Shenley Village tasted defeat for the first time this season when they faced top-of-the-table Cavendish on Saturday at the Cricket Centre.

Despite recording a defendable total, the home side were unable to bowl out the visitors' top-quality batsmen.

Shenley won the toss and opted to bat. Chris Stanley and Andy Lewis started in typical fashion, building a solid start for the Villagers in the face of some good bowling by Cavendish.

Lewis fell first, with the score on 49, lbw to Migara for 22 in the 14th over. He was joined in the pavilion two overs later by Stanley when he was bowled around his legs for 20. The next two partnerships yielded only 30 runs, with Steve Scott going for a duck and Rahal Gajjar inexplicably running himself out for 27.

Shenley were now 84-4 with half their overs gone, and needed a contribution from the middle order if they were to be competitive.

Chris McDonald, who with St John Fuller added 52 for the fifth wicket, provided this contribution as they moved the score on to 136. This alliance was broken when Fuller (8) was stumped.

McDonald continued to score runs and recorded his half-century before he was eighth out for 59, with the score on 168. The final two batters, Jon Haley and Mark Perkins, only managed another nine runs to leave the hosts 177 all out in 50 overs.

Cavendish set about their task in aggressive style, scoring runs at a healthy rate. Shenley bowlers Lillywhite and Haley were not as penetrative as usual and the first two wickets both fell to astonishing catches by Lewis.

When the third wicket fell to an equally good outfield catch by Scott off Haley, Shenley thought that they may have done enough to stem the flow of runs. However, the fourth wicket pair of Jayawardene and Cooper set about the Village bowling with relish.

Woodward tried different bowling options, using Scott, Gajjar and himself, but only got one further breakthrough when 15-year-old Will Hodge held a sharp catch to send opener Jayawardene back for 53. Victory came to Cavendish in the 34th over, with Cooper finishing unbeaten on 59.

SHENLEY VILLAGE: Matt Woodward (Capt), Andy Lewis, Chris Stanley, Rahul Gajjar, Steve Scott, Christian McDonald, St John Fuller, Will Hodge, Ed Lillywhite, Jon Haley, Mark Perkins (wk).

Shenley Village 177 all out

Cavendish 178-4

Herts League Division Eight

June 26, 2002 15:00