Old Actonians V North London

Old Acts 200 all out in 54 overs

NLCC 202-4 in 39.4 overs

 

North London eased to their fifth win out of six on Saturday, with another away victory, easily beating a plucky Old Actonians by six wickets. After winning the toss and electing to field, the away side started brightly, quickly reducing the batting side to fifty for five. With wickets falling regularly, two in the opening two overs-the first to a cheeky Mark Askew stumping off Tom Wakeford- Old Actonians did well not to completely collapse. A mid innings partnership of 108 steadied their ship and they finished well with a respectable two hundred dead. Of the bowlers, no one stood out dramatically, but all bowled well with the wickets shared evenly. The pitch was one where, with application from the batting side, seam bowlers would struggle to penetrate. Tom Amedee was reliable as ever picking up 3-32. Tom Wakeford bagged 3-34 and Rian De Villers finished well with 2-20.  North London stuck well to their task, eventually winkling out the opposition in fifty-four overs, fielding in a dry searing heat.

 

Yet again the opening partnership of Swann and Johns started with all guns blazing, blasting a quick-fire fifty. When Richard Swann, currently in the form of his life, top-edged on 42 it might have felt like a failure by his standards, but gave the Crouch-Enders the running start they needed. A clutch of wickets falling left North London  84-4 at one stage, only for Mark Askew and Tom Wakeford to step into the breach, playing the partnership of the season so far. Under pressure Askew (58*) and Wakeford (61*) ran excellently between the wickets and had their fair share of boundaries and fully deserved their hundred stand. It was apt when, Man of the match, Wakeford punched through the covers to seal the win, six overs from time. North London finished the game well still having plenty in the bank batting-wise and plenty of over left. With other results going their way at the week-end, a gap of twenty points plus has opened up between North London in second and Harrow Town in third. The next few Saturdays, one feels, could define an exciting season.

 

NLCC

Swann

Johns

Green

Mills

Askew

Wakeford T

Hart

Toombs

De Villers

Wakeford B

Amedee

 

MOTM: Tom wakeford  for 3 wickets and 61 not out

 

CTK:    Mills failing with the bat