1st XI League & Cup Round Up - August

A busy month with six fixtures saw the 1st XI achieve it's main goal for the season by securing the Division 1 League title and promotion to the Premier League.

A visit to Brondesbury started the month and, in what turned out to be a low scoring game, the team found another way to win. Bowled out for only 156 in 35 overs, it was the turn of the bowlers to stand up and deliver their best bowling performance of the season to skittle Brondesbury for 88. Fahim Baharami was the pick with a spell of 5-33, but was ably backed up by the others including Sanjay Mishra (3-2). (SCORECARD)

A top of the table clash against second placed Eastcote was up next. Normal service for the batsmen was resumed as we posted yet another score in excess of 300 this season. At 129-4 we saw a couple of middle order partnership that took the innings to a different level. Sanjay Mishra (109 not out) and Shlok Adurkar (42) put on a very quick 84 in only 13 overs to change the complexion of the game with an imposing 323 being asked of the visitors. On a good batting pitch the visitors shut up shop once they had lost four wickets, the game petering out to a winning draw for Harrow. (SCORECARD)

The semi final of the Middlesex Trophy cup competition saw the team in action away to South Hampstead. An opening partnership of 198 between Shlok Adurkar (87) and a truly remarkable 191 off only 125 balls from Dylan Rawal saw us post 400-7 off 45 overs. The hosts posted a respectable 245 all out in reply with Fahim Baharami (3-51), Rahul Rajkumar (3-60) and Kevan David-Joseph (3-60) sharing the wickets. (SCORECARD)

Back to the league for what can often be a tricky game away to Wycombe House on pitches that can be difficult for batsmen. And so it proved. Dylan Rawal with 94 was the only batsmen on either team that looked like he was batting on a different pitch. We manged to reach 217 all out in 37 overs, not able to see out the full 45 overs. Arun Sureshkumar (5-22) and Jermey Christian (2-16) took full advantage of the conditions to spin the team to victory. The hosts losing their last four wickets for only two runs, as they were bowled out for 160. (SCORECARD)

The following game at home to Harrow St Mary's gave us our first opportunity to wrap up the league title. The openers, Dylan Rawal (61) and Rishabh Choubey (46) did what they have done for most of the season and got us off to the perfect start with another 100 run partnership. Many batsman got starts but no one made that big score as we closed on 294-8 off our 45 overs, leaving around 30 runs on the table. Harrow St Mary's featuring a mostly young side, put on the best batting performance we have seen from an opposition side at Payne's Folly this season. A wonderful run chase, with the winning boundary coming off the penultimate ball of the match. Whilst our bowling was generally poor, nothing should detract from their spirited and skilled run chase, inflicting only our second defeat of the season. With results going our way in other games, this confirmed us as League Champions (SCORECARD)

The final game of the month ended up being one of the few games in the entire MCCL that was played to a conclusion, as the rain finally arrived. Another five wicket haul for Fahim Baharami (5-32) meant we restricted our hosts Barnes to 228 all out in 42 overs. With rain affecting the game we were given a revised DLS target of 222 to win in 39 overs. The run chase was not straightforward with some assistance for the bowlers on slightly damp surface. Dylan Rawal rounded off a remarkable month with 81 off 49 balls at the top of the order. Sanjay Mishra with a composed 57 seemed to be taking us to victory but when his wicket fell with the team 172-6 there was still a lot to do. A totally serene and calm 50 partnership between Rahul Rajkumar and Arun Sureshkumar took us to what turned out to be a comfortable victory. Wise heads on young shoulders. (SCORECARD)

A really busy month, but one which ended with us achieving our goal of winning the league and gaining promotion. This team deserves a lot of credit for the way it has played this season, and how the players have conducted themselves, both on and off the pitch. Congratulations to them all.

One more league game and a cup final await as we look to repeat the league and cup double of last season.