RADLETT finally laid the ghost of North Mymms to rest as they defeated their local rivals to book a place in the final of the Becker Transport Cup and claim revenge for a semi-final defeat in the Evening Standard Challenge Cup some four years ago.

However, Radlett will have to wait for at least a week before finding out the identity of their opponents after the other semi-final between West Herts and Welwyn Garden City was rained off.

Bidding to reach their first Becker Cup final for five years, Radlett skipper Matt Evans put his team in first on a slow track although his decision was later to be vindicated as the final 20 overs of the match were played in increasingly deteriorating light.

Evans and Kaf Jahangir put on an aggressive stand of 78 for the opening wicket before Jahangir departed for 20 after being bowled by the pacy David Searle, although Evans led by example, going on to make a carefully constructed 78.

Having scored freely in the previous rounds of the competition, Radlett began to look a little bewildered as the tight bowling of Mather, Searle, Saxby and Lawless restricted them to a run-rate of less than four an over and the pressure began to tell as the Cobden Hill outfit wobbled at 146-5 with only nine overs remaining.

Radlett upped the pace though as Kervin Marc, Simon Jackson and Ian Edwards all hit brisk 20's enabling the side to post a challenging total of 219.

In reply, Mymms got off to a storming start through former Herts player Andy Lewis and Simon Clements although when Lewis was deceived by a well-disguised slower ball from Jackson for 30, Radlett looked to have regained the initiative.

However, even when Clements departed to a catch by Edwards off the bowling of Chaudry, Mymms required just 114 runs from 23 overs at less than five an over and looked on course for victory but a fiery five-over spell from Marc claimed the scalps of both Gary Black and Mark Saxby and effectively ended the Division One side's chances with Stuart Browne snatching three wickets in the 45th over to wrap up the Mymms' innings.

Twenty-four hours earlier, Radlett suffered a double blow when they were heavily defeated at Basingstoke in the Home Counties Premier League and lost their talismanic coach Dave Houghton with a broken toe.

Batting first, Radlett slogged their way to 117 all out after 58 overs although Basingstoke eased past the total set in 40 overs with six wickets to spare.