FEW games were completed in the Saracens’ Hertfordshire League on Saturday.

Botany Bay's match played at Knebworth Park, in view of the stately home, provided nearly 500 runs to entertain the spectators. Knebworth, who have a deserved reputation for big scoring, won the toss and decided to put in the visitors.

Alex Harris was lost on 15, but when Shev Banerjee joined Trevor Wootten the emphasis changed. In less than three hours the pair put on 261, a club record partnership for any wicket, with a number of powerful sixes landing out of the ground and some fine shot placement finding the gaps in the field. Banerjee was out eventually, to a splendid catch on the boundary off the bowling of KP skipper Ian Woods (the seventh bowler to try breaking the partnership) for 124 but Wootten carried his bat for an undefeated 118.

Botany Bay declared on 285 off 49 overs, giving themselves 51 overs to bowl KP out, but ominous rumblings were heard shortly after tea and a touch of rain arrived in the third over; the fourth over saw Wootten take a fine catch at second slip to send back KP’s opener, Woods.

With really bad weather holding off, despite frequent showers and continued thunder in the distance, there was a sense of urgency for both sides - KP to meet the run-a-ball target, which they felt they could do, and BBCC to get the wickets before the heavens opened. Some fine bowling was complemented by razor-sharp fielding, with a splendid run out from Matt Jones, likewise Avi Ghosh (who also took three wickets with his off spin) and a lightning stumping from Phil Marchant. Banerjee kept in the game with a great catch, fielding three yards in front of the batsman.

It did not go all BBCC’s way. Anthony Price put on 46 with some big hitting, while a tremendous seventh wicket partnership between the Herts schoolboy keeper, Alex Axon, and Pete Bayford kept the required run rate within reach. Bayford played steadily for 29 but Axon, playing his first senior game at the mature age of 13, greatly impressed with a confident 56. Once that partnership was broken the last four wickets fell rapidly, leaving KPCC on 192. V inod Vaghadia cleared up the tail, ending with four wickets to his credit.