1s lose thriller, 3s remain perfect, and 2s, 4s, and 5s also win

A fine start to 2026 for Brentham Cricket Club continued on Saturday with four wins from five Middlesex County Cricket League matches.

The only blemish came for the 1s who lost their unbeaten record in a thriller at home to Highgate.

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Last Saturday's demolition of Bessborough fired the 1s to the top of Division Two ahead of Highgate's visit to W5.

And another win looked on the cards when Yogi Prabhu (3-22) and Pruthvi Kand (3-25) reduced the away side to 90-6 after 25 overs. However, Highgate rebuilt patiently with a 96-run seventh-wicket partnership.

Once that was ended by George Allen (1-28), Jack Solomon (2-49) grabbed another pair of late wickets to close the innings on 193-9.

The Trees' reply spluttered along with five of the top eight reaching double figures but only George Allen passing 30. From 76-5, a 45-run partnership between the returning Tomek Tsang (18), out for 419 days with a knee injury, and Kieran Bradley (24) carried Brentham to within 75 of their target.

However, they both fell, along with two more wickets, to leave Brentham 141-9. Just as the Highgate innings though, there was to be late resistance.

Jack Solomon (29*) and Yogi Prabhu (14) began chipping away at the target. With the requirement down to 20 off 5 overs, Jack found the boundary three times in nine balls to bring the winning line within one hit.

And Yogi thought he had delivered that hit when he sent a knee-high full-toss flying towards the square leg boundary. Agonisingly for Brentham, the ball found the fielder in the deep who took a smart catch.

But for a yard either side, the 1s would have headed to Enfield next week top and unbeaten. As it is, they still occupy second spot with 25 points from their first four games.

The 2s picked up their first victory over the campaign with a four-wicket success away at Highgate.

Ijaz Hussain (4-19), captain Atif Shah (2-18), and Ned Watts (2-23) did the damage with the ball as the home side were bundled out for 126.

Brentham's reply was never comfortable with Saad Rehman's 37 the highest individual contribution of the chase. However, there were enough cameos throughout the order for the Trees to get home by 4 wickets with nearly 28 overs to spare.

Sixth-placed Eastcote come to Meadvale Road this weekend.

James Hitchcock's 3s made it four from four to extend their lead at the top of Division One.

Following victories over Finchley and North Middlesex, Highgate were the latest to be put to the sword by the 3s.

A patient opening stand of 81, against a good bowling attack, between Matt Plews (34) and James Dunn (30) laid a platform that the 3s made the most of. Vijay Pamu (67*) and 16-year-old Johnny Dobbin (72) combined for a 121 fifth-wicket partnership as the Trees eventually finished on 263-8.

Will Pye (1-32) made an early breakthough but, at 51-1, the away side looked up for the chase. That was when Ciaran Brett (2-35) and Chris Jones (3-38) came to the fore; 51-1 quickly becoming 72-6.

After Siddhant Kothari (3-23) span through the lower order, a 68-run 10th wicket partnership delayed the inevitable until Dhruvin Patel (1-11) completed the victory with 11 balls to spare.

There's a huge derby for the 3s this Saturday as they make the short trip to face Ealing at Popesfield.

Krushna Kerai's 4s moved to within 10 points of top following their two-wicket victory over SKLPC.

Pratyesh Desai (6-32) was the main man with the ball as the home side crumbled from 122-3 to 154 all-out. Deshraj Verma (2-24) and Shaurya Tailor (2-16) the other wicket takers.

A tricky chase was anchored by Vishal Patel's 66 at the top of the order. When he was fourth out, with the score on 98, the mantle was taken up by Krushna (24) and Christian Ladwa (26). Despite a couple of late scares, the Trees got home with two wickets in hand.

The 4s welcome fellow high-flyers Ealing to Willam Perkin this weekend.

The 5s produced the win of the weekend as they chased down 212 with five wickets to spare at home to Old Merchant Taylors.

It looked like it would be an all-together smaller target as Kashif Riaz (3-35), Richard Taper (2-19), Gurvinder Singh (2-44), and Jay Kadu (1-58) had the visitors 126-9 at one stage.

However, a 86-run 10th wicket partnership, eventually ended by Niam Patel (1-22), changed the complexion of the chase.

213 looked even further away at 9-3. That brought Gurvinder Singh (93*) and Jay Kadu (60) together to forge a 126-run partnership. When Jay departed, Gurvinder found a new ally in Ali Malik (21) for another 43-run stand.

There were still 35 required when Ali was caught but Kashif Riaz (8*) supported Gurvinder in bringing the chase home.

10 points off second, the 5s face another promotion-chaser West Harrow this Saturday.