WEEKEND REVIEW - APRIL 18-19
By Simon Heaney
Saturday 18 April 2015
FRIENDLY
Bessborough CC 1st XI 169 all out (35.3 overs)
Pinner CC 1st XI 99 all out (32.2 overs)
Bessborough won by 70 runs
Sunday 19 April 2015
MIDDLESEX CUP
Bessborough CC Sunday XI 100-2 (14.4 overs)
Kay Plus CC 99 all out (36.1 overs)
Bessborough won by 8 wickets
Perfect start
Bessborough ended the long wait for the cricket season to start with two emphatic victories on the opening weekend, bowling out the opposition for 99 runs in both games.
The traditional curtain raiser friendly against Pinner on Saturday got off to a decent start as Bessborough’s openers Adil Parker (28) and Hemmen Jutla (29) put on 42 after being put in by the opposition. However, it didn’t take long for the first mini-collapse of the season as the home side slumped to 81-5 with Pinner bowlers Rob Bonneywell (2-30) and Simon Pilsbury (2-40) making the inroads into Bessborough’s line-up.
Good lower order knocks from Andy Carr (25), newcomer Gihan Pallage (20) and former Pinner star Ian Ridley (18 not out) helped Bessborough post a nervy looking 169 from 35 overs. Pinner’s Dan Foskett (3-20) made sure it wasn’t more by swiftly mopping up the tail.
In the end that total proved more than enough as Bessborough’s bowlers tore into Pinner from the off, with each of them picking up at least one wicket. Only two Pinner batsmen, openers Bonneywell (39) and Rob Fells (12), made it into double figures as the away side were dismissed for 99. The pick of the bowlers was young all-rounder Kibreeth Rameez (pictured) with 4-8 from only 5 overs.
The Sunday game provided the first taste of competitive cricket as Bessborough hosted Kay Plus CC in the Middlesex Cup. This time around the Bessborough bowling attack got first go at their opponents and produced almost identical results, this time dismissing their visitors for 99 in 36 overs. Sherrick Chavda (3-9) and Eranda Jayasinghe (3-19) topped the bowling charts for the Borough.
In reply, apart from the early loss of Phil Bush (1) Bessborough cruised to victory with Kushal Patel (47 not out) and Ian Barrie (28 not out) getting the job done in a little more than 14 overs.
Next week there are two more friendlies against Old Actonians on Saturday and another important cup game on Sunday versus Harpenden in the Royal London Club Championship. Please make sure to add your availabilities to the website ASAP if you want to be considered.
Bessborough CC 2015 Fantasy League - Week 1 MVPs
1. Kibreeth Rameez 66 points
2. Gihan Pallage 65 points
3. Rohan Karkhanis 62 points