Another week, another captain, another wicket-keeper and several changes in the team. Against Harrow Adam Holmes captained for the first time (Ed Lake away and Greg back to the Ones) and Tom Nightingale, looking a little worse for wear, behind the stumps.

Harrow opners went on the rampage against Amir and Irfan plundering 58 off the first ten - depite some good bowling. Andre and Nick Packard slowed the pace, which slowed the run-rate. But it took a direct hit run out from Nick in the 20th over to dismiss the Aussie big-hitter with a fifty to his name.  Nick bowled almost to the end (3 wickets), Andre took one and Matt Dyke took 4 and gave away few runs. Harrow declared on 215-9 off 55 overs. Could have been a lot less...dropped catches again... And Zulfi made a mark with his sledging as Harrow's noisiest player shouted back, a duel which the latter continued unnecessarily throughout the match.

Another week, another excellent opening partnership - this time Adam with Tom Nightingale - and a fifty for Adam before being stumped in the 25th over, score on 100, going nicely at tea. Lee Carlin went a few balls later, bowled, but momentum had gone. Scott departed in the 37th, and Tom was stumped for a top score of 72 in the 39th. When Tiger was swiftly out, caught, it seemed that North Midd's only target was a winning draw. That wasn't Andre's idea. Sixes and Fours flowed in a partnership with Zulfi - one straight six must have cleared the railway cutting. A win was on; 8 needed off the last over - but Andre was bowled first ball. Zulfi and Nick scrambled four runs only - North Midd ending on 212 for 6. Close to a win thanks to Andre, but a comfortable four points against Harrow, who had started the day equal 2nd in the league with the Midd .

Brian Lake

Report on 2s v. Edmonton. 12th July.

Four wins out of five, and the Twos up to joint second in the table as we start the second half of the season.

Batting first, Edmonton struggled to 24 off ten with a near catch which dropped short to Scott at point in the fourth over being the only chance with tight bowling by Amir and G-Reg. The first wicket came in the 15th over - a sharp stumping by Sherlock, the first of two off the bowling of stand-in captain Gareth Davies. Nick Packard bowled unchanged from the Calthorpe end for the rest of the innings, getting a lot of bounce and four wickets, all caught. There could have been more... Two overs after tea, Matt Dyke took a diving left-hander for Gareth's third wicket, Edmonton struggling at 66 for 5. Nick kept plugging away - Maxwell Creese in his first North Midd game took a skier at mid-off. In one over Nick beat the bat with five balls - and the sixth was despatched - for a six. Matt Dyke took over from Gareth (for a 4-over spell) but, after being hit for six, then bowled the Edmonton top-scorer the following ball - total 120 off 41. Viral took a top catch on the mid-on boundary before the last man was out caught Sam Shepherd in the slips. Gareth took 4, Nick a five-for and Matt 1.

North Midd were chasing 161 in 49 overs - and for the first time the Twos had an excellent opening partnership of 68, Adam making 42 and Sam an unbeaten  58 - despite the threatening clouds which at one point led the umpires to think about offering the batsmen the light - Adam Holmes, safe as houses, with some stylish shots and Sam Shepherd brimming with confidence. Sherlock was first out in over 23, playing on. Lee Carlin (20) came in looking to push the score along, until lbw in the 29th over - 91 for 2. Maxwell (31*) had some trouble getting to grips with the North Midd pitch, but finished the innings with Sam when the winning four was struck in the 36th over - a win by 8 wickets.

Report : Brian Lake

North Middlesex CC v. Wycombe House

North Middlesex won by 97 runs.

On a windy day at Park Road and after some early morning rain, North Middlesex were put into bat by the Wycombe House captain.  Sam Sheppard and Adam Holmes made a steady start against an accurate opening attack all be it on a pitch that offered very little to the bowlers.  Holmes, looked set for a long innings and Sheppard was soon on the attack hitting 3 consecutive boundaries.  Sheppard however, was soon on his way, bowled by an inswinger. Soon after Holmes, having looked set, flayed at a wide one and was caught at the wicket.  Scott Richardson, making his debut for the 2s, was soon following Holmes back to the Pavilion, caught at midwicket off a thick leading edge. 53 for 3 and North Midd's top 6 looked like they could fail yet again.

But with Carlin and Lake at the crease,  the defining partnership of the match developed to take the game away from Wycombe House.  With Carlin attacking and Lake steadily accumulating, the  total pushed beyond 100.  When Carlin finally fell fo 64, the two had put on 100 for the 4 wicket and a good score looked achievable.  And with wickets in hand Lake and Irfan Tai set about the Wycombe House attack with controlled agression.  Scoring at ten an over for the final 10 overs, the innings closed on 264 for 5, Tai falling for a useful 29 and Lake declaring his innings on 97.  Oh drat!  (Perhaps in hindsight I won't be doing that again!)

With Gareth Davies in the the team for the first time, there was a new competitive edge to the 2nd XI. Bowling in tandom with first Amir Mapara and secondly Tai, The Wycombe House innings started disastrously with the opening pair bowled behind their legs by swinging deliveries.  The number 3, a Wycombe House first XI warhorse, stood alone as an agressive counterpuncher peppering the boundaries in unorthodox style.  Quickly onto 50 and reaching 100 when the score was only 151, he found only one partner willing to battle for a result.  With only 6 wickets down and 110 to win from 15 overs the game was in the balance.  Number 3 however, was tiring and finding the bowling of Andre Mishra difficult to play.  The breakthrough came when he was bowled by Mishra for a magnificent 102.  The final wickets soon fell, Davies finishing with 6 wickets, Tai with 2, and Mapara and Mishra with one apiece. 

Report : Ed Lake

North Middlesex vs South Hampstead

North Middlesex win by 73 runs

A day of high drama at Park Road saw the struggling 2nd XI discover some much needed form and record what was ultimately a comfortable victory against a strong South Hampstead team.  Chasing 238 for victory, South Hampstead were finally dismissed for 160 after a beligerent last wicket stand between an old war horse and young colt had threatened a North Midd victory by batting for 15 overs.

Winning the toss and electing to bat, Ed Lake and Justin Mylnarski looked relatively comfortable against a consistent but unthreatening opening attack despite the early loss of the debutant opener Sean.  Displaying some of the concentration that has been lacking throughout the summer, the innings was building confidently towards a useful total.  Perhaps predictably, the innings soon took on a more familar look as, following Lake to the Pavilion, Carlin, Mylnarski, Holloway, Mcveigh and McCabe all fell to poor shots or poor judgement.  Holloway was run out, un-done by the old Yes No Wait, Oh go on then, school of calling.  At 133 for 8, the innings was in tatters and another low score beckoned.  It felt like a nail in the coffin of the 2nd XI season.  Enter Viral Parmar and Andre Mishra. Viral, playing as elegantly as any of the top 6 could hope, drove, cut and caressed the ball to all parts of the ground. Andre, not a man for the purist, got going with an enormous six over cow and continued to pummel the bowling over the same fielder time after time.  Having caught a breath, North Middlesex finished their innings on 237 for 8, Parmar (57*) and Mishra (58* including 6 sixes) having put on 104 runs in under 12 overs.  Pale with shock, and aghast by the brutality of the turnaround, South Hampstead snuck from the field like a disenchanted rabble.

Despite the vegetable curry sitting rather high on the fielders' stomachs, North Midd. brought a new found confidence to the field.  With Parmar and Irfan Tai bowling beautifully in tandem, South Hampstead never threatened to get going.  With an early wicket apiece, the turning point came when their overseas was run out attempting a second to Chris McCabe at backward point.  With Dyke, Mccabe and Holloway all backing up the opening duo, South Hampstead wickets fell steadily until the final pair put up their admirable fight.

This was a victory that could so have easily been a loss.  In the eyes and attitudes of the North Midd. team this felt like a turing point, a lift from the doldrums of 133 for 8 to the exhileration of victory.  If it will be a turing point only the players can say.  It should be and hopefully it will be.

Match Report: Ed Nassau Lake

Photos : Cliff Tibber

Report: North Midd 2s V Hornsey, May 24 2008

Saturday saw the 2s suffer a defeat to Hornsey by 40 runs

Without a number of senior players, the Midd lost the toss and were asked to bowl on what can only be described as an interesting pitch. However, at the 1pm start time, North Midd only had 9 players.

The Hornsey openers, consequently, attacked Viral and Jake Pittman from the start and, together with some utterly dreadful fielding, helped themselves to a run-rate of over 6 for the first 20 overs. JP did manage to extract some bounce from the pitch to injure one of their openers; however, the good balls were seldom and runs flowed freely as Hornsey made the most of a lack of fielders and short boundaries. In a further twist,  Kieran ‘Mare Man’ McVeigh managed to pull a quad muscle and had to leave the field, thus leaving the Midd further depleted. Fortunately by then, the remaining two players had arrived, but North Midd still had to field the rest of the Hornsey innings with only 10 players.

Having gifted Hornsey 100 runs North Midd did well to peg them back as Hornsey scored only 100 runs in their remaining 30 overs. Mat Dyke and David Griffiths bowled controlled spells of spin and medium pace respectively, and shared 8 wickets between them.  There was also some great  keeping from Sam Little who, on a difficult pitch, stood-up to the medium pacers and claimed 2 catches and a stumping. In addition, the fielding improved as the game went on, most notably with a great catch from Shahin, and we were able to apply pressure during the middle overs.

Having limited Hornsey to 217, a gettable target, JP and Shahin started well against a steady but unthreatening Hornsey attack. However, JP gave his wicket away when well set and the Skipper soon followed him back to the pavilion. The rest of the top 6 followed in similar fashion, all having looked good. Viral played with some real panache and together with first Dipak and then Kieran, helped to consolidate and then take us past 130. However, after a rush of blood to the head, Viral gave away his wicket skying a catch to midwicket.

The lower-middle order then continued the trend of giving their wickets away and Hornsey won by 40 runs. However, a special mention must be made of Dykey who smashed their opening bowler for a number of sixes and provided great entertainment with his cameo.

Ultimately, even without 5 senior players, this was a game that was within North Midd's grasp.  Ten points was there to be taken but was instead served on a plate with whipped cream and strawberries to the accepting Hornsey team.  North Middleses lacked a cutting edge and ultimately the intensity to win a close game.  It was a real disappointment to fall so meekly. We have a nucleus of strong players who are more than capable of achieving promotion; yet we won’t achieve this unless we all take responsibility for ourselves and start playing attacking, aggressive cricket with conviction.

Match report: David Griffith