Home Counties Premier League: A poor batting performance by Banbury sent them crashing to defeat in Division 1 against an ordinary Hemel Hempstead side who were promoted from Division 2 last year.

Opening the batting, skipper Craig Haupt seemed to be in Twenty-20 mode, smacking 85 from 52 balls before carelessly holing out in the deep.

In fact, seven of Banbury's first eight were guilty of getting out needlessly, off-spinner Brian Davis reaping reward for some accurate bowling by picking up 6-86.

Marc Rorich, at last beginning to realise his batting potential, added 36 with Ollie Murray and then 61 with Paul Hill, but the hosts were left 67 overs to reach their target of 230.

They were never under any pressure, being able to pick up runs as they came, despite some excellent bowling from Simon Launder, whose 5-64 was his first five-wicket haul at this level.

Unfortunately, none of his colleagues could offer any tangible support at the other end as Aussie Simon Lavers, under threat of being dropped after a poor start to the season, responded with a chanceless unbeaten 113 from just 119 balls as Hemel eased home with more than nine overs to spare.

BANBURY

A Sabin c Shaw b Howard...1

C Haupt c Morgan b Davies...25

S Beck lbw Davies...8

R Kaufman b Davies...0

M Rorich c Howard b Waterman...75

O Murrey c Howard b Davies...14

C Taylor c Lynch b Davies...0

D Harding c Rich b Waterman...0

P Hill c Fowler b Lynch...36

S Launder c Berry b Davies...2

J Phillips not out...1

Extras...7

Total (all out, 52.2ov)...229

Fall: 1-2, 2-66, 3-66, 4-104, 5-140, 6-33, 7-144, 8-205, 9-208.

Bowling: Watchman 13.2-2-66-2, Howard 7-2-36-1, Davies 21-4-86-6, Rich 6-2-21-0, Lynch 5-1-17-1.

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD

H Ilangarantne c Harding b Launder...26

G Berry b Phillips...5

N Morgan c Harding b Launder...13

I Rich b Launder...4

S Lavers not out...112

N Shaw c Kaufman b Launder...20

D Howard b Launder...2

R Fowler not out...13

Extras...34

Total (6 wkts, 57.3 ov) ...230

Fall: 1-15, 2-49, 3-59, 4-76, 5-180, 6-184.

Bowling: Phillips 17-2-63-1, Hill 5-1-11-0, Launder 16.3-3-64-5, Rorich 5-0-29-0, Taylor 9-2-22-0, Murray 5-1-24-0.

**Hemel H 25pts, Banbury 9