NORTHAMPTON Exiles and Winchmore Hill were both left frustrated by the elements as their games were abandoned due to rain.

Shaun Lawler won the toss for the Exiles in their Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League Third Division clash at London Colney and put the home side into bat on a pitch which was still damp despite the covers.

Raza Mughal (one for 41) took the first wicket for the Exiles in a fine season's debut as the visitors reduced London Colney to 32 for three.

The home side's middle order hit back though with impressive scoring as they struck 79 runs from the final 12 overs to set a target of 195 for seven for the Exiles to chase.

Adrian Browne returned from a damaged hamstring to be the pick of the Exiles' bowling attack, achieving figures of four wickets for 45 runs.

The Exiles' reply never got going though as the rain returned just as David Taylor and Wayne Lawler came out to begin the innings, forcing the players off and the abandonment of the game.

The rain meant no play at all for the Seconds and Thirds, who will hope for better conditions at the weekend.

Saturday's next round of fixtures sees home ties for the Firsts and Seconds. The Firsts will entertain Potters Bar Seconds while the Seconds will take on Langleybury Thirds. The Thirds are set for a trip to St Albans Fourths.

The Exiles will also take to the field on Sunday when they will meet the Met Police Bushey in the second round of the Readers Herts County Trophy.

Winchmore Hill's Middlesex County Cricket League Firsts Division One encounter at home to Hampstead fell to the weather on Saturday after the hosts had started brightly.

Hampstead won the toss and elected to bowl and despite the early loss of opener Oli Adamson (10), Hill reacted by putting on strong second and third wicket stands.

Hill were 13 for one following Adamson's dismissal but the introduction of Luke Stoughton (57) saw them score well, climbing to 121 for four.

Stoughton was eventually bowled by the impressive Mubasher Hassan who took all four of the host's wickets to fall.

Jim Gatting (7) and Morgan Prior (7), batting fifth and sixth, made little impact on the score before rain saw the game abandoned after 28 overs, Hill having reached 137 for four.