Welwyn GC 202-5 dec. Barnet 50 Barnet fielded a very weak side against Welwyn Garden city on Saturday and were heavily defeated by 152 runs.

Skipper Hassan won the toss and correctly decided to put the opposition in to bat on a green wicket.

Unfortunately, two simple catches were dropped in the first few overs and these were to prove very expensive lapses.

Page (27) and Olley (37) found it very difficult to score freely and after

20 overs,Welwyn had only reached 34.

With the departure of Page, however, Stapley began to score freely against a tiring attack. and his 45 runs were scored off only 51 deliveries.

Barnet's opening bowlers Hassan and Ghadiali were forced to bowl virtually unchanged throughout the 50 overs because of Barnet's weakened side.

This proved a major embarrassment in the last few overs as Welwyn Garden City scored almost at will. Abrahams (42) was particularly severe on anything short of a length and he scored his runs off 30 balls as 67 were added in the last eight overs.

Disaster soon struck for Barnet, with the first four in the order managing only one run between them. There was no recovery from a scoreline of 9-4. They had no answer to the hostility of Walshe (3-13) and the swing of McGill (5-21).

Although Hassan (22) hit out to some effect, his efforts were always going to be a sideshow.

Then lasting memory on a cold and gloomy day is of Barnet's last two batsmen surrounded by four slips, two gullies and three close fielders in front of the wicket.

The opposition did not have to wait long for the final wicket.

It was all so disappointing for Barnet, particulary after their fine fighting performance against defending champions and leaders Radlett the previous week, when the visitors had a tremendous fright, before winning by three wickets.

They will be hoping to field a much stronger side and show some semblance of that form and set aside Saturday's disaster in the home game against Hertford on Saturday (1.30pm).

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