Welwyn Garden City grab vital win in Herts Cricket League

They came into the game with Hertford 40 points behind Old Owens and 62 away from North Mymms and safety.

But after a rain-affected afternoon at Digswell Park, a six-wicket Duckworth, Lewis and Stern win means the gaps are now 23 and 43 points with three games to go.

They still have to play league leaders Potters Bar and third-placed Radlett but their second success of the season keeps the flames of hope alive.

The win over Hertford was always going to have rain involved in the outcome and that began before the first ball was bowled, with the coin toss delayed.

Hertford skipper Ben Cowell surprised many by opting to bat first and despite nine runs in the first over, Dan Orchard pounced with the last ball of his first over.

He struck again and Alex Chalker then grabbed one to leave Hertford 38-3 in the 10th over.

South African's Jayden Broodryk and Quinton Venter went some way towards repairing the damage, with a 50-partnership, before two excellent pieces of fielding from Connor Emerton and Tim Mottershead dismissed them both.

Fayaz Homyoon soon got in on the action, getting the first of his four wickets with the second ball of his first over.

He ended up on 4-51 with Emerton on 2-14 and 2-27 from Orchard. 

Hertford finished on 191-9, mostly because of their tail sticking around for longer than expected.

Most of Welwyn's problems this year have come from consistent performances with the bat and things started badly, with Homyoon hitting the second ball he faced to Flynn Ruskin at cover point.

Jack Clayton, playing his last game for WGC before flying back home to Queensland, helped Dylan van der Westhuizen put together a partnership of 49, before the Aussie was brilliantly stumped for 27 off 33 balls.

It left WGC on 53-2 and with the skies looking grey, keeping ahead of the DLS score was of paramount importance to the hosts.

With this in mind, Radha Marripati and van der Westhuizen put on 55 runs in 58 balls and the former was particularly harsh on Kyle Wilson, hitting him for five fours and a six, before he tried one shot too many and was out for a 35-ball 39.

Not long after, the heavens opened and the umpires called a halt to proceedings with WGC 18 runs ahead of DLS.

Thilan Walallawita hit 62 and took four wickets for Potters Bar. Picture: KARYN HADDON (Image: Karyn Haddon)

Potters Bar away is next for them with The Walk-based side still holding a five-point lead over second-placed Harpenden.

That is because of a 34-run win away to Bishop's Stortford.

Batting first they made 287-7 in their 50 overs with 99 not out from Charlie Scott in 102 deliveries, although 62 from Thilan Walallawita in just 38 balls, six fours and four sixes among them, certainly helped.

Reece Hussain also got 50 against his former club.

Stortford started their innings in fine fashion with 78 for the first wicket, Joe Hawkins caught and bowled by Walallawita for 41.

Fellow opener Jake Carder stuck around though until the 39th over when he departed for 123.

At that point it left Stortford on 211-4 and well ahead of the run rate but four wickets in the next five overs suddenly swung the game permanently towards Potters Bar.

The final wicket came in the final over and Stortford on 253.

Walallawita finished on 4-38 with 3-41 from Luke Chapman and 2-39 for Callum Lloyd.

Old Owens were beaten by four wickets against Totteridge Millhillians, Matthew Plater top scoring on 85 with two wickets for Jake Whickham and Rhys Carter.

North Mymms meanwhile lost by eight wickets away to Harpenden as rain hit the Common.

Richard Soulsby hit 81 not out while Nesan Jeyaratnam got 59.