HEMEL HEMPSTEAD TOWN stormed into the semi-finals of the Becker Cup with a comprehensive seven-wicket defeat of local rivals Langleybury at Hunton Bridge on Sunday, July 29, and are now only two wins away from collecting the lucrative £2,000 prize money.

Asad Khan, Bury captain in the absence of Nigel Ilott, won the toss and elected to bat on a scorching day, and opened the innings with Matt Fry in the absence of his experienced partner.

After a reasonable opening stand of 38, Khan was first man out against his former club when he was trapped lbw by Matt Judd.

Hertfordshire wicket keeper Stephen Lowe then scored the next 11 runs, which included a six and a four, before he was bowled by Mark Beard, and was followed back to the pavilion just two runs later by his older brother David.

The unfortunate run out of Fry after he had looked in good touch sparked a collapse that saw Bury lose their last seven wickets for a meagre total of 22 runs.

Dick Miller was the architect of the capitulation as he cleaned up the Bury tail with four wickets for one run in only ten deliveries.

Hemel also had their regular opening bat missing in the shape of Nick Wright, and this appeared to be costly as Hemel looked in trouble at 17-3 after Paul O'Reilly had grabbed the wickets of county youth player Kam Ahktah and Mike Dale.

Hemel's overseas star Heath Griggs then took centre stage as he constructed a match-winning partnership of 90 with Neil Morgan, who scored an unbeaten 35.

The Tasmanian, primarily recruited as a bowler, has shone with the bat in recent weeks, and his 52 not out guided Hemel to victory with 15 overs to spare to book their place in the last four away to last season's finalists Millhillians conquerors of Hoddesdon in the last round by the narrow margin of fewer wickets lost.