Harpenden are starting to close in on the Herts Cricket League Premier Division title after victory over North Mymms.

The hosts had gone into the game third in the table, harbouring hopes of a title charge of themselves.

But a six-wicket win means Harpenden are going into the final four games, with a maximum of 100 points available, leading Potters Bar in second by 38 points, with Mymms a further 24 behind.

Runs were not in short supply at Home Farm with the home side getting 278-5 from their 60 overs.

The biggest chunk of them came from an unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership between Nesan Jeyaratnam and William Jones.

They came together with the score on 85-5 and took off. 

Jones was left on 95 at the close, hitting 10 fours and three sixes in the 76 balls he faced.

The skipper though did get to three figures as he made a more patient 118 from 156 deliveries, 16 fours among his total.

But Harpenden had a centurion and a big partnership too.

Olly Batchelor made 118 from 96 balls with 13 fours and three sixes while Cole Briggs got 86 from 96 balls with seven fours and a six.

Between them they put on 185 for the third wicket and by the time both of them were out, Harpenden were just five runs short in the 47th over.

The leaders face a home derby against Radlett on Saturday, with the league going back to a limited 50-over format.

And the Cobden Hill side will head north having been held to a draw against Hertford.

The visitors had batted first and made 291-8 in their allotted time, opener Max Lawrence hitting 105 in 122 deliveries before being fourth man out.

Will Ray had chipped in with 64 as the pair shared a 147-run stand for the third wicket.

Jayden Broodryk was the pick of the bowlers with 3-39, just ahead of the 3-43 from Randeep Sanghera.

Opener Dominic Chatfield hit 77 for Radlett but his departure with the score on 175-6 meant hopes for victory also disappeared, the hosts eventually finishing on 195-7 after 56 overs.

Shenley Village gave their hopes of beating the drop a huge shot in the arm with a second successive victory.

They are now ninth, just four points from Bishop's Stortford and safety after beating the east Herts club by four wickets.

They bowled the Cricketfield Lane hosts out for 161 before taking just shy of 43 overs to get past the target.

Patrick Dooley took 4-40 with the ball, backed up by 3-28 from Yash Lakhani and 3-61 for Kris Nissen.

Two wickets in the first four overs was not the ideal start but Morgan Cooper proved the spine of the victory.

The opener went through the innings unbeaten, scoring 38 in 119 balls and allowing the runs to come from Nish Selvakumar (29), Will Thomson (24) and Mo Rizvi (28).

St Albans were beaten by Preston in the Championship to drift deeper into relegation bother.

They are now 47-runs behind Dunstable Town and safety.

Redbourn though could return to the second tier after an 86-run win at home to Hitchin left them third.

They trail leaders Reed by just 13 points.