Cricket – Tidey’s ton halts Hampstead slide
Published: 29 July, 2010
by CATHERINE ETOE
Middlesex County League - Division One
Hampstead 243-3
Brondesbury 238 ao
ROBERT Tidey’s score of 104 not out helped Hampstead apply the brakes to a depressing run of seven defeats this season.
Hampstead won the toss and opted to bowl but Zac Khan and Hanish Patel unsettled the visitors, taking the wickets of both openers for no runs.
Mark Turner steadied Brondesbury with a half-century but Carlo Lourenco halted his progress on 53 and Joe Cotterell stepped up to stymie the middle order, stumping Ajay Sangha and taking three catches.
Brandon Buckley and Jon Lombard combined to halt Nick Brand on 46 and Cotterell and Patel saw off John Fosbraey as the visitors reached 238 all out.
Hampstead’s Tidey made short work of the reply, hitting 104 runs, including 12 fours, off 131 balls.
Backed by a fine half-century from Sangha and 54 not out from Tom Green, Hampstead drove home with a winning score of 243 from the loss of just three wickets.
One run agony for gallant North Middlesex
Division Two
Enfield 232 ao
North Middlesex 231-7
NORTH MIDDLESEX got their season back on track with a winning draw.
After winning the toss, skipper Evan Flowers elected to bowl on a rock-hard flat track and Darren Eckford looked threatening from the off.
When opener Chris Barrell went, edging behind for one in the third over, Eckford struck again as Neil Tilley (24) gloved a rising ball to Adam Holmes at gulley. Eckford then dispatched Jack Plumb for 24 to leave Enfield in a precarious position.
The visitors rallied with Mark Hanley and Kyal Bacchus-Brown putting on 73 but skipper Flowers took over from the Pavilion End to halt the home side’s progress.
Hanley (52) was stumped by Alex Hill after being tempted out of his crease by Flowers in his first over.
Bacchus-Brown (44) followed and Flowers made it three wickets in three overs as Patrick Blair (9) was also caught behind, leaving Enfield on 156-6 after 43 overs.
Antony Higgs and John Allen took the game to North Midd, and added 64 in the next eight overs before both were caught off the bowling of Jaron Semper. When Steve Richards was run out for two, Enfield were left on 232 all out.
In reply, Flowers scored 77 in an opening partnership of 121 with Adam Holmes before the skipper was caught on the boundary by Allen.
A succession of wickets followed, leaving North Midd needing 32 to win as Brad Sculley and Eckford stepped up. But despite figures of 33 and 47 not out, the visitors finished one run shy of victory.
Division Two
Brentham 214 ao
South Hampstead 169-9
FINE bowling displays by James McMahon, Amit Chakrawarti and Salim Mohammed weren’t enough for South as Brentham secured a winning draw on Saturday.
Brentham won the toss and opted to bat and Majid Ali helped the home side romp to 111-4 before he was run out by Nasratullah Mujaddedin on 44. Brentham maintained a steady pace to reach 214 all out from their 54.4 overs.
South Hampstead started brightly in reply but their steady progress was halted when top scorer Zeeshan Sialvi was caught on 43.
With the visitors on 92-3, Paul Atherley and Nish Patel restored some order with 20 and 29 respectively. The loss of Patel with South Hampstead on 158-7 proved a turning point, however, and figures of 169-9 were not enough for victory.
Division Three
HIGHGATE moved into second in Division Three after taking a winning draw in Barnes on Saturday. Syed Karrar claimed four wickets as Barnes reached 219-9 from their 53 overs. Edward Binns put Highgate into the driving seat in reply, hitting four sixes and 10 fours as he reached figures of 88 from 83 balls. Craig Gourley’s 48 not out steered Highgate to 201-9 from 47 overs, which was enough to secure a winning draw.