Losing the toss on the hottest day of the year and standing over a belter of Northchurch pitch, Tom Vila was instructed that his side would be in the field first. This outcome pleased both teams. While Southgate Compton would be hoping to take away bonus points from the top of the league, Northchurch knew that chasing would be their most assured route to victory in the three result format.

The home team could not have hoped for a better start as Steve McGiffin found some swing to trap opener Zia LBW with the very first ball of the match, while OJ followed the next over by bowling his partner, Raja, second ball after an expansive shot to leg.

The ball continued to swing and Compton were soon in trouble at 44 for 4. McGiffin struck again, finding his way through the defences of number three, Sayers, and then OJ, having Heaney caught by Tom Garraway at short cover to a ball which did enough to evade the middle of the bat.

A fifth wicket partnership of 99 developed between Australian Delridge and number six, Shah. Although the latter took 21 balls to get off the mark and was frequently beaten for sideways movement, he clung on to contribute 21 and, more importantly, survived for 55 balls to support the overseas player.

The spin trio of Garraway, Barry and the returning Patel provided excellent support, but it was the seamers who took the spoils as the ball, unusually, moved in the air throughout the innings.

When OJ removed Shah for his third wicket and opened up an end, Delridge cut loose and soon brought up his hundred. With Hobley back into the attack for a second spell, the swing he found was too much for the tail end and he began picking up cheap wickets.

Seeing his partners running out, Delridge was forced into one shot too many and toed a wide McGiffin delivery, keeper Suckling taking a fine diving catch where first slip might have been standing.

Southgate failed to make the most of the platform established by the Delridge-Shah partnership and lost their last five wickets for just 27 runs, to be bowled out for 208. Northchurch showed great fight and belief in the sweltering heat to shift momentum back their way going into the break.

In reply, the black and ambers started watchfully, wary of falling into the same trap as the opposition against the swinging ball. With five on the board, Bexon made the first move to try to break the shackles but only found extra cover from a mistimed drive.

Mick Garraway joined George Liveing at the crease and characteristically wrestled back momentum with a brace of crunching straight drives. The body language of the visitors changed perceptibly as the Northchurch batters then dished up an appetiser of strokeplay before the main course of carnage was served.

Liveing provided the anchor as Garraway set about the bowling, bringing up his half century from just 30 balls with some sweet timing.

The Compton bowlers rotated but none could halt the progress of the partnership, which ticked along at a run-a-ball and passed 100 in just 16 overs. Only the heat of the day could slow the pair but both battled on to ensure that they could cash in against a tiring side.

Garraway brought up his hundred with a tip-and-run before cutting loose to dispatch a huge six into the rec. Liveing then went to fifty with a middled pull shot, just before the total was chased down with 20 overs to spare.

The pair (pictured) recorded an unbeaten second wicket partnership of 206, just 13 shy of the club record, set by current Chairman Ian Fantham and Northchurch legend Colin Stanbridge against Redbourn in September 1990.

Just as 27 years ago, there was more misery this weekend for Redbourn, Northchurch’s nearest rivals in the league, who lost to old Finchleians. This sees Northchurch open up a lead of 27 points at the top of division 3a.