Ley Hill Firsts crashed to a disappointing 49 run defeat at Monks Risborough in the Kookabura Mid-Bucks League Division One. Hill’s bowlers were again on top form as Risborough were pegged back to 129 for 9, Tristan Alves the pick of the bunch with 3 for 19. But Hill’s batsmen again let their bowlers down badly, with only Andy Rennard’s 36 helping the team to any sort of run chase. But only one other player could make double figures as Hill subsided to 80 all out

Monks Risborough: 129 for 9 (Alves 3 for 19)
Ley Hill: 80 all out (Rennard 36)

Monks Risborough won by 49 runs

It was much the same story for the Second Eleven in their Division Four match against The Lee. Batting first, Hill could only muster 74 all out, Rob Fuller hitting 28 as The Lee’s veteran bowler Brian Monk returned 6 for 5 from just 3.3 overs. The Lee cruised to 75 for 3 in reply, despite Patrick Ward’s 2 for 9.

Ley Hill’s Sunday eleven won a good friendly match against Abbots Langley. First Karan Pradhan and Paul Green took three wickets apiece as Abbots Langley were dismissed for 142. Jon Lown then hit 51 not out as Hill eased to 143 for 3 and victory by seven wickets.

Ley Hill Firsts recorded their first win in four games against Prestwood in the Kookaburra Mid-Bucks League Division One on Saturday thanks to a fine bowling and fielding performance. Zimbabwean Tristan Alves was the star of the show in his final game before returning to his native country, taking 5 for 30 in 12 excellent overs. He rounded off the innings by taking two wickets in two balls, leaving him on a hat-trick as he heads home. It could be the longest gap between hat-trick balls in history! Prestwood were skittled for just 58, and a rapid 23 not out from Keith Brewer saw Hill to 60 for 3 in reply.

There was no such luck for the Seconds in their Division Four fixture with Frieth Seconds. Batting first, Tim Coles hit 56 as Hill posted 170 for 9, but Frieth made light work of the run chase, cruising to 171 for 3 with plenty of overs in hand.

Ley Hill Firsts continued their seasons of mixed fortunes in the Kookaburra Mid Bucks League Division One with a narrow 30 run defeat to Westcott. Tight bowling from David Viney (3 for 44) and Craig Ottaway (2 for 33) first kept Westcott down to a respectable 217 for 8. In reply, Andy Rennard (39) and Nick Lee (36) kept Hill in the hunt, until a flurry of wickets ended the chase. Two wickets fell in the final over, with Paul Green given out dubiously lbw off the final ball of the match to end the innings on 187 and hand Westcott victory.

The Seconds also went down to a close defeat, losing out to Booker Seconds by two wickets. Graham Harrison hit 36 in Hill’s 178 for 8, and paceman Gary Helm took 5 for 59 as Booker scraped to their target.

Ley Hill’s Third Eleven meanwhile completed a hat-trick of narrow defeats, going down by just four runs to Phoenix Old Boys in a friendly.

Ley Hill’s Sunday side drew an entertaining and high-scoring game with Cublington. Keith Strickland hit a magnificent 128 not out as Hill chased an imposing target, but eventually fell just short at the close.

Hi Jill

Ley Hill Firsts were plunged into relegation trouble after a heavy defeat to Bucks CC in the Kookaburra Mid-Bucks League Division One. Despite 5 for 33 from Kevin Phillips helping to reduce Bucks CC to 47 for 5, they then recovered to post 224. Hill then crashed to just 79 all out thanks to another dismal batting display.

The Seconds saw their match against Bucks CC in Division Four abandoned due to a wet pitch after reducing their opponents to 69 for 3.

Ley Hill’s Sunday side got much the worst of a draw with the Rising Sun. Bowlers Ian Birkett, Kevin Phillips and promising colt Lawrence Chamberlain, taking his first senior wickets for the club, were the stars of the show.

Ley Hill Firsts continued their dreadful recent run with much the worst of a losing draw with Downley in the Kookaburra Mid-Bucks League Division One on Saturday. Downley racked up an imposing 254 for 2 from just 41 overs thanks to a fine 144 not out from opener Peacock. Ley Hill were quickly in trouble in reply but Will Holman (56 not out) and Ian Birkett (38) steered them to the draw on 162 for 6.

Downley: 254 for 2 (Khan 2 for 87)

Ley Hill: 162 for 6 (Holman 56 not out, Birkett 38)

Match drawn

The Seconds fared much better against Downley Seconds in Division Four. Veteran Keith Richardson, who is celebrating his 50th year at the club in 2002, proved age has not withered him as he took 7 for 26 in a magnificent display of slow bowling. Downley reached 104, and despite some early scares an excellent 53 not out from Shakoor saw them to a three-wicket win on 105 for 7.

Downley Seconds: 104 all out (Richardson 7 for 26)

Ley Hill Seconds: 105 for 7 (Shakoor 53 not out)

Ley Hill Seconds won by three wickets

Ley Hill Thirds crashed to a heavy defeat to Bushey Seconds in a friendly.

Bushey Seconds: 225 for 9 (Puddephatt 4 for 59, Ward 3 for 63)

Ley Hill Thirds: 52 all out
Bushey Seconds won by 173 runs

Ley Hill’s Sunday side beat Chiltern Gypsies by six wickets after paceman Gary Helm helped to dismiss them for just 57. The match was also significant for the contributions of promising colts Ben Ford and Sam Harrison. The pair are the latest to step up to the senior side from Ley Hill’s thriving colts academy, and both took their first wickets for the club in excellent displays of bowling that bode well for the future of the club.

Chiltern Gypsies: 57 all out (Helm 4 for 16, Ford 2 for 6, Harrison 2 for 9)

Ley Hill: 58 for 4 (Pradhan 27)

Ley Hill won by six wickets

Ley Hill Firsts edged nearer safety in the Kookaburra Mid-Bucks League Division One on Saturday with a vital six wicket win over Prestwood. Left-arm paceman Gary Helm did the damage as Hill put Prestwood in to bat, taking 4 for 36 in an excellent spell. He was backed by Jon Lown (2 for 29) and Craig Ottaway (2 for 3) as Prestwood were dismissed for 128. Sohail Khan then gave Hill a good start with a fluent 50, before Rob Thompson (26) and Jon Lown (24 not out) saw the side home to 130 for 4 with plenty of overs in hand.

A weakened second eleven crashed to a nine-wicket defeat against Widmer End Seconds in Division Four. Father and son pair Terry and Will Rothwell hit 50 and 35 not out respectively as Hill posted 184 all out. But Widmer then cruised to 185 for 1 against some friendly bowling.

Ley Hill Thirds managed a creditable close draw with Phoenix Old Boys in a friendly fixture. Ian Webb and Brian Puddephatt both bowled well to take four wickets apiece.

Ley Hill’s Sunday side lost out to Ballinger by 57 runs in a friendly fixture. Ballinger hit 163 for 9, Liam O’Neill taking 3 for 57, and then bowled Hill out for 106. Promising colt Ben Ford, aged just 12, hit an impressive 19.

Ley Hill Firsts reached safety in the Kookaburra Mid Bucks League Division One on Saturday, despite going down to a narrow defeat at promoted Westcott. Hill picked up enough bonus points to keep themselves ahead of rivals Lacey Green and Monks Risborough in the battle to avoid the drop.

But it was only thanks to a sterling performance that Hill scraped together the points they needed. Losing the toss and put into bat, Hill collapsed disastrously to 10 for 3. Skipper Jon Lown then played a gritty captain’s knock of 59* to haul the situation around, and Nick Lee’s 25 and Martin Leadbitter’s 24 pushed Hill to 155 for 6. Westcott got off a fine start, but three brilliant catches pegged them back. Three wickets from Craig Ottaway and two from that man Lown pushed Hill to within sight of victory, and a further brilliant catch by Karan Pradhan removed Westcott’s danger man. But with just an over to go, Westcott’s number nine edged the winning runs over gully to end Hill’s season on a losing note.

The Second Eleven ended a successful season in Division Four with an eight wicket win over Booker Seconds. Veteran seamer Graham Harrison was the star, taking 5 for 36 as Booker were dismissed for 109. Dan Waddy then hit a fine 36 not out, supported by Shakoor with 32, as Hill cruised to 112 for 2.

Ley Hill Thirds went down to Rosslyn by 110 runs in an enjoyable friendly.

Ley Hill’s Sunday side beat Chorleywood Strollers by 34 runs in a friendly, thanks to some hard hitting by the team’s batsman. Hill hit an impressive 263 for 1 in just 40 overs thanks to an unbeaten 102 from Jon Lown. The knock meant Lown had accumulated 161 runs over the weekend, batting for the duration of both innings and failing to be dismissed on either occasion! Keith Strickland hit an excellent 97 and Andy Rennard chipped in with a quickfire 41 not out. In reply Chorleywood made a good fist of the chase, but Kevin Phillips (3 for 42) eventually pegged them back to 229 for 8 as their overs ran out.

Just one friendly game to report on from last Saturday, when Ley Hill lost to Taplow by 21 runs in an entertaining game. Taplow hit 186 for 5, with Craig Ottaway taking 2 for 31 and Nick Lee grabbing three catches behind the stumps. Hill set off well in reply, with Andy Rennard striking 54, but a lower order collapse sent them tumbling to 165 all out.