reeling when they lost their first four wickets for just 10 runs.

Franchua Dixon (54) and Costen (49) gave Buntingford slight hope, but the lower order was unable to continue the fightback, and they slipped to a disappointing 135 all out.

The seconds were more fortunate however, as they saw off Bishop's Stortford fourths.

All out for 129, Stortford were soon on the back foot with Buntingford's opening batsmen Steve Laurence and Stuart Laurence setting a solid foundation.

When those two were dismissed Dookheran joined Baker to take the score to 58, before he was lbw for 27.

Baker (43 not out) continued, despite the departures of Townsend and Church, but in losing the next four wickets for 41 runs, Buntingford were wobbling at 115 for 8 after 42 overs.

And they had Neil Atkins to thank when he calmly stroked a further 12 runs to see his side home at 131 for 8, with an over remaining.

It took Ardeley and Walkern 32 overs to defeat Buntingford's Sunday side in an entertaining 40-over game.

Batting first, Buntingford could manage only 134 all out, while in reply J Eggington (40) and M Eggington (42 not out) set their opponents well on the road to victory.

Eleven-year-old Andrew Burnell made an impressive senior debut for Buntingford, scoring six runs and taking two wickets for 14 runs.