WEEKEND REVIEW - MAY 19-20
By Simon Heaney
Danny Hawes started his reign as new Bessborough club captain in fine style with a comprehensive eight wicket victory at Old Actonians on Saturday.
Bad weather has meant the new captain has been forced to wait for his chance to lead the Borough out this season, but Hawes could not have asked for a better start with pretty much everything going his way, including winning the toss.
With overcast conditions and a grassy wicket, Hawes put Old Actonians into bat and Bessborough’s opening bowlers Ian Barrie (2-50) and Nirav Ghantiwala (1-20) made immediate inroads by dismissing the opening batsmen cheaply.
Some tidy bowling from Ramesh Gunalan (3-24), Rohan Karkhanis (2-37) and Mitesh Vyas (1-28), backed up by some great catching, restricted the home side to 167 for 9 off 55 overs. J.Patel (57) and A.Swan (26 not out) were the pick of the Old Actonians batsmen.
In reply, Bessborough openers Hawes and Gunalan got off to a steady start putting on 35 before Gunalan (16) was bowled by opening bowler Swan. Ian Barrie then joined his captain and the pair put on a match-winning partnership of 74 with both players scoring freely and playing some excellent shots all around the ground. Hawes was eventually out for 40.
Teenage wicket-keeper Will Grogan (18 not out) joined Barrie (80 not out) and the pair comfortably saw the Borough over the winning line with an unbeaten 59 run partnership. Bessborough finished with a total of 168 for 2 after 38.1overs.
Unfortunately, Bessborough’s three other sides did not have the same success in their matches.
The second eleven lost by four wickets at home to Ickenham in the Middlesex County Cricket League (Division 3). After losing the toss, Bessborough were put in and despite a few starts the home side’s batsmen struggled on a slow pitch to 93 all out after 47.1 overs. Ian Ridley (24) and captain Phil Bush (20) top scored for the Borough.
Ickenham got the runs they needed in 27.1 overs, finishing on 95 for 6. Pick of the Borough’s bowlers were Nitin Modha (3-36), Stephen Kimsey Jr.(1-11) and Dillon Maloney (1-32).
Bessborough third XI lost by three wickets in a tight game away to Wembley 4s in Division 1 of the 1987 Cricket League. Bessborough scored 175 all out after 41 overs with Minesh Gunulan (35) and Saagar Vora (32) top scoring.
Wembley replied with 176 for 7 after 45.2 overs. Gunulan again was Bessborough’s star performer with the ball with 3-55.
The fourth eleven, fielding only nine players, including six colts, put up a brave fight against Highgate 5th XI in Division 5 of the 1987 Cricket League, but ultimately paid the price for having too few batsmen in a 37-run defeat.
After winning the toss, Bessborough put Highgate in to bat on a very slow wicket. The young colts put in a great stint in the field to cover the gaps and some incisive bowling restricted Highgate to 96 all out off 36 overs. Dillon Popat was the star bowler for Bessborough with 5-19 off 5 overs.
The 4’s inexperience showed in their batting reply as none of the colts were able to stay at the crease with captain and opener Simon Heaney (17). Middle order batsman Richard Ward (18 not out) put in a valiant effort to get Bessborough closer to the target, but despite some careful guarding of the tailorder, in the end he ran out of partners.
Captain Danny Hawes (above) starts with a win