It was another grim weekend to forget for the Park as all four league sides crashed to defeat.
The results meant the Thirds were relegated, the Fourths need a Lazarus-style miracle, while the other teams are also locked in fights for survival.
The Firsts recovered from a disastrous start but not enough to avoid a five-wicket defeat at the hands of leaders West Herts.
Will Jones (3-37) and Ryan Woosley (3-27), made the ball swing in the overcast conditions to rip the heart out of the Park’s early batting as they crashed to 12 for 6 after only seven overs..
With gritty determination Rana Arslan (40), David Steadman (21) and skipper Guy Warman (38) hauled them back to 122 all out.
Then, dramatically, West Herts found themselves two down without a run on the board in the first over, bowled by Matt Hutchinson who removed opening bat Vinesh Gorasia and dangerman Jones.
Keagan Foley and Warman picked up further wickets and then some very close lbw calls at 56 for 4 could have made a marked difference but the visitors eased home, although still taking 31 overs, with the only other loss being that of opener Alistair Lewis whose 48 proved decisive as they finished on 122 for 5.
The Seconds were also up against promotion chasers in Old Elizabethans who won by 106 runs.
Gareth Jones (3 for 43) and Sean Carmody (3 for 53) were the most successful bowlers, while Harvey Turner bowled an economical 1 for 44.
The home side batted well right down the order, recovering from 73 for 5 to finish on 280 for 9.
Nick English (38) and Archie Stephens (36) then top scored before they were bowled out for 174 with their tailend unable to perform to the same extent as the OEs.
The Thirds found themselves chasing a huge total of 342 all out, but they put up a good fight to take 19 points from the game.
Young bowlers Dan Roomans (1-17), Jack Forbes-Sobers (1-23) and Jack Randall (1-33) all bowled with excellent economy during the runfest. At the end Dean Digweed bagged 3 for 35.
Right down the order the Park’s batsmen kept the scoreboard moving with all but two reaching double figures as they were bowled out for 192. Kyle Roomans (35), Jonathan Cirkel (41) and Dan Roomans (21*) top scored.
At 73 for 1 the Fourths were going well against Ickleford III with Phil Wheeler in dismissive form with a first-ever half-century, hitting 51 and given stoic support by opener Chris Johnson.
Then, Wheeler’s dismissal to the seemingly innocuous bowling of Bradford who took 4 for 24, triggered a collapse as they crashed to 94 all out.
Daniel Hurst picked up an early picked as the home side at the delightful Holwell ground cruised to an easy eight wicket win finishing on 96 for 2.
