WEEKEND REVIEW - AUGUST 20-21
By Simon Heaney
Saturday 20 August 2016
MIDDLESEX COUNTY CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION THREE - FIRST TEAMS
Bessborough CC 1st XI 50-4 (15.1 overs)
South Hampstead CC 1st XI 202 all out (42 overs)
Match abandoned
MIDDLESEX COUNTY CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION THREE - SECOND TEAMS
MTSSC CC 2nd XI 85 all out (18.4 overs)
Bessborough CC 2nd XI 238 all out (44.1 overs)
Bessborough won by 153 runs
MIDDLESEX 1987 CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Old Actonians 3rd XI 183-7 (50 overs)
Bessborough CC 3rd XI 184-3 (31.4 overs)
Bessborough won by 7 wickets
MIDDLESEX 1987 CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION FIVE
Bessborough CC 4th XI 96-8 (20.2 overs)
Alexandra Park 4th XI 226-8 dec (46 overs)
Winning draw for Alexandra Park
Sunday 21 August 2016
LORDS CHESS VALLEY SUNDAY LEAGUE DIVISION THREE
Winchmore Hill CC 2nd XI 210-8 (45 overs)
Bessborough CC 133 all out (35.4 overs)
Winchmore Hill won by 77 runs
Rain wins at Headstone Manor
Depending on your point of view the miserable weather on Saturday either put a dent in Bessborough’s Middlesex County Cricket League survival bid, or did them a small favour. The heavens opened at Headstone Manor before the requisite 20 overs could be bowled in the second innings of the game versus South Hampstead, meaning that one point was shared between the sides.
That might be more than Bessborough would have claimed if the match had gone the distance as they were in a spot of bother at 50-4 after 15 overs, chasing 203. Fortunately, none of our two relegation rivals could take advantage as both Kenton and Uxbridge lost.
With two weeks of the season remaining the relegation battle couldn’t be scripted any better as Bessborough will take on both sides; having a 13 point advantage over Kenton (who they travel to next week) and a three point lead over Uxbridge (who they host the following week.) A win in either game will be enough to stay up.
Earlier in the day Bessborough had looked sharp in the field with pace man Rohan Desai (pictured) producing his best spell for the team, claiming 4-33, while spinner Kibreeth Rameez further cemented his claim for player-of-the-year with 4-34 to take his tally of league scalps to 33.
The second XI stretched their unbeaten run to five games with a comprehensive 153-run victory over second-placed MTSSC. Batting first Bessborough scored 238 after a shaky start, with number four bat Saghar Tanoli top scoring with 63 (making it four 50s in nine innings in a great debut season) and Gihan Pallage adding a handy 42.
MTSSC simply collapsed in their reply, being dismissed for 85 inside 19 overs. Overseas star Urooj Ahmed bagged incredible figures of 5-15 from just 3.4 overs. Debutant Obaid Ur-Rehman picked up 2-20 and the side’s leading wicket taker Faisal Tanoli added another two to make it 19 for the season.
The third eleven secured their seat at the top table of the 1987 Cricket League after a resounding seven-wicket victory away to Old Actonians. The home side took their time to post 183-7 from the full 50 overs with Wasi Ali (4-37) and Stephen Kimsey (2-36) the main threats.
Bessborough coasted to the target thanks to an elegant 89 not out from colt Steefan Fernando, which is his best score so far for the seniors, although far better is sure to come. His twin brother Beavan was the next highest scorer with 23.
The fourth team were saved by the rain as they escaped with a losing draw in a very one-sided encounter versus Alexandra Park. Remarkably, despite being 8 down after 20 overs Bessborough could have snatched a totally undeserved winning draw if they had scored just eight more runs before the rain came down. The side now must win their last two games and hope that neither Harrow St. Mary’s or Wembley pick up more than a couple of points to stay in Division 5 of the 1987 Cricket League.
One side whose relegation is confirmed is the Sunday team who lost by 77 runs against a strong Winchmore Hill team in the Chess Valley Division Three. Bessborough had restricted the home side well until first team batsman Mark Barrell came in at number 10 and bludgeoned 45 in 22 balls to take the score up to 210 from the 45 overs.
Bessborough never got to grips with some pacey short-pitched bowling although their chances weren’t helped by two suicidal run outs. Vidoosha Jayawardena (36) and Shiv Patel (24) were the only two batsman to find any sort of form as the team were skittled inside 36 overs for 133 to seal their fate.
Bessborough CC 2016 Fantasy League - Week 18 MVPs
Sponsored by Ed's Party Pieces
- Stefaan Fernando 119 points
- Urooj Ahmed 112 points
- Saghar Tanoli 93 points