LEY HILL Under-10s were given a tough lesson as they suffered to a 58-run home defeat against the might of Chiltern Girls - and Fergus Allan.

Fergus bravely stepped in to make up the numbers on the Girls side and hit a four to help his team reach an impressive 280-5 under Barrington rules.

With James Seabrook behind the stumps, Scott Barrett and Tor Outfin opened the bowling for Ley Hill and made instant breakthroughs. Scott took a wicket in the first over and Tor followed up with two in the fourth.

But the Girls' are hugely strong in the middle order and, despite some excellent bowling from Jamie Cullen, James Asquith, Aaron Taylor, man-of-the-match Christian Partington, Tommy Wolstenholme-Williams, Edmund Wignall, Dominique Puddephatt and Scott Barrett, soon laid the foundations for victory.

Batting second, Ley Hill openers James and Tor faced a hostile spell of bowling as they battled bravely to get the innings off to a good start.

But with three runouts later in the innings, plus some tight bowling from the Girls, Ley Hill were always up against it and eventually closed on 222-7.

Tim Allan