WEEKEND REVIEW - SEPTEMBER 8
By Simon Heaney
MIDDLESEX CHAMPIONSHIP CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
M.T.S.C.C 1st XI 165 all out (40.5 overs)
Bessborough 1st XI 189 all out (49.1 overs
Bessborough won by 24 runs
MIDDLESEX COUNTY CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION THREE
Bessborough 2nd XI 244-7 dec (51 overs)
Enfield 2nd XI 198 all out (47.3 overs)
Bessborough won by 46 runs
1987 CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Perivale Phoenicians 3rd XI 242-8 (41 overs)
Bessborough 3rd XI 238-6 dec (47 overs)
Perivale Phoenicians won by 2 wickets
Friendly
Bessborough 4th XI 159 all out (38.1 overs)
Wealdstone Corinthians 299-6 (40 overs)
Wealdstone Corinthians won by 140 runs
Bessborough finish with a win
Bessborough concluded their league season on Saturday with a 24-run victory away to Middlesex Tamil Sports & Social Club (MTSSC).
On a beautifully hot and sunny day, Bessborough skipper Danny Hawes won the toss and choose to bat first. From a personal point of view Hawes might have regretted that decision as he was bowled with the very first ball of the innings.
However, Ramesh Gunalan (43) and Ian Barrie (43) drew the sting out of the MTSSC attack with a fine second-wicket partnership of 85. Bessborough struggled to get any significant partnerships going after that pair were dismissed in quick succession although a decent ninth-wicket stand of 31 between Tharshan Kanagaraj (36) and Rohan Karkhanis (17) helped the side post a respectable total of 189 all out from 49.1 overs.
For the second week running, the opposition got into a winning position only to blow it with a lower order batting collapse. MTSSC were seemingly coasting on 130-3 when Niroshan Sritharan was caught and bowled by Karkhanis for 38 in the 27th over.
Thereafter, Karkhanis (5-23) and fellow spinner Gunalan (4-62) proceeded to rip through the MTSSC line-up with the final six wickets falling for just 35 runs.
Bessborough finish in third place in the top tier of the Middlesex Championship after a storming seven-match unbeaten streak at the end of the season.
The second eleven banished memories of last week’s shambles versus Harrow Town with good 46-run win at home to Enfield.
Batting first after winning the toss, Captain Phil Bush (72) and Adil Parker (29) put on 64 for the first wicket before Parker was run out, and some late order heroics by Alex Irani (51 not out) allowed for a declaration on 244-7 after 51 overs.
As was the case in the first team’s match, it was a day for the spinners to do the damage with Mitesh Vyas (5-68) and Mark Emanuel (4-56) taking the glory. Also like the 1s match, the opposition were the architects of their own downfall as from a relatively comfortable 147-3 Enfield collapsed to 198 all out.
Bessborough 2’s wicket-keeper Parker added another three stumpings to his tally to finish the league campaign with a remarkable 15. Those stumping dismissals go alongside another 10 catches.
The second eleven finished in an isolated fourth place in Middlesex County Division Three, their best finish for a number of years.
The 3s ended their 1987 Cricket League Division 1 season with a close defeat at Perivale Phoenicians.
Having been reduced to 54-5, Dillon Maloney (66) and Peter Doole (37-retired hurt) fought back with an excellent 95-run partnership, which was backed up by late-order knocks from Ahilan Dinesh (43 not out) and Captain Sothy Sothynathan (36 not out). Bessborough declared on 238-6 after 47 overs.
In reply, Perivale made it over the winning line with two wickets in hand. Dinesh was the pick of the bowlers with 3-74, while Saahil Vora (2-20) and Sothynathan (2-62) each grabbed a couple.
Bessborough 4s final league match was cancelled as Edmonton couldn’t raise a team so a friendly match against Wealdstone Corinthians was hastily arranged instead.
Bessborough had the opposition in trouble with four cheap wickets, but a decision to rotate the bowling spectacularly back-fired as Wealdstone’s John Wakeling smashed an unbeaten 143 as the visitors racked up 299-6 after the allotted 40 overs.
Stephen Kimsey Jr, returning to the side after breaking his finger, was Bessborough’s most potent bowler, finishing with figures of 3-58.
Bessborough were all out for 159 in reply with the highlight's being a well crafted 59 from colt Ray Maloney and a powerful 30 from Richard Willson, his highest score in a good debut season for the club.