Second-placed Welwyn Garden City suffered a setback in the Herts League Championship after suffering a 66-run defeat at St Albans.

The hosts were restricted to 206-9 off their 50 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat, but then dismissed City for 140 in 47.5 overs.

The hosts’ total was built on an 86-run second-wicket partnership between Will Bancroft (36) and Joe Regan, who went on to finish unbeaten on 89.

Jamie Regan (22) then put on 51 for the third wicket with Joe, but Welwyn then took wickets at regular intervals, in particular Alex Chalker who finished with excellent figures of 5-36 from his 15 overs, supported by Al Mahmud Hasan’s 3-41.

In reply, City lost Jacob Logan (7) and Dylan Dhesi (0) in quick succession to fall to 11-2, and when then reduced to 48-4, before Chalker joined Owais Shah in the middle.

The pair put on 55 for the fifth wicket, before Chalker fell for 38, soon followed by Shah for a top score of 44, to leave their side on 110-6.

The final four wickets were able to add another 30 to the total but were unable to prevent the hosts from securing victory.

Knebworth Park bounced back from a poor run of results to claim a thrilling four-wicket win one ball from the end of their clash with Rickmansworth in Division Two B.

Charlie Randall, who'd earlier bagged four wickets, powered them home with a thunderous boundary to complete a tense run chase.

A high-scoring game on another belter of a batting track at Knebworth began with the visitors scoring at a rapid pace to reach 168-3 off 26 overs.

The Park then started to take wickets regularly to haul themselves back into the game, eventually dismissing their opponents for 264.

That total could so easily have been less but for a string of dropped catches as Harvey Blackwell, with a superb 129, and Tahir Hussain (48) piled on 130 rapidly.

Gareth Jones (3-60) and Randall (4-47) were the most successful bowlers.

In reply, Louis Champion fell early trying to hit a high full toss before Haydon Bartlett Tasker (86) and Josh Roseberry (54) laid an impressive foundation in a stand of 124 before Randall led the push for victory with his superb 73 not out in the final score of 266-6.

He had valuable allies in Kobie Richmond, Archie Stephens and Alex Richmond in the final nervous scamper to a much-needed win which leaves Park fifth in the table.