Weakened by early season unavailabilities, Parkfield and Headstone lost at Bayford and Hertford in the Saracens Hertfordshire League on Saturday.

On a beautiful batting strip, they gained only five bowling points for dismissing the home side for 200 in 46 overs.

At 115 for seven, Bayford were in trouble against Kaushal Asher (3-30), and Ian Schmid, while Prash Nagarajan and Nainesh Shah took two wickets each. But the tail wagged in a good eighth wicket stand.

The P&H top order failed to dig in after a lively start, and it was left to a valiant rearguard action by Asher (28), Nagarajan (34) and Nainesh Shah (19) to hold out for 20 overs to get within sight of a draw, before concentration lapsed and the visitors were all out for 137 in 47 overs.

In Division 9, P&H 2nds bowled too accurately for Bayford and Hertford, who could only make 166 for six from their allotted 53 overs.

Armand Nel (3-40) led the attack, while Craig Rivers, Bhav Patel and Tim Powell took the other wickets.

In reply, openers Waseem Saber (25) and Tejas Voralia (22) laid a solid foundation, which Tim Powell built on with a fine 55. Raj Rao's aggressive 26 helped the home side to pass the required total with an over to spare, and four wickets in hand.

P&H 3rds dismissed Datchworth 3rds for 61 in 33 overs in Division 13, captain Pareet Sodha (4-18), taking the bowling honours, and being well supported by Nim Patel (2-13), Vic Mayers (2-12) and Kamal Mistry (1-14), and by good fielding all round, with six catches bagged.

James Ezzard led the reply with 20, and Vic Mayers made a careful 17 not out, before skipper Sodha hit the winning runs for the loss of only three wickets.