Joe Joyce made an unbeaten century as Sawbridgeworth went agonisingly close to winning at Welwyn Garden City before having to settle for a draw on Saturday (July 18).

After being asked to bat first in the Saracens Hertfordshire Premier League Championship encounter, the visitors amassed 329-7 before declaring with four overs remaining.

The innings was built around Joyce’s undefeated 160, with half-centuries being made by fellow opener Matt Doran (51) and Max Osborne (55).

Welwyn were never in contention after being reduced to 85-4 and therefore settled in to bat for the draw.

The dismissal of Al Mahmud Hasan for 70 left them 187-7 with at least 12 overs to bowl, but the lower order managed to get to the last over for the loss of just one more wicket.

Sayed Aziz then removed Oliver Hewitt for 34, but second-placed Sawbo could not take the last wicket with the final three balls.

The second team suffered a seven-wicket home defeat to Division 5B leaders Old Elizabethans II.

Sawbo were asked to bat first and never recovered from being reduced to 43-5, with only Sean Lemon (41) and Angus Pickering (39) making any meaningful contributions in their total of 131 all out.

Pickering (2-20) took a couple of early wickets in the reply, but the table-toppers cruised to 133-3 in the 26th over.

The third team succumbed by four wickets when they hosted promotion rivals Ardeley Walkern in Tees Herts & Essex Border League, Division Two.

Sawbo made a flying start with the bat after losing the toss as James Bovaird (35) and Pavith Kaliannan (36) took them to 89-1 after 12 overs.

But the run out of Bovaird precipitated a collapse to 97-5 and nobody else was able to make a significant score from then on, with Sawbo eventually all out for 148.

The visitors lost regular wickets in reply and the game was in the balance when they found themselves 75-4.

But Umar Afzal’s 38 off 35 balls settled any nerves and the second-placed side reached 149-6.

The fourth team lost a nail-biting Division Four fixture at Stansted II by just four runs.

Stansted made a tremendous start with the bat after winning the toss thanks to a century opening stand.

Harrison Weller’s introduction changed the game as he took 4-31 and the hosts lost five wickets for eight runs.

Noah Tucker returned to take 3-32 and Stansted were eventually all out for 160.

Louis Kirby (41) got Sawbo off to a decent start in reply before Harrison Weller (28) and Craig Chisnall (28) put on 56 for the fourth wicket, but they were then reduced to 140-8.

Gary Barnett (21no) attempted to marshall the tail, but last man Richard Weller was given out stumped and Sawbo were all out for 156.