Highgate top after nervy win

Middlesex County League

Premier Division

Teddington 118 all out
Hampstead 121-3

HAMPSTEAD secured their first win of the season on Saturday with an impressive seven-wicket victory over Teddington in their home encounter at Lymington Road.
Having won the toss, the visitors were left regretting their decision to bat first as Hampstead restricted them to a lead of just 118 runs off 38 overs.
Chasing a comfortable target, Hampstead put their previous two defeats firmly behind them as they clinched all 10 points with a winning score of 121-3 off 40.3 overs.

Division Two

Southgate 228-8 Dec
South Hampstead 89 all out

SOUTH HAMPSTEAD slumped to their first defeat of the season on Saturday in their testing away encounter against early league leaders Southgate.
The hosts dominated the early stages having been put into bat first. In a commanding display, Ben Hartman recorded a well-crafted score of 63 as Southgate knocked up 228-8 off 52 overs before declaring.
South Hampstead’s reply was brief, as they crashed to defeat, scoring just 89 runs off 36.4 overs to hand Southgate victory by 139 runs.

Division Three

Twickenham 157 all out
Highgate 158-7

TABLE toppers Highgate continued their resurgence on Saturday with a nervy three-wicket win over Twickenham.
Winning the toss and fielding first, Highgate continued where they left off last week with Syed Karrar and Tony Duckett making life difficult for the batsmen early on.
Duckett broke through with a sharp catch off his own bowling, followed immediately by Justin Lampard marking his debut with the first of three slip catches.
Karrar then got through the batsmen’s defences twice, and with Duckett winning an lbw decision, Twickenham were wobbling at 60-5. It didn’t get much better for the visitors as they struggled to a score of 157 all out off 42 overs.
In reply, Jake Sharland and Will Clarke started at five an over before both fell caught behind with the score on 37. Freddie Barrass came and went without making a mark on the game when he was dismissed without scoring a single run.
Dave Benton and Chris Fletcher compiled a winning partnership, with the captain hitting two fours to take his team past 150, and Fletcher striking the winning boundary.

Friendly

Washington 227-9
Arkley 214-5

AN inspired spell of bowling from wily spinner Eric Stoughton saw Washington edge a tense tussle with Arkley on Sunday.
Stoughton, who only stepped into the XI at the last minute, took a vital wicket and choked Arkley’s increasingly confident run chase, allowing the home side to run out victors by 12 runs in their testing 40 over contest.
In a closely fought contest, Pete Demetri and Matthew Cragoe got Washington off to a flying start as they knocked up scores of 56 and 59 respectively. Peter Kloss also hit an impressive half-century as Washington built up a lead of 227-9.
Arkley made a positive reply as they recorded a score of 101 for their first wicket. But man of the match Stoughton came in and changed the game for Washington when he claimed the opening wicket before completing an eight over stint for just 29 runs.
He was well supported by some excellent ground fielding from Russell Pendry and Kloss, who were all in outstanding form as Washington picked up a nervy win.