Great to have two of our four home-grown Middlesex pros available for the local derby last Saturday and they performed! Batting first the Midd reached 164 for 4 and then subsided to 188 all out. Joe Cracknell was leading scorer with a patient 72 supported by 48 from Pars and 24 from Matt Moran. With Crouch End’s quick and short boundaries and their strong batting line up, 188 looked to be below par but the feeling was that there was definitely something in the wicket for the bowlers and so it proved.

Max Harris (5 for 27) and another ex Junior, George Garrett (2 for 20), took full advantage of a track with lots of carry mixed with some uneven bounce to reduce Crouch End to 11 for 5. However, the game was far from over. Crouch End are a top side and fought back with two of their lower order offering stubborn resistance and hitting 50s. However, in the end they couldn’t overcome that early damage.

Alex Mc Queen (2 for 43 off 18 overs) produced a high-class spell of spin with turn and bounce. Max and George then returned to knock over the last two wickets. Huge credit to two other home grown players – stand in skipper Will Vanderspar (1 for 18) took the key wicket of Nathan Hassam (50) with a cracking leg cutter and Henry Howeld our stand in keeper took 4 vital catches.

Some action shots -

Bomber Harris in action -

Vanders bending his back; Queenie fielding -

Solid defence from CE; intense concentration from Midd fielders -

Last wicket falls to a slowie from GG -

Next Saturday sees Teddington 1s at the Midd for a top of the table clash – the Midd are currently 3 points behind Teddington at the top of the Premier League.
The pictures in this Article are courtesy of our good friend Conrad Williams who it was great to see on Saturday.

Here are all the Saturday results –
First XI
Won by 50 runs
NMCC 188 all out (41 over)
Crouch End 138 all out (50.2 overs)
Scorecard - https://northmid.play-cricket.com/website/results/5081182

Second XI
Won by 4 wickets
Crouch End 121 all out (31.3 overs)
NMCC 122 for 6 (25.1)
Scorecard - https://northmid.play-cricket.com/website/results/5081836

3rd XI
Winning draw
NMCC 247 for 6 dec (50 overs)
Brondesbury 200 for 8 (42 overs)[/b]

Scorecard - https://northmid.play-cricket.com/website/results/5082343

4th XI
Lost by 80 runs
Harrow Town 3s 268 for 5 dec (46 overs)
NM 188 all out

Scorecard - https://northmid.play-cricket.com/website/results/5082433

[b]
5th XI
Lost by 7 wickets
NM 238 all out (44.2 overs)
Finchley 4s 240 for 3 (35 overs)
Scorecard[/b] - https://northmid.play-cricket.com/website/results/5082881

Middlesex Development League XI
Unbeaten start to this Season's campaign continued on Sunday with a win against Highgate. Will Frais was in the runs again with 73 ably supported by Tom Francis (42), Louis Hayward (32), Henry Howeld (22). In Highgate's response Max Roxburgh, Gabriel Basden, Tom Francis and Alfie Buxton all took 2 wickets each.

Scorecard - https://northmid.play-cricket.com/website/results/4984910