WEEKEND REVIEW - JULY 5-6
By Simon Heaney and James Wheeler
Saturday 5 July 2014
MIDDLESEX CHAMPIONSHIP CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Bessborough 1st XI 163-8 (33 overs)
Old Actonians 1st XI 216-9 dec (51 overs)
Winning draw for Bessborough
MIDDLESEX COUNTY CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION THREE
Wembley 2nd XI 202-5 (37.2 overs)
Bessborough 2nd XI 198 all out (46.2 overs)
Wembley won by 5 wickets
MIDDLESEX 1987 CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Old Actonians 3rd XI 207-5 (41.3 overs)
Bessborough 3rd XI 206-7 dec (46 overs)
Old Actonians won by 5 wickets
MIDDLESEX 1987 CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION FIVE
Bessborough 4th XI 162-5 (32.5 overs)
S.K.L.P. 3rd XI 161-6 dec (39 overs)
Bessborough won by 5 wickets
Sunday 6 July 2014
FRIENDLY
Bessborough 105 all out (33.3 overs)
North Harrow 106-5 (28.4 overs)
North Harrow won by 5 wickets
Bessborough maintain unbeaten start
Bessborough’s First Eleven extended their unbeaten start and lead at the top of the Middlesex Championship on Saturday with a winning draw at home to Old Actonians, but sloppy fielding cost them the chance of victory.
Captain Rohan Karkhanis won the toss and put the visitors in to bat with cloudy overhead conditions and was rewarded for his decision early in the innings when Neal Patel (4-56) removed Old Actonians’ Scott Ensom (10) in the third over, caught behind by wicket keeper Jigar Shah (pictured).
When rain stopped play after two hours Bessborough had reduced their opponents to 125-5, but it could have been so much better for the home side after dropping seven fairly routine chances. After the resumption Old Actonians made the most of their reprieves lead by number six Alistair Slaughter (92) who helped his side set a difficult target of 217 from the remaining 33 overs.
Despite the early losses of Ramesh Gunalan (12) and Kushal Patel (1), Bessborough were close to the required run rate thanks to a breezy 79 third wicket partnership between Ishan Shah (43) and Jigar Shah (63), but the chase effectively ended with six overs to go with Bessborough needing over 10 runs per over and only three wickets left. In the end, Bessborough closed on 163-8 and a faster rate to secure four points for a winning draw.
The result extended Bessborough’s lead at the top of the Middlesex Championship to five points as closest rivals Birkbeck College lost to Wycombe House.
Fielding one of their strongest batting line-ups in recent memory, Bessborough 2s failed to deliver as they succumbed to a five-wicket loss away to Wembley.
Captain and opener Phil Bush lead from the front with 77, but apart from Sanil Shah (58) - with whom Bush put on 110 for the third wicket – none of the other batsmen could muster a significant contribution as the side was dismissed for a well below par 198 from 46 overs.
In reply, Wembley coasted to victory in 37 overs as all bar one of their seven batsmen chipped in. Young spinner Kibreeth Rameez was the stand out bowler for Bessborough with 3-43 from his 13 overs.
The defeat drops the 2s to sixth in the Middlesex County Cricket League Division 3, 24 points behind leaders Osterley but only six points behind Enfield in second spot.
The third eleven’s miserable winless streak continued with a five wicket defeat away to Old Actonians. In a rain-affected match, Bessborough declared on 206-7 after 47 overs. Top run getters for Bessborough were Dillon Maloney (51) with this second half century of the league campaign, 31 not out from his dad Julio Maloney and an excellent late order 35 from under 13s captain Jamie Young.
Not for the first time this season, Bessborough’s bowling attack lacked the zip to hurry the opposition who claimed the win after 41 overs having lost only five wickets. Skipper Nathan Theebaraj was Bessborough’s most successful bowler with 2-38.
In another weather-restricted game, Bessborough 4s beat top of the table S.K.L.P. to keep alive their own promotion hopes in the Middlesex 1987 League Division 5.
Bessborough skipper Sahil Hathi won the toss and put the opposition in to bat. After some early big hitting by S.K.L.P. the home side were able to apply pressure through the tight bowling of Majid Abbasi (3-27) and Ian Ridley (2-22), both players making their first league starts of the season for the club.
On 80-5 when rain interrupted proceedings, S.K.L.P. upped the scoring after resumption and made the bold decision to declare after 39 overs on 161-6, leaving Bessborough 38 overs at around 4.3 runs per over for the win.
Solid contributions from openers Simon Heaney (25) and Praekash Balendra (11) set a platform, but it was the big hitting Eddie Idrees (31) and William Gill (38 not out), supported by Richard Ward’s 24 that helped the side over the line with six overs remaining.
On Sunday a young Bessborough side were beaten by North Harrow at Headstone Manor. After being put in on a beautiful summer's day, Bessborough were bowled out for a hugely disappointing 105 in 33 overs. Five of the 11 batsmen were dismissed for nought with only opener Praekash Balendra (39) posting a significant score.
Despite a good all-round performance in the field, North Harrow were never in any danger and reached their target inside 30 overs for the loss of 5 wickets.