Yesterday, Middlesex's Second Eleven and a representative side from the Middlesex County Cricket League went head to head at Teddington Cricket Club, in the first of two clashes being played this week, when the best recreational club players from around the county have a chance to impress against county players in two fifty over encounters.
Yesterday's clash saw Middlesex Seconds triumph, after the MCCL side had won the toss and elected to bat first.
Opening the batting, Crouch End's Joel Curtis looked impressive, batting aggressively to reach a half century from just 32 balls, before being run out for 57 by a direct hit from a bullet throw from Joe Cracknell.
With other batters struggling, Crouch End's Asa Tribe, batting at four, looked composed, and also also reached his half century, as did Amartya Kaul from Brondesbury, batting at six, with the pair reaching 54 and 68 respectively.
Some late hitting from Hampstead's Ben Lockrose, who hit 26 at more than a run a ball, saw the MCCL post a respectable 262 for 9 in their fifty overs, with spinners Nathan Sowter and Kabir Toor the pick of the bowlers, with 4 for 40 and 2 for 24 from their respective ten over shifts.
In reply, Joe Cracknell and Josh de Caires showed their class, putting on 103 for the first wicket, before Cracknell was trapped in front to the spin of Lockrose for a typically quickfire 59 off 49 balls.
De Caires then added 58 with Toor for the second wicket, before he too was trapped LBW, to Tribe, departing for 65 off 78 balls.
Blake Cullen, returning to action and playing as a batter as part of his recovery from a back injury, then fell for 4 in the 29th over, with the total on 168 for 3. He was followed by Toor soon after, caught and bowled by Tribe for 26, who impressed with both bat and ball, and the Seconds were on 174 for 4 in the 31st over.
Jack Davies and Martin Andersson then settled things down, adding 57 for the fifth wicket and taking their side to the cusp of victory.
Shepherd's Bush seamer Idris Otto-Mian then set off some late alarm bells however, striking three times in just sixteen deliveries to dismiss Davies for 37, Andersson for 32, and Sowter for just 2, with Dylan Rawal also departing to Richmond's Will Robertson for 1, with Middlesex short of their target on 255 and now eight wickets down.
Max Harris came in and bombed the winning runs, hitting 13 off 9 deliveries to take his side to a two wicket win, in what was a closely fought and very good contest.
The sides go again tomorrow, this time at Hornsey Cricket Club, and the MCCL have named a twelve man side to face Middlesex in the second of this week's encounters, with Joes Curtis, Asa Tribe and Amartya Kaul all getting another opportunity to impress the Middlesex coaches, having shone in Tuesday's opening clash:
Tomorrow's match starts at 11am at Hornsey and spectators are welcome to attend.
Middlesex 2nd XI
Middlesex County Cricket League
