Northampton Exiles 1st XI gained an impressive 40-run victory over Hertingfordbury 1st XI in Saracens Herts Cricket League Div 4.

Put in on a pitch which offered bounce to the bowlers, they were struggling at 31-5 from 20 overs to the visitors' J Smith (4-31) and R Martin (4-39) but a vigilant Wayne Lawler (29), supported well by Haroon Akhtar (25) and Wes Strang (19), dug in and enabled a recovery to 110 all out off 53 overs.

Exiles bowlers then took control, and only a brief flurry of shots from R Darby (21) after an early wicket caused them any problems.

He was one of 5 wickets to fall to Wes Strang (7-28) and Haroon Akhtar (2-25) as the score remained stuck on 36, and Exiles wrapped up the Hertingfordbury innings for 70 in the 24th over.

Northampton Exiles' 2nd and 3rd XI both had tense finishes to their games. In Div 9, Exiles 2nd XI chased down Bayford & Hertford 2nd XI's 208-6 (Corin Hosier 2-42, Ian Montague 2-74, Micky Deller 1-17) to reach their target with one ball to spare.

A consistent batting display was highlighted by half-centuries from Bernie Bower (50) and Tony O'Neill (65 ret hurt) who received good support from Amit Naik (25), Rizwan Badar (17) and Montague (21), with Exiles finishing on 212-5.

In Div 11, Exiles 3rd XI lost by one wicket to Southgate Compton 2nd XI. Dismissed for 87, with Sanjiv Naik (36) and Dharmesh Patel (24) the only men to reach double figures, Patel (6-27) and Zain Mughal (3-39) at one stage reduced Compton's reply to 31-6, but a stubborn partnership more than doubled the score and Exiles could not quite finish off the Compton tail as they squeaked home on 88-9.

Next Saturday, Northampton Exiles 1st XI host their nearest rivals, Hertford 2nd XI, in Division 4, while the 2nd XI visit Old Camdenians 2nd XI and the 3rd XI travel to Reed 3rd XI.