North Middlesex V. Wembley @ Park Rd, 16th Aug ‘08

North Mid racked up a vital win against struggling Wembley to ensure that the Division 2 promotion race will go to the wire.

Back from a week in Thailand, leader Sculley presumably won the toss and inserted the visitors on a wicket in need of a cut. Arriving half an hour behind time, your correspondent pitched up to find Brand and Sculley had each struck, to bring the influential Green to the wicket. He proceeded to look untroubled, and applied the old adage ‘block the straight ones, smash the loose ones’ to great effect. That was until Sculley found his outside edge, the chance pouched low by Holmes at first slip. Following umpire consultation, the appeal was upheld and Green graciously departed for 44.  After Brand’s usual 7 over, 1 wicket spell, and a few probing seamers from Flowers, spin was introduced from both ends.

Nethula worked his way through the rest of the Wembley batting order, with the script running something like this:

leg break, leg break, leg break, tossed up googly [stumps disturbed]        

From the other end, Packard, called up at the last minute due to Nicoll’s illness, wheeled away gaining appreciable turn, but no wickets. Nethula finished with with figures 7/38, in a fine display of bowling, the visitors dismissed for 145 in 47.1 overs.

The absence of Nicoll saw leading scorer Hill pushed up to open with Flowers. The pair got off to an excellent start, with Hill racing to a fifty featuring some typically muscular boundaries. Left arm spinner Grieg belatedly bought himself into the attack, and had Hill held at point. Creese strode to the wicket, having missed his chance to open due to a ‘comfort break’, and smashed his first ball to long on! Arnold (24 n.o.) saw off the hatrick ball, and proceeded to see the Mid to the target along with Flowers (54 n.o.), who reached a deserved fifty.

With Richmond and the Bush, both also taking maximum points, the two promotion places will be contested by these two and the Mid. The three remaining games will undoubtedly see some tense and exciting cricket....

Report: Nick Packard

North Middlesex CC 1st XI Vs Acton @ Park Road 2/8/08

On the back of the previous week’s reverse at Shepherds Bush, North Mid looked to return to winning ways with a home fixture against Acton on their home patch. The team showed two changes with Mylnarski (emigration) and Davies (broken arm) replaced by the returning Nicoll and Packard. Following overnight rain, the majority of the match was played under leaden skies, and featured an 18 over loss to the elements.

Acton won the toss and elected to take first use of the facilities, reasoning that their spin based attack would render chasing a tough prospect. After the first two overs yielded maidens, openers Fyle and Jones displayed admirable aggression against Brand and Sculley, mixing sharp running with crisp boundary strokes. Sculley (1/31) gained the initial breakthrough, when Fyle (22) was adjudged to have edged to Hill at the wicket. Despite this success, the ball was not beating the bat with its usual regularity, and the captain turned to his senior spinners Nethula and Honour. Despite being struck for regular boundaries in his first three overs, Nethula claimed the wickets of the confident McKee (15), whose first scoring shot had been an imperious straight four off Sculley, and Mehmood (4), bowled by the googly. At the other end, Honour was setting into a nice rhythm and achieving appreciable turn with his slow left arm orthodox, conceding just 23 runs from his first nine overs. Opener Jones now had his eye in and used his feet effectively to negate any turn and drive powerfully and regularly to the boundary, his only blemish when he drove a Nethula no-ball at catachable height to midwicket. Uncharacteristically, the Mid were flatter than usual in the field, perhaps beginning to show signs of fatigue as the season enters its last quarter.

Nethula continued to take wickets, his dismissal of Hunt (2) LBW shouldering arms to his second successive googly, a delight to watch. Joshi (2) survived the drinks break, but not much longer, as his sweep was well caught by Hill. Ghurnra (23) looked ill at ease initially, and was nearly caught first ball, but then proceeded to hit hard before one too many aggressive shot was well held by Maxwell Crease at mid-on. In the same over,  Jones’ fine innings was bought to an end on 74 by a smart stumping by Hill, and Ahmed ended at the same end as Brennan to be run out without facing a ball, at which point the score read 154/8 in the 32nd over (a healthy run rate of 4.8 runs per over).  The threatening clouds bought rain three overs later, a delay which took 18 overs out of the match, and led to an early lunch.

Following the interlude, Rauf (2) was caught to give Nethula his seventh wicket, and a frustrating last wicket stand was ended six overs later with Turnell (6) missing a full toss to see Nethula end with 8/73 from 15.3 overs. Brennan remained undefeated on 14.  A word of praise must also be given to Honour whose figures of 0/41 from 15 overs was his longest bowl of the season, he thought that it may have been the best he has ever bowled without taking a wicket-few could disagree.

The target for the Mid was 178 from 41 overs, which removed the winning draw option from the equation for the home side. Acton bought into action their spin orientated plan by taking the old ball and opening with two off-spinners: Rauf and Turnell. Flowers and Nicoll got off to a steady start adding 21 in the first 10 overs. They then upped the tempo, forcing Acton to turn to left arm spinner Brennan and seamer Ghurnra, with Flowers (42) falling LBW to Brennan with the score at 63 in the 20th over. Nicoll (23) followed in the next over, another LBW victim, this time to Ghurnra. Hill (8) suffered a rare failure this season, whilst Crease (25), promoted to no. 4, looked in good touch and struck five 4’s to give further impetus to the innings before falling to the returning Turnell. Brennan (3/43) was bowling full and straight, whilst the other bowlers rotated from the Calthorpe end. The middle and lower order North Mid batsmen all looked comfortable, but no-one hung around long enough to make it look like victory would be a formality: Nethula  (5) was bowled playing back, Arnold (13) caught on the boundary, and Wotton (4) also perished to an attacking stroke as the Mid slumped to 122/7 in the 33rd over. Brand (17) and Packard added 20 in two overs before Brand holed out off Rauf going for another boundary, the irony being that at the time 36 runs were needed from as many balls. Captain Sculley (6) also fell trying to loft Rauf (4/34), leaving last man Honour (2 not out) and Packard (4 not out) to see out the last three overs in relatively confident fashion as the Mid ended on 155/9.

The draw was a fair result on the balance of the match, with the Mid (1 pt.) pointing to the lost 18 overs as crucial to the way their chase was structured, and Acton (4 pts.) able to assert that they were one delivery away from 10 points. The Mid will want to look at their tactics chasing the target, and to improve on their intensity in the field to add the extra basis points that translate into winning matches

(see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rFx6OFooCs for inspiration). With all other matches in the league yielding positive results, the league is wide open for a team to make the title their own. Next Saturday, the 1st XI travel to South Hampstead looking to avenge the defeat inflicted earlier in the season.

Report : Nick Packard

Photos : Cliff Tibber

Twickenham v North Middlesex @ Twickenham Green 5th July 2008

North Middlesex 1st XI travelled to two season contemporaries Twickenham on the back of three successive league victories, with a healthy respect for their foes despite their lowly league position. Captain Bradley Sculley again demonstrated his improving skills at the coin toss, calling correctly and controversially (to at least some of his team mates, and most of the opposition) elected to take first use of the track.

As usual the Twickenham wicket looked hard, and full of runs. Flowers showed his intentions by despatching the first ball of the match for a glorious cover driven four.  Along with fellow opener Way, the pair ensured that the innings got off to a solid start as opening bowlers Scriven (fast) and Cassidy (steady) kept things tight until the 7th over, whereupon Flowers dispatched a couple of boundaries. From then on the scoring rate stepped up with Way responsible for some excellent singles, and both batsmen finding the boundary with some regularity. Paull was introduced into the attack and exerted some pressure, prompting Way (29) to drive to Scriven at cover with the score at 78 in the 19th over. The in from Hill (14) never settled, and Nethula (13) having made a busy start, was bowled. Both fell to Paull, reward for a disciplined spell of 3/43 from the Church End. The diminutive J-P Crojne was by now wheeling away from the Star Wars end, and Flowers, having reached 54, went to dispatch a leg side long hop and was stunningly caught at short backward square leaving the score at 124/4 in the 34th over. This bought Arnold and Mlynarski to the crease, and the advent of a very special partnership. The aggressive Arnold began smashing boundaries to all parts of the green, with Mlynarski sensibly realising that the field had been set back, content to give his partner strike. The pair added 114 in extra quick time, until the returning Scriven bowled Mlynarski for a valuable 37, and then Will Nicoll second ball. Brand (10 not out) joined the becalmed Arnold who was perhaps suffering from running so many 1's and 2's over the large playing area. Arnold managed to regain his focus, despatching Crojne for 4,6,2 from the last three balls of the innings to bring up his hundred, finishing 102 not out (73 balls, 8x4, 4x6). The Mid's total of 275/6 from 56 overs left Twickenham a tricky target from 44 overs.

Following a tasty luncheon break, Crojne signalled the home side's intentions in the first over of the reply, on driving and then pulling consecutive boundaries from Sculley. Brand was similarly despatched first by Crojne, and then overseas player Hughes (top scorer in all three MCCL leagues), but produced an away swinger with the final delivery of the second over which took the edge and was safely snaffled by Hill behind the stumps. Cronje (25) continued to bat aggressively until he aimed one too many attacking strokes and was well caught by Nicoll at mid off from Sculley. Skipper Nunes (11), having been dropped by Flowers at cover, then presented a carbon copy to give Sculley his second wicket. Nethula took over from Brand, and had the never comfortable Barnes (2) caught at cover by Arnold. The leggie then produced a beautiful googly which the Hough (0) could only edge on to his leg stump. Sculley followed this with the wicket of Paull, the only batsman so far who had shown any application, feathering an outswinger to Hill leaving Twickenham in tatters at 56/6, with 29 overs still to bat. The home side found some batsmen with the application for the battle in Scriven and Nicoladies, who put together a solid partnership with the latter content to concentrate solely on preserving his wicket after an uncomfortable start against Sculley, and the former adding some powerful strokes, including a big straight six off Nethula. The pair took their partnership to the 26th over whereupon Nethula (3/39) pouched a return catch from Scriven (28). Sculley rotated his battery of spinners to little further success as Vosloo joined Nicoladies, and despite some communication problems (between the wickets) built another stubborn partnership. With the Mid looking flat in the field, the Skipper took responsibility and re-entered the attack to claim Vosloo (24) caught again by Hill. Nicoll provided another vital breakthrough, produced a devastating arm ball which swung appreciably to unsettle Nicoladies' leg stump for a valiant 31 (68 balls). With the overs counting down, last man Cassidy joined Ryan. The pair looked relatively untroubled, until Sculley (5/46) caught the outside edge of Ryan's bat and Brand took a smart catch at gully to seal a deserved victory by a margin of 121 runs.

With all five league fixtures yielding positive results over the weekend, and nearest rivals South Hampstead beating 3rd placed (at the start of play) Harrow, the Mid remain 5 points clear at the top, with Sheperds Bush 18 points behind in 3rd place. The return fixtures begin next week with a short journey to North London.

Report : Nick Packard

North Middlesex v. Richmond 28/6/08 @ Park Road

On a beautiful sunny summers afternoon, the Mid entertained the second former Premier league side of the season, Richmond. Captain Sculley, much to his surprise, won the coin toss, and elected to bowl first on a well grassed deck. Richmond got off to a sound start with a mixture of good running and powerful boundaries by Hewlett and Compton. The bowling remained disciplined, with Brand and Sculley continuing to bowl full and straight. As usual, once the lacquer was removed from the new ball and he gained rhythm, Sculley started to trouble the batsman, with Hewlett being cleaned up for 22 in the 11th over. Brand followed this in the next over with a peach of a delivery to dismiss former NMCC player Ben Griffiths first ball. Following the completion of Brand’s seven over spell (1/30), Davies (1/37 from 12 overs) took up the attack from the pavilion end with his medium paced swingers. In his first over, Compton (27) aimed an undistinguished swipe to midwicket and was smartly stumped by Hill. This flurry of wicket taking bought together Price and Balch, with the former determined to leave anything not hitting the stumps, and the latter showing dogged determination in the face of continued tight bowling (overs 16 to 28 bought only 19 runs). Price gradually expanded his game and played some excellent drives, as the pair took their partnership to 70 before Balch, attempted perhaps his first genuine attacking stroke, was finely caught at long off by Shepherd for 10 (from 55 balls) off Kiwi leggie Nethula. Alexander was caught by the flying Holmes at midwicket from the returning captain, and Price who continued to play outstandingly, was only kept company by young keeper Griffiths (23). Price eventually fell to a good delivery from Sculley which disturbed his stumps for an unfortunate, and chanceless, 99 (15 x 4), his innings of the highest class and an example to all, mixing patience and expansive strokes as the situation demanded. The lower order folded to Nethula (3/32), and a run out (Way/Hill) left the final score at a round 200 from 50 overs. The captain once again set the example with the ball finishing with 4/77 from 19 overs. The other pleasing aspect of the innings from the home side’s perspective being the excellent standard of fielding (all catches were held), and only 3 extras (1 no-ball [from a spinner!], 1 bye, and 1 leg bye).

The Mid knew that building partnerships would be key to knocking off the score, and had little idea of the potency of the visiting attack, not having been in the same league for several years. The Flowers/Way opening combination, as usual this season, ensured that a solid start was gained against the pace of Kinder and the outswingers (with the keeper up) of Sikander. With the score on 24 Way (12) fell plumb LBW, attempting to drive across the line, in the 10th over. Keeper Hill joined Flowers and his first scoring shot was a forward defence which raced to the boundary from Kinder, the shot of the day. The pair added 26 whereupon the well set Flowers (watched by his parents visiting from Australia) gifted Compton a wicket, pulling a long hop to deep backward square for 23. At 50/2 in the 19th over, a further 150 runs were required from the remaining 31 overs. The in form Hill, alongside Nethula, took an aggressive approach to what was looking a limited attack. Pressure was exerted on the bowlers and fielders with a combination of good running and forceful stroke play by the pair. The batsmen did not let the bowlers settle, with Hill taking 11 of captain Stephenson’s first over, and Nethula, following a lean spell with the bat, began to regain his touch as he took advantage of the field being set back to rotate the strike. Hill, proving the adage that a real man makes his own luck, benefited from two dropped catches, one a caught and bowled off Compton, the other by the unfortunate Ben Griffiths at mid off. He reached a run a ball fifty, his first of the season, and continued towards the victory target. The returning victorious 2nd and 3rd XI players joined the crowd to watch Hill greet Kinder’s second spell with two thumping fours through the off side, whereupon a straight delivery cleaned him up for an excellent 91 (100 balls, 11 x  4, 1 x 5). With 12 required for victory Mlynarski (4 n.o.) joined Nethula (55 n.o.) who finished off the chase in the 45th over with a rapturously greeted maximum to claim victory and his own first league fifty for the Mid.

An ultimately convincing, but in reality hard fought victory over the most complete batting side that the Mid have encountered over the last two seasons garnered 10 points to retain the league leadership, one game short of half way. The first aim of the season, the avoidance of relegation, can safely have been said to be achieved. The table at this stage shows a five point lead over South Hampstead, and a 14 point cushion to third placed Harrow. The pleasing aspects of the performance were the discipline shown in all aspects of the game, and with the promise of increased availability for the remainder of the season, the next two months cricket will be vital in deciding the fate of the season. Next Saturday sees the 1st XI travel to Twickenham for a resumption of 2007’s successful promotion rivalry.

Report : Nick Packard

Photos : Cliff Tibber

North Middlesex rose to the top of the league with a comprehensive victory over a dispirited Wembley at Vale Farm. After the home captain Alex Greig won the toss and elected to take fist use of a grassed deck, the Mid’s skipper Sculley was reunited with first choice opening bowler Nick Brand. Following some impressive overhead displays courtesy of the nearby RAF base, Sculley struck first to remove dangerman Adrian Green via an athletic catch by Nethula at mid off. A partnership involving the edge and the odd good stroke developed between Shah and Patel taking the score to 35/1. Near the end of his age restricted seven over stint, Brand unleashed a well disguised slower ball to gain an LBW verdict. In partnership with Nethula, Sculley showed his customary control and hostility to take regular wickets leaving Wembley reeling at the 25 over drinks break. A fighting innings from Iftikhar, including a couple of big sixes off Nethula, were the only real highlights of the innings. Sculley finished off the Wembley batting order in the grand manner with a hatrick comprising two catches and a plumb LBW decision to rout the home side for 87 in the 33rd over. The skipper’s figures of 8/39 reward for finely exploiting the uncertain bounce and some indifferent batting, with Nethula and Brand claiming the other two scalps. The Mid’s fielding was also praiseworthy with all catches being held.

With possibly the season’s weakest batting line up, and uncertainty prompted by last week’s batting performance, early wickets could have caused flutters in the Mid’s ranks. Fortunately, only Flowers (6) disappeared early caught behind, and Way looked assured, with the ball regularly hitting the middle of his bat in defence and attack. Ex-skipper Hill looked uneasy at first, but decided on attacking the bowling. He put away a short ball to the incredibly short boundary on one side with a customary pull shot, and from then on the target never looked in doubt. After some impressive driving, Way fell to a slip catch for 25, and Nethula also perished with the target under 10 runs. Fittingly it was left to Hill (44 not out) to hit the winning runs in the 21st over. Messer’s Davies, Honour, Nightingale and Packard were left to focus on the post match tea.

The resultant 10 points garnered, combined with other results favouring the Mid takes the side to the top of the table, two points above Shepherds Bush, with six games played. The table remains incredibly tight, with only 13 points separating the top 8 teams, presenting an opportunity for any team who can put together a sustained victory run. 

Report : Nick Packard

North Middlesex’s second away fixture of the campaign resulted in a good win at Acton.

Once again NMCC’s Captain, Brad Sculley, lost the toss and The Midd were asked to bat on a pitch that, due to the wet weather conditions of the preceding week, looked likely to favour the bowlers.

Flowers and Way opened The Midd’s innings. A first ball 4 (off a full toss on leg stump) by Flowers was followed up with a near perfect leg-cutter from Acton’s opening seamer that pitched middle and leg and clipped the top of off-stump. The contrast in quality of the two deliveries proved to be a recurring theme in the initial stages of The Midd’s innings. Both of Acton’s openers bowled good deliveries, in good areas, on a helpful pitch. However they also managed to undo much of their good work by contributing to the large number of extras that kept the scoreboard ticking over for The Midd.

Having lost their other opening bat, Way, relatively cheaply; NMCC started to build their innings first around Wootton and Nethula, and secondly Nethula and Nicoll. These partnerships pushed The Midd’s score up to around 100, but, both partnerships ended at periods of the match when it looked as though the bat might be getting the better of the ball. As it was though, the Acton change bowlers continued to bowl well to cleverly set fields and batting proved a challenging, turgid affair. Nightingale, Hill, and Brand all batted diligently and patiently for The Midd and the total crept up from the 100 to the 150 mark at not much more than 2 runs per over. With overs diminishing, the remaining batters came and went as every effort was made to reach the 200 mark. This target was not quite achieved. NMCC closed their innings 192 all out in 55.2 overs – Brand remained unbeaten on 42.

Tea was served up by Acton’s delightful Gwen, Dallaglio’s final substitution for Wasps was watched, and much of the talk at the table centred on former England Captain Mike Atherton’s appearance on the Acton boundary during the first innings.

Sculley and Brand took the new ball for The Midd. Both bowled well initially with no immediate rewards. The Acton openers look determined and positive – however some confident early drives to the boundary proved to be about as good as it was going to get for Acton.

Sculley was first to strike (LBW) and then change bowler Nethula snuck one underneath the bat of the No. 3 to leave Acton 2 wickets down for 40 odd runs. It was at this point that Sculley recaptured his form from last season and ripped into the Acton middle order. Sculley took 4 quick wickets (caught behind, second slip, bowled, LBW) to claim his first 5 wicket haul of the season and leave the Acton innings in disarray. When Acton’s overseas player fell to Honour, with close to 20 overs of the match remaining, it looked as though North Midd would wrap up the win quickly – but Acton had other ideas.

Resolute defence from the 8th wicket resisted The Midd’s bowlers (and many bowling changes) so well that with 2 overs remaining the draw had now become the most likely result. However Sculley trapped an LBW in the penultimate over to leave Nethula to bowl the last with The Midd requiring one wicket for victory. With fielders crowded around the batter, Nethula had the final wicket caught bat-pad with 2 balls remaining in the match.

Report : Nick Packard

North Middlesex’s second home fixture of the campaign bought an encouraging performance against last season’s third placed Shepherds Bush. The Bush skipper called correctly at the toss and chose to bowl first, looking to take advantage of early movement on a well rolled pitch with an ample covering of grass. On a day of changeable overhead conditions, with sunshine and cloud alternating, and a consistent wind, Way shouldered arms to his first delivery and lost his off stump. Wooton joined Flowers for his first knock of the summer, and looked assured from the start as the pair got the scoreboard moving with a fine 100 partnership. Following the drinks break tighter bowling from the Bush bought about the downfall of Flowers (50) and Wotton (67). Nethula (17) played the spinner with his customary invention before skying an attempted drive to mid off having hit the previous delivery for 4. With the score at 140/3 from 40 overs, Arnold (75) produced an astonishing innings which tilted the match in favour of the Mid. He mixed powerful straight sixes with deft cuts and took 20 off Corbin’s first over to reach his fifty with a maximum. Nicoll (15) sensibly supported his more explosive partner, handing him the strike at every opportunity. The Mid’s 241/6 from 52 overs was an over par score on a pitch on which disciplined bowling was hard to get away.

The Bush innings got off to a reasonable start as Sculley bowled his customary testing spell with the new ball. From the other end, debutant Sanjay generated inswing and bounce, claiming his first wicket courtesy of a sharp catch by keeper Shepherd. A couple of further chances went begging behind the wicket, allowing Padbury and Watts to build a solid partnership. Sculley rotated his bowling options, and at the drinks break, with the total 90/1 from 27 overs, all results were possible. Immediately after the beak, the Mid’s spinners took control as Nethula bowled Watts (30) and Packard claimed Padbury (40) LBW. As the Bush continued to try and chase at least 4 points, wickets fell to attacking shots, with Nethula and Packard picking up 3/27 and 3/24 respectively. However, once the batsmen concentrated on preserving their wickets, the slowness of the pitch and the soundness of their defence ensured that time was batted out at 119/7 from their allotted 48 overs.

Overall, another impressive home performance from the Mid with the 4 points garnered keeping the team above their opponents, and 4 points behind league leaders Twickenham.

Report: Alex Hill

North Middlesex got their 1st XI league season off to a satisfying start with a victory over neighbours North London. Opposition skipper Ian Johns called correctly at the toss and elected to bat on a scorching early summer’s day. Openers Ridley and Godfrey-Wood played comfortably against the new ball producing a few punchy straight drives. After North Midd’s new captain Sculley dropped Ridley from a dangerous full toss, the unfortunate Brand had him plumb LBW next ball for 14, reward for a rhythmical seven over spell from the pavilion end. Shortly afterwards, Sculley himself won a leg before verdict against Godfrey-Wood (14). Mills batted patiently, with Johns looking more aggressive, striking a clean straight six off his opposite number. The probing Flowers and overseas leg spinner Nethula contained the run rate, before a rush of blood saw Mills (3 from 22 balls) sky a catch to mid on to give Nethula his first league wicket. Johns (25) followed soon after, courtesy of a diving catch by Hill at point to provide Flowers with reward for his tight spell of seam up. Left arm spinner Honour, another debutant, replaced Flowers and started a tidy spell from the pavilion end picking up Noutch (6) caught at cover by Mylnarski. This followed a quick piece of fielding by Hill and wicket keeper Nightingale which saw Gill adjudged short of his ground. After Wakeford perished to a well positioned catch by Packard on the boundary, the turning point of the NLCC innings came as Khan confidently strode to the wicket. He made batting look easy, striking five straight maximums, and in partnership with keeper Askew, threatened to take North London to a competitive total. Skipper Sculley juggled his bowlers to get the break through, which came via a second Hill/Nightingale run out combination to remove Askew (9). The one bowler Khan could not strike effectively, Honour, induced him to find Brand at mid on for a well judged catch. Without Khan’s 40, North London were looking at a double digit score. Their total of 136 was The Mid’s reward for disciplined bowling and keen fielding.

Way and Flowers showed how to bat on the wicket, with a patient approach to a pacey spell from Haffeji and the temptations of left armer Wakeford. The pair took the score to 45, whereupon Way (9) received a shooter from first change Khan. Arnold joined Flowers, who unfurled a couple of pulls for four when Wakeford dropped short before holing out to mid off from the returning Haffeji for 38. Nethula strode confidently to the crease and was soon off the mark, demonstrating his class by striking a straight six back down the ground. The Kiwi partnership took the score to 127/2 whereupon Nethula’s quick fire 32 was bought to an end by an unfortunate run out. Arnold (22) followed, and with Mylnarski and Nightingale also failing to trouble the scorers, The Mid comically collapsed to 134/6. Nick Brand marched to the crease and dispatched his first ball, from Noutch, to the boundary to seal what should have been a more comfortable victory.

The Mid bagged their first ten points of the season, and showed the necessary discipline in all three departments to build early momentum. With news filtering through that fellow promoted side Twickenham had racked up 321 against last seasons Premier League side Richmond, there is reason to believe that the step up in class may be surmountable this season.

Report: Nick Packard

Photos : Cliff Tibber