Scott Moffat took over as captain for 1999 to lead Radlett into a new elite era. The club had agreed to become provisional founder members of the Home Counties Premier League, due to start in 2000. Finishing second behind Hemel Hempstead was a mild disappointment in the last summer, though the final placing was laudable after the team failed to win any of their first six games as opponents went all out to deny them.
Browne finished with 55 wickets. Nick Fielden, ex Swansea University like Moffat and Warren before him, had become an established opener, winning the ‘most improved’ award three times in a row. Ian Mulholland, a future Herts off-spinner, joined the club for a couple of seasons, but Radlett relied on the trusted faces to take them into the ECB adventure in a semi-professional league.
The second team, under Iain Edwards in his first season as captain, finished second as well after failing in a showdown for the title against Hoddesdon. It was not surprising the seconds did so well because the first-team pool had been widened by players such as Simon Jackson, new arrival from Sunderland, Darren Norman, from Sandridge, Matt Cousens, a rugby player of note, Malcolm Taylor, an Australian banker, Trevor Wolfe and ex-colt Jon Tricker.
The club was going from strength to strength, and bar profits of £15,060 underlined that the Cobden Hill pavilion was the place to be.
Hertfordshire Premier Division Table
Played | Wins | Draws | Lost | NR | Bat | Bwl | Pen | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hemel Hempstead Town | 18 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 35 | 52 | - | 357 |
Radlett | 18 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 42 | - | 288 |
Hoddesdon | 18 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 23 | 52 | - | 285 |
North Mymms | 18 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 36 | 67 | - | 283 |
Hertford | 18 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 65 | 63 | - | 278 |
Stevenage | 18 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 52 | 74 | - | 256 |
St Albans | 18 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 65 | 59 | - | 254 |
Langleybury | 18 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 55 | 97 | - | 242 |
Watford Town | 18 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 35 | 69 | - | 224 |
Bishop's Stortford | 18 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 25 | 62 | - | 217 |