Four big wins set up crucial final month of season

The final weekend of time games in the Middlesex County Cricket Club brought four crucial victories for the Trees.

The 1s, with Harry Marston in charge due to an injury to Jack Solomon, put together an assured chase to overturn Highgate at Shepherd’s Cot.

Losing the toss and fielding first, Yogi Prabhu (3-50) accounted for both openers as we made early inroads. Highgate, though, responded well to go from 26-2 to 134-3, setting themselves up for a late assault.

However, Yogi returned to grab his third and that opened the game up for Atif Shah (6-60) to spin his way through the order.

Atif got the prized scalp of Owen Jones (61) caught by Majid Ali at mid-wicket to precede the collapse.

In all, the home side lost their last 7 wickets for 70, five of them to Atif to set a target of 204 in 54 overs.

A new-look opening partnership, in the absence of Lucas Smith away on international duty with France, set about the target with relish.

Michael Cassidy hit five 4s and 2 huge 6s in his 29-ball 36, putting on 59 with Majid Ali (43) in just nine overs.

After losing Aadil Khan (10), Maj found a new partner in Lasan De Silva (40) and the pair progressed the score to 137-2.

Three quick wickets, including both Maj and Lasan, threatened to derail the chase but Louie Millman (40*) played the role of finisher to perfection.

Sharing a 28-run partnership with Harry Marston (6), and an unbroken 32-run stand with Daniel Taylor (13*), Louie went at almost a run a ball to guide us home with four wickets in hand.

Results elsewhere in the division mean we remain 9^th, 12 points clear of the sole relegation place, ahead of Kenton’s visit to W5 this weekend.

Saad Rehman’s 2s also secured a four-wicket victory, but were made to work very hard for it in a low-scoring clash at home to Hornsey.

On a pitch that gave a bit to the bowlers, the away side chose to bat first and were immediately in trouble.

Ciaran Brett (4-60) and Tom Dobbin (3-18) reduced the visitors to 15-3 inside six overs. Hornsey dug in, looking to see off the new ball, and for a period it worked.

However, two gifted wickets - in the form of a back of the bat sweep shot to slip off Rehan Batra (1-12) and a run-out - undid that good work. 51-4 became 71-9 and an early finish looked on the cards.

By now though, the softer ball wasn’t doing anywhere near as much and Hornsey’s last pair were able to build. A stubborn partnership became an annoying partnership, adding, as they did, 40 for the final wicket before Tom Dobbin picked up his third with an LBW.

111 was made to look a long way away in a difficult 15-over spell before tea. Only two of our top six got to double figures, sending us into the break at 48-5.

That became 48-6 shortly after when Jon Mays (12) was adjudged LBW.

The wicket brought Ciaran Brett out to the crease to join Paul Whelan.

The ball, by now, was doing considerably less and the pair were able to whittle away at the total.

Paul used the drive and pull shot to great effect while Ciaran decided he was going to score exclusively through third man.

As Hornsey’s spinner worked away from the pavilion end, eleven, nine, and seven were scored off consecutive overs at the tennis court end to take us from 73-6 to 107-6 in just six overs.

With one to win, Ciaran found the point boundary to secure a huge 10 points thanks to a 65-run partnership.

Similar to the 1s, the league’s other results weren’t favourable meaning Saad’s side head to second-placed Stanmore next week in sixth, but still only 3 points clear of the relegation places.

The 3s opened up a 10-point cushion in the Division Two promotion race with a professional victory at Wembley.

Winning the toss and batting first, the 3s were able to declare on 228-7 off 47 overs.

It was a real team batting performance with six of the top seven getting into double figures. Chris Jones (24), Jazz Rehal (36), and captain James Hitchcock (23) laid a solid foundation of 113-3.

That allowed 18-year-old Jamie Porter-Thomas (48) and Vijay Pamu (45) to provide the late injection - 87 runs coming off the final 14 overs to allow for an early declaration.

Ayaz Khan (1-23) and Chris Jones (5-27) then blasted through the top order to reduce the hosts to 30-3.

After being held up by the fourth and fifth wicket partnerships, the important middle over wickets fell to the spin of Pratyesh Desai (2-16), Siddhant Kothari (1-24), and Jayraj Jadeja (1-3).

After his two up-top, Chris Jones finished the job with three wickets in eight balls to complete a 106-run victory with nine overs to spare.

The first of the four remaining overs games sees Richmond make the trip to William Perkin this weekend.

The 4s also reignited their promotion hopes with a 7-wicket victory at home to second-placed Ealing Trailfinders.

Spin was the order of the day at William Perkin. Richard Taper (1-33) made the early breakthough but that was Brentham’s only success of the opening 22 overs.

Sitting pretty at 100-1, Trailfinders were then undone by the slow bowling of Rajesh Kerai (4-31), Aaron Bolger (3-32), and John Clapham (2-0) to subside to 145 all out.

Ankit Hirani (41) and Abdul Shukkoor (31) ensured there was no early worries in the reply. When they fell, Rajiv Patel (49*) took up the mantle to guide the 4s home to a convincing seven-wicket success.

11 points off second, with a game in hand, the 4s head to league leaders Chiswick this weekend.

The only defeat of the weekend came for the 5s who lost by 8 wickets defending 49 away at Actonians.

Baz Raniga’s side host Ealing this weekend at Perivale Park.