WEEKEND REVIEW
By Alex Irani & James Wheeler
Saturday 15 June 2013
MIDDLESEX CHAMPIONSHIP CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Bessborough 1st XI 117-7 (55 overs)
Crouch End 1st XI 61-6 (13 overs)
Match Abandoned
MIDDLESEX COUNTY CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION THREE
Bessborough 2nd XI 64-5 (26.2 overs)
North London 2nd XI
Match Abandoned
MIDDLESEX 1987 CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Teddington 4th XI 179-7 (49 overs)
Bessborough 3rd XI 158-9 (19 overs)
Match Abandoned
FRIENDLY
Wealdstone Corinthians 145-9 (35 overs)
Bessborough 4th XI 92 all out (34.5 overs)
Wealdstone Corinthians won by 57 runs
Sunday 16 June 2013
CHESS VALLEY CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION THREE
Welwyn Garden City 1st XI 111 all out (23.2 overs)
Bessborough 1st XI 114-1 (22.5 overs)
Bessborough won by 5 wickets
RAIN RUINS BOROUGH WEEKEND
Last Saturday’s appalling weather, meant that while play was possible for all four Bessborough sides, the rain washed out all three League games with the only game being completed was the fourth eleven’s defeat at Wealdstone Corinthians.
Bessborough First Eleven maintained their unbeaten start to the season as they shared a point with Crouch End in a rain hit match at Headstone Manor.
Having lost the toss and being asked to bat first, Bessborough started well as captain Danny Hawes (38) and his opening partner Tharshan Kanagajaraj (24) set about getting after the Crouch End attack. However, when the rain came, there was some confusion surrounded the new playing conditions as 32 overs were lost. The players got back on and wickets were lost at regular intervals and Bessborough finished with a hard fought 117-7 off their 55 overs with Crouch End receiving 13 overs to chase the total.
Crouch End never threatened as Bessborough produced a superb bowling and fielding display to restrict the visitors to 61-6, Rohan Karkhanis and Jay Chavda taking three wickets. The poor weather meant that not enough overs were bowled to Crouch End so both sides were awarded 1 point. This meant Bessborough travel down Pinner View for the local derby with Old Lyonians in good spirits following a plucky display.
The weather proved the saviour for the Bessborough Second Eleven as their game at North London was abandoned 26 overs with the side struggling at 64-5. Captain Phil Bush lost the toss and his side struggled on a pitch that offered assistance to the seamers, they host Kenton next week as they bid to kick-start their season.
Bessborough Third Eleven’s game with Teddington was also abandoned as a draw but it proved to be the most entertaining game of the weekend. Teddington had first use of the wicket and scored what looked a very competitive 179-7 off their 50 overs. Young leg-spinner Dillon Maloney was the pick of the Bessborough bowlers picking up 4-43 from his 17 overs. In reply a fast start by openers Priyatharshan Sathananthan and Cecil Dinesh who both scored 46 gave Bessborough the start they needed to try and force victory, but with conditions worsening, wickets began to fall. The weather forced Bessborough’s run chase to end on 158-8 off 19 overs, an agonising 1 over short of being a valid match which would have seen Bessborough claim the winning draw.
The Fourth Eleven, who were without a League game this weekend lost to Wealdstone Corinthians. The Corinthians, were playing a Bessborough side for the third time this year, batted first scoring 145-9 off their 35 overs. Bessborough 4s in their reply ended up well short, being bowled out for 92 in the final over their innings.
Bessborough’s Sunday side under the captaincy of Nirav Ghantiwala made it two wins out of two with a crushing 9 wicket win over Welwyn Garden City on Sunday. After inserting Welwyn, Bessborough made short work of their opponents bowling out their opponents for only 111. Fast Bowler Rohan Desai 5-37 and spinner Mark Emanuel 3-15 were the pick of the bowlers. Bessborough chased down the target in just over 22 overs thanks to and unbeaten 107 run partnership between James Wheeler (55 not out) and Kibreeth Rameez (36 not out).