Chesterfords CC clinched a vital win on Saturday in a thrilling Herts and Essex League Division Two clash against Matching Green. Batting first, Chesterfords opening pair of James Lipscombe (9) and Paul Phillips (1), could not cope with the fast, accurat

Chesterfords CC clinched a vital win on Saturday in a thrilling Herts and Essex League Division Two clash against Matching Green.

Batting first, Chesterfords opening pair of James Lipscombe (9) and Paul Phillips (1), could not cope with the fast, accurate bowling of N Scantlebury and C Bass and were both out cheaply.

Chesterfords soon had their backs to the wall as they quickly found themselves 20-2 after only eight overs. James Pullen and David Lightning strolled to the crease looking to build a strong partnership. Pullen received a very fast Yorker from Bass that landed very painfully onto his foot and then four overs later, another delivery struck his foot in exactly the same place causing the batsmen a great deal of pain.

Pullen limped bravely on and Lightning was at his dominating best as Matching Green's bowlers struggled to find their line and length. Pullen raced to his 50 after playing some typically elegant strokes and Lightning soon followed suit scoring his 50 in just 17 scoring shots.

Chesterfords raced to 145 runs before Lightning was unlucky to be given out LBW on 57. Pullen continued to smash the ball to the boundary despite his injury and reached his second league hundred before being caught four balls later.

Perring (11), continued well, but thanks to the introduction of S Hartnell (5-2), Green managed to limit the damage by bowling Chesterfords out for 218 in the 43rd over.

Matching Green's opening batsmen S Hartnell and T Hobbs set about the task of chasing down Chesterfords' total and both looked in confident form as the score moved rapidly onto 95 off of 25 overs. The introduction of Walter Jackson into the bowling attack soon reaped rewards as he took the wicket of Hobbs.

Hartnell continued his fine form by scoring yet another league 50 in commanding fashion. Hartnell looked well set to take Matching Green all the way until Lipscombe bowled him on 74.

Matching Green were now 145-2 from the 33rd over and were still well ahead of the required run rate. Two brilliant run outs by Pullen and Stokley as well as a further three wickets from Lipscombe brought Chesterfords within two wickets of victory in the 42nd over.

Matching Green required 33 runs off the last three overs with two wickets in hand, but Phillips took a wicket in the penultimate over and Jackson took a wicket in the last, to give Chesterfords the win in the enthralling encounter by 29 runs.

On Saturday Chesterfords host Birchanger in the league.