WEEKEND REVIEW - APRIL 27-28
By Simon Heaney
Saturday 27 April 2013
FRIENDLY
Old Actonians 1st XI 213-6 (43.2 overs)
Bessborough 1st XI 212-8 (45 overs)
Old Actonians won by 4 wickets
FRIENDLY
Bessborough 2nd XI 176 all out (35 overs)
Old Actonians 2nd XI 180-6 (38 overs)
Old Actonians won by 4 wickets
Sunday 28 April 2013
FRIENDLY
Bessborough 1st XI 261-5 (40 overs)
Paddington 185-8 (40 overs)
Bessborough won by 76 runs
Hawes’ century in vain for Bessborough
Despite the best efforts of Bessborough club captain Daniel Hawes, Old Actonians did the double over Bessborough on Saturday, winning two closely fought encounters by 4 wickets.
On a bitterly cold and blustery afternoon in Ealing, Hawes won the toss and opted to bat, giving his team mates the opportunity to take shelter in the clubhouse.
Hawes’ opening partner Wayne Whitson was to join them fairly soon after the start, bowled for a duck in the second over by Prasad Wickramasinghe.
Hawes and Adil Parker added 46 for the second wicket before the latter was caught behind off Luke Harrington for 22. New bat Elango Thavalinkam scored 12 in a partnership of 41 with Hawes, but it was left to first and second team captains Hawes and Phil Bush to put together Bessborough’s biggest stand of 76 for the fourth wicket.
That partnership was ended when Hawes was out for 104, bowled by Craig Nel. Dan’s century was reached in 124 balls, the second fifty coming off just 42 balls, with 15 fours and one maximum.
Bush was left stranded on an unbeaten 53, scoring at roughly a run per ball, as Bessborough’s tail failed to wag and the side finished its 45 overs on 212-8.
Old Actonians’ top-order all contributed as they reached their target with an over and half to spare. Opener Chris Falconer top scored with 70 with Bessborough’s player of 2012 Rohan Karkhanis picking up 5-63.
In the reverse fixture at Headstone Manor, Bessborough’s second XI were put in to bat and scored at a brisk five runs per over, but ultimately paid the price for not using their full allocation of overs as they finished on 176 all out from 35 overs. Fateh Singh (56) and Ray Maloney (37) top scored for Bessborough.
Old Actonians batsmen scored more slowly, but held on to their wickets more carefully as opener Matt Robinson guided his team home with an unbeaten 68. The opposition had two overs and four wickets in hand when they passed the target. The pick of the Bessborough bowlers were Kibreeth Rameez (2-23) and Stephen Kimsey Sr. (2-28).
On Sunday, Bessborough entertained Paddington in the first game of Nirav Ghantiwala’s reign as Sunday captain.
Niv got off to a winning start as his troops set an imposing score of 261-5 from 40 overs. Leading the charge were Fateh Singh (71) and Mark Emanuel (92).
Paddington never got close to the required run rate despite good knocks from Ali and C. Bunning (both 30) and top scorer Chapman (49). Emanuel capped a fine all-round display with 3-24, while Sharuban Kanthasamy (2-29) and Ghantiwala (2-32) each bagged a brace of wickets as Paddington closed out 77 runs shy of their target on 185-8.
Next week Bessborough are putting out three sides on Saturday for the final round of pre-season friendlies so please make your availability known ASAP.