Ben Frazer scored a third consecutive half-century as Hertfordshire beat Cambridgeshire by 36 runs in a rain-affected Unicorns Counties KO Trophy clash.

The Harpenden allrounder hit a match-winning 50 in last week’s win over Bedfordshire, 53 in the season-opening victory against Norfolk and on Sunday he punished Cambs’ bowlers in a five-over assault as he scored 53 off 30 balls.

He was not the only Herts batsman to take a liking to the bowling. Bishop’s Stortford’s Eddie Ballard was the county’s second highest scorer with 41 and Frazer’s Harpenden team-mate Dan Blacktopp was one run behind.

Cambs never got close to their 220 target due to the rain, which reduced the game to 28 overs each and ended play at 7.15pm. By day’s end, Cambs were 36 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method.

Having been put into bat, Herts found runs easy to come by as captain Nesan Jeyaratnam scored a 35-ball 28 while, at the other end, Ballard found holes in the field on his way to a quickfire 41.

Tanveer Sikander added 14 before making way for Harpenden colleagues Blacktopp and Frazer. The pair scored 70 runs off 50 balls in a 34 minute stand for the fourth wicket.

When Frazer went, Blacktopp remained at the crease and anchored the rest of the innings, scoring an unbeaten 40. He recorded partnerships of 15 and 35 with Jamie Southgate (12) and Reece Hussain (22) respectively as Herts set Cambs a target of 220.

Asim Butt hit an even 50 from 35 balls and Michael Cafferkey, in at number three, scored an equally impressive 31-ball 43, but it was in vain as the middle and tail orders succumbed to Syed Ali Kazmi’s spin.

The North Mymm’s spinner took four wickets in six overs to top the bowling figures and put Herts in pole position for qualification from group two.