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A disappointing weekend
Chris Goldie19 May - 14:55
Will Knowles leads the 2's to victory but defeats for the rest
League Saturday 2 was a disappointment as 4 of our 5 sides lost Middlesex League matches. However, the 2's maintained their winning start to the season chasing down Indian Gymkhana's 180 with 3 balls to spare thanks to three consecutive boundaries from Will Knowles in the final over of the match.
The 1's won the toss and chose to bat against Hampstead but quite simply did not get enough runs. A total of 193 on a blameless pitch was well under-par and had it not been for skipper Adam London's 70, our total could have been so much worse. We actually made a decent start - Mo Rizvi and Vansh Jani putting on 36 in no time - but 47 for 1 soon became 77 for 5 and then 134 for 8. But Adam found some defiance from Craig Baldry and the pair put on 59 before the skipper was dismissed. It was, however, runs on the board and when Eric Botha returned to take two wickets in an over, Hampstead were reeling at 95 for 7. Victory seemed within our grasp but McSweeney and Fraser played sensibly, chances went missing and, in truth, we lost our way with the ball. The pair put on 90 to take their side to the brink of victory and although Fraser fell to Jack Nelson with 9 needed, and despite two very confident LBW appeals, the visitors got home.
It was definitely Will Knowles game for the 2's. Having taken 3 for 11 as Indian Gymkhana were dismissed for 180, it was the young left-arm spinner who managed to see his side home, despite some indifferent batting from the higher order. At 110 for 2, a comfortable win seemed on the cards but a collapse to 139 for 7 set us back significantly. However, Will,in partnership with fellow left-arm spinner James Nelson, played well to drag us back into the game. But when Nelson was dismissed for 17, 12 runs were needed. At the start of the last over, we required 10 but that presented no problems for Will as he hit the first three balls of the final over for 4.
The 3's also had a poor day with the bat, being bowled out for 130 in just 30 (out of a possible 45 overs). Alex Zotov with 24 batting at number 8 was top scorer. In reply Hampstead 3's knocked off the runs 5 down. At one stage, after Jean Fourie had picked up 4 wickets, Hampstead were 45 for 4 but from there, wickets became harder to come by.
The 4's also lost, having posted a score of 190 for 6. Luke Dudley (62) and Michael Wrathall (51) put on 95 for the first wicketr but the 4's could not capitalise. In reply Ealing's top-order batting did not perform but the middle order did and the visitors to the Newman got home with 3 wickets in hand.
The 5's were set a target of 204 by Winchmore Hill 3's but could not chase it down, being dismissed for 173. A, all in all, a poor day but we go again next week hoping to return to winning ways.
The 1's won the toss and chose to bat against Hampstead but quite simply did not get enough runs. A total of 193 on a blameless pitch was well under-par and had it not been for skipper Adam London's 70, our total could have been so much worse. We actually made a decent start - Mo Rizvi and Vansh Jani putting on 36 in no time - but 47 for 1 soon became 77 for 5 and then 134 for 8. But Adam found some defiance from Craig Baldry and the pair put on 59 before the skipper was dismissed. It was, however, runs on the board and when Eric Botha returned to take two wickets in an over, Hampstead were reeling at 95 for 7. Victory seemed within our grasp but McSweeney and Fraser played sensibly, chances went missing and, in truth, we lost our way with the ball. The pair put on 90 to take their side to the brink of victory and although Fraser fell to Jack Nelson with 9 needed, and despite two very confident LBW appeals, the visitors got home.
It was definitely Will Knowles game for the 2's. Having taken 3 for 11 as Indian Gymkhana were dismissed for 180, it was the young left-arm spinner who managed to see his side home, despite some indifferent batting from the higher order. At 110 for 2, a comfortable win seemed on the cards but a collapse to 139 for 7 set us back significantly. However, Will,in partnership with fellow left-arm spinner James Nelson, played well to drag us back into the game. But when Nelson was dismissed for 17, 12 runs were needed. At the start of the last over, we required 10 but that presented no problems for Will as he hit the first three balls of the final over for 4.
The 3's also had a poor day with the bat, being bowled out for 130 in just 30 (out of a possible 45 overs). Alex Zotov with 24 batting at number 8 was top scorer. In reply Hampstead 3's knocked off the runs 5 down. At one stage, after Jean Fourie had picked up 4 wickets, Hampstead were 45 for 4 but from there, wickets became harder to come by.
The 4's also lost, having posted a score of 190 for 6. Luke Dudley (62) and Michael Wrathall (51) put on 95 for the first wicketr but the 4's could not capitalise. In reply Ealing's top-order batting did not perform but the middle order did and the visitors to the Newman got home with 3 wickets in hand.
The 5's were set a target of 204 by Winchmore Hill 3's but could not chase it down, being dismissed for 173. A, all in all, a poor day but we go again next week hoping to return to winning ways.
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