Chipperfield Clarendon will begin the defence of their Watford Observer Shield with a home tie against Chiltern or Langleybury B after the draw for the first two rounds of the Fourteen14 competition was made today.

A total of 23 teams signed up for the popular midweek limited overs event before yesterday’s extended deadline, with the eight quarter-finalists from last year’s event seeded through to the second round.

These included the 2010 beaten finalists, Langleybury A, who will make the trip to the winners of the tie between competition newcomers Watford Grammar School for Boys and Rickmansworth.

Among the highlights of the first round is the clash between Home Counties Premier League big guns Radlett and defending Plate champions Watford Town A, while another team with a proud history in the secondary event, Aldenham, will entertain Punjabi Panthers.

As in the previous eight years since its inception, eight teams will contest this event which will run parallel to the latter stages of the Shield.

These will be the seven defeated first round sides, plus the losing team from the second round with the worst runs per wicket average.

A competition pack, including details of how matches should be arranged, will be sent to club contacts shortly.

Round One (to be played by Friday, May 13): Chiltern v Langleybury B; Leverstock Green B v Bye; Rickmansworth School Staff v Met Police Bushey B; Radlett v Watford Town A; Watford Town B v Watford Haidery; Aldenham v Punjabi Panthers; Hemel Hempstead Town v Chenies & Latimer; Watford Grammar School for Boys v Rickmansworth.

Round Two (to be played by Friday, May 27): Chipperfield Clarendon v Chiltern or Langleybury B; Leverstock Green B v Bushey; West Herts v Rickmansworth School Staff v Met Police Bushey B; Radlett or Watford Town A v Kings Langley; Abbots Langley v Watford Town B or Watford Haidery; Aldenham or Punjabi Panthers v Leverstock Green A; Met Police Bushey A v Hemel Hempstead Town or Chenies & Latimer; Watford Grammar School for Boys or Rickmansworth v Langleybury A.