Run fest at Radlett

OJ felt that runs on the board was the way to go after the failed run chase the day before. Spacey and Louis were sent in to get off to a flyer, but quickly reassessed when they found the ball to be swinging and the pitch to be slow. Time spent getting in would be valuable. After a watchful start, Louis was trapped LBW by a hooping in-swinger which looked very adjacent. Debutant Mark Racklyeft looked assured as Radlett went to spin when the ball stopped swinging, but the left hander was beaten through the gate by a hard-spun leg break.

George's bat looked broad as ever when he came to crease. Vila, meanwhile, had got himself going with a lofted drive over mid-on. The two ran well and punished bad deliveries in a solid partnership of 80, both delighting the crowd with maximums, and Spacey (pictured) brought up his first half century in eight years.

Both set batsmen got out trying to accelerate and the theory that it was a tough pitch get in on proved accurate as the next few Northchurch players struggled for timing. However, at the break, 147 on board seemed defendable.

Northchurch's bowlers struggled with the excessively swinging new pink ball and as a result, the Radlett batsmen were not under too much pressure, especially as both openers received let-offs. Breakthrough came when one of them got greedy and tried to go over long-on into the wind, Spacey taking a low catch as the ball died. Darren bowled his normal excellent areas and was unlucky not to have another wicket but it looked like pace off the ball would be the game changer.

And so it was, but not in Northchurch's favour, as poor Tommy G's off breaks were on the receiving end of some violence which saw the Radlett opener, then the captain, reach fifty, get well in front of the game and set up a cruise to victory with 14 balls to spare.

The standard of cricket was good and exactly what the Sunday T20 competition is designed for. Northchurch now know that a third consecutive finals day is not a given and we'll need to play some good cricket next Sunday, when we host Radlett in the return fixture at the Meadda.