Ealing 5th XI Vs Highgate IV

Ealing players:

M Ripley (captain), C Taylor, W Grigg, W Ali, T Sahota, M Cassidy, S Hashmi, S Singh Rattan, J Lindley, A Singh, D McCarthy

Toss:

Highgate won the toss and elected to bowl

Ealing Score

189 in 48.2 overs

Highgate Score

116 all out in 36 overs

Result

Ealing won by 73 runs

Match Report

Highgate won the toss and put Ealing into bat. Ealing lost Cliff Taylor (18) in the 9th over with only 23 runs on the board but Waqar Ali (58) and Tanjeet Sahota (28) put on 95 runs for the second wicket in just 20 overs. The turning point came when Highgate switched to their slow bowlers precipitating our customary mid-innings collapse. We slumped from 118-1 after 28 overs to 133-5 after 35 overs. The wicket was producing some uneven bounce and eventually Ealing struggled to 189 all out off 48.2 overs with Mike Cassidy (21) and Mike Ripley (12) putting on a quick 33 for the 8th wicket in the last few overs.

Dave McCarthy (1-35) opened the bowling and soon produced one of his magic balls which flicked the opener's off stump. John Lindley (2-31) had some success at the other end but both openers were unable to tie Highgate down who needed just 167 off 43 overs for a winning draw. Ealing turned to the off-spin of Mike Cassidy (2-20) who bowled Highgate's number 4 with a shooter on his first ball and won a LBW appeal on the first ball of his second over. Highgate had collapsed from 32-1 off 11 overs to 64-6 after 22 overs. But with at least another 21 overs to go and 2 aggressive batsmen at the crease, the stage was set for an exciting finale. Highgate made good progress putting on 37 runs in the next 9 overs before Amandeep Singh made the vital breakthrough removing the last 2 danger batsmen and leaving Ealing just two wickets short of the full 10 points. Highgate switched from pushing for victory to blocking out. Their strategy did not work: Amandeep (3-23) found the edge of Highgate's number 9 (beautifully pouched by a lunging Will Grigg) and Mike Ripley (1-13 removed the last batsman with a yorker. Highgate were all out for 116 off 37 overs.

10 points and Ealing 5th XI's promotion campaign continues!

Southgate next week and another must win game before we face promotion rivals Winchmore Hill and Uxbridge.