Congratulations to Chairman (and 4's captain) Andy Grout and all the players who have represented the 4th XI this season in the Hertfordshire Saracens Division 11 West. It's official we are Hertfordshire Division 11 West champions!

The 4's made the decision to move to the Hertfordshire league from the Thames Valley league and have been successful in their first season. The distances travelled to away games have been reduced and juniors who are starting their time in senior cricket are playing against sides they have faced in the Hertfordshire Junior Leagues. The 4's have used 38 different players this season and played a good mixture of juniors and more seasoned cricketers.

The picture attached shows the winning team from Boxmoor, but everyone one of the 38 players who have played for the the team can bask in the glory of contributing to a great season.

The 4's have been top or 2nd for the majority of the season and the short trip to Boxmoor on the last day of the season meant that a win would guarantee top spot and secure promotion.

Hopes where high as Boxmoor were rock bottom of the league and in a game in mid August were bowled out for only 14. However this was a very different team with only two players on the team sheet from that day.

Tring batted first with Maggs and Taplin putting on 76 off the first 15 overs after a tricky start. Wickets in successive balls removed the openers and two more quick wickets meant 76/0 and looking comfortable became 84/4 with two new batsmen in Middleton and Kumar at the crease. They accumulated an important partnership of 56 and steadied the ship leaving Tring at 140/5 off 30.4 overs, before Kumar was unlucky to be caught from a heavy cut shot.

In came Bezani and the fireworks began. Great running between the wickets from the two youngsters brought up a partnership of 71 in just 7.1 overs taking Tring up to 211. It was a fine top score of 62 from Middleton who was run out with the team chasing runs. In came Lem, Grout and Anderson to try to help get Bezani up to his 50 who was unfortunate to be out on 49 off just 30 balls on the last ball of the game, trying to get another boundary. Tring ended on 233 off their 40 overs.

Mohan and Bezani opened the bowling and were miserly with just two runs coming from the first 5 overs and Mohan getting a double wicket maiden.

However Boxmoor's number four, Kelly Low, came in and played a well timed innings and at 96 with Boxmoor 135/2 in the 27th over, they were poised for a final push to Tring's total of 233. At that stage runs were flowing and things were looking worrying. On came Bezani who bowled Boxmoor's biggest threat. Tring could relax a little.

Lem bowled his leg spin well and was at times unplayable, he picked up 2 wickets and deserved more (2/30), Bezani (2/27), captain Grouty swept up the tail and bagged three wickets (3/44) and the pick of the bowlers was Mohan with 3/18 off his 8 overs.

Once the threat of K Low was bowled, Tring took regular wickets and bowled out Boxmoor for 191 for a win by 42 runs.

A great win for the 4's against a very good Boxmoor side.

The full scorecard can be found here https://boxmoor.play-cricket.com/website/results/5663471