Weekend Roundup Sept 7/8
The final week of the 2024 Saracens Herts League season saw the Preston Firsts come second against Welwyn Garden City but a place in the Championship in 2025 was assured. Preston bowled first and took regular wickets preventing any of the WGC top order making any big runs. Welwyns Emerton was not out for 51 to shore up the Welwyn middle order however and gave the innings some needed impetus to see the visitors reach 184/9 off the 50 overs. Preston’s Justin Powick took 3/48 and Omar Faleel took 4/39. Despite a decent knock of 74 from Skipper George and 52 from Powick the Preston reply stuttered to see the innings close on all out for 124 and WGC took home a 60 run victory. Preston closed out the season in 6th place in the Championship and we go again in 2025. Congratulations to both Flitwick and Welwyn on their performances in the Championship this year.
The Second X1 played Holtwhites Trinibis to finish their season in Division 4B in fifth place and saw Holtwhites take a two wicket win. Holtwhites were already down however as Preston took first knock and started sprightly on a damp wicket with young opener Pushan Chakraborty making an excellent 46 before falling. Gooden made 17, Fleckney made 19 and a few late crashes from Waters (26) took the Preston innings to 154 all out. Preston bowlers struggled on a drying wicket but the highlight was Tom Murrell who bowled superbly for a miserly 3/18 off 10 but Holtwhites got over the line in the 37th over.
Preston’s Thirds secured the only win for the club, beating Old Cholmelians by 26 runs. OC’s asked Preston to bat first but decent runs from Battersby and Rajani took the Preston total to 195/8. Preston bowled Old Cholm’s out for 169 in the 37th over to secure 30 points which meant Preston finished 7th in Division 8 West.
Regretfully, Preston’s 4th X1 lost to Potton by 53 runs. Preston bowled first but Potton reached a challenging total of 217/7 off their 40 overs – Chris Harper taking 4/57. In reply Preston reached 164/7 with Matthew Burleigh carrying his bat for 59 not out with Andrew Riant and Arundeep Natt showing some support lower down but the innings fell away regretfully. This left the 4’s in the bottom place of Division 10 North.
The club wishes to express their thanks to the Saracens Herts League Committee again for another year and congratulations to all the divisional winners across the leagues.