Central Area league match - Sunday May 6th

North Middlesex As (148-4) beat Regents Park As (74-8) by 74 runs

Taking advantage of a rare dry(ish) day in a spring of unrelenting rain, the U15s recorded a comfortable opening win against Regents Park. On the all-weather track, we posted a decent score thanks to 54 from Douglas and good 20-something knocks from Matt Starr and Jimmy. In reply the home side never really got going and Joe hoovered up four early wickets for just nine runs to ensure victory.

There have been some lovely summer mornings at Regents Park over the years, a cup of coffee in hand and the gentle roar from Lucifer the lion and his chums over the road. This morning wasn't one of them. Overcast, freezing cold with a gentle smattering of rain to encourage players to get on with it. And we've now got to pay for parking on a Sunday as well. However, many thanks to Mark and Brian from RPCC who were determined to get a game on for both sets of boys.

Matthew won the toss and decided to bat. The outfield was damp and heavy with, as you'd expect after the last three weeks' deluge, fairly long grass. This was not going to be a day for stroking elegant off-drives to the boundary for four. And so it proved. Matthew departed early, getting a good one from RP's opening bowler which went through his defences. Miles and Jimmy kept the score ticking along until Miles departed for 16, again clean bowled by one that seemed to nip back. Doug joined Jimmy at 35-2 and they began to score steadily, mainly with singles. Once he'd reached 20, Doug began to cut loose with some boundaries and two's. It wasn't particularly fluent or pretty but it was effective and with Jimmy the sheet anchor at the other end, they put on 75 for the third wicket, Jimmy finally going for 20 to a good catch at mid off. Doug had ridden his luck with a couple that were dropped but reached his 50. He'd been joined by Matt Starr who clearly wasn't up for doing much running between the wickets. He hit four fours off his first five balls and ended up with 24 not out off just 14 balls. Doug was caught off the last ball for 54 to leave us on 148-4 which looked a pretty healthy score given the conditions.

The home side never really got going. Fergus, as he always seems to do, bowled very well without getting the reward of any wickets. His opening three overs went for just five runs. At the other end, Joe bamboozled the openers, shrugging off the disappointment of not getting a wicket from a no ball, to take the opening four wickets for just nine runs. One was clean bowled, one a smart stumping by Jimmy, one a catch by Matthew (one of three he took on the morning) and the other a catch from Matt Starr. At 15 for four after eight overs, there was no way RP were going to win. George and Felix picked up a wicket each and Matthew claimed one courtesy of the best catch of the morning from Miles. A spirited seventh wicket partnership of 26 saw the home side reach 74-8 at the close, halfway to our total.

Roddy McDougall