Edgware Down North London in Sunday Classic
Edgware secured an emphatic 2-wicket victory against league rivals North London Cricket Club in an absolute classic at Montenotte Roa to keep promotion rivals well and truly alive!
Having beaten Cockfosters in June and having secured 4 points against Redbourn after they were unable to raise an XI, Edgware had found themselves in a precarious situation whereby a win against North London CC could put them in with an outside chance of promotion. On a warm day, North London CC won the toss and elected to bat on a tired but still very good batting wicket.
Despite some initial tight bowling from Edgware CC, openers Alan O'Shea and Richard Dymond put on an old fashioned display of low risk but effective one day batting. The pair raced to 63-0 before Jude Saverus bowled Richard Dymond for a solid 33. However, enter Paul Frost the North London CC skipper who played an anchoring role with Alan O'Shea to put on a 115-run 2nd wicket stand. Despite a smart bit of fielding from Ananya Dixit to remove Paul Frost for 33, North London CC started to punish an increasingly tired Edgware CC to reach 234-2 at Tea.
At the halfway stage, captain Ciaran Hosty implored one of his top four to show intent and make a big score in what was going to be a challenging chase and the opening partnership of Ciaran Hosty and Nakul Jilka did not disappoint. Nakul was in particularly fine touch as the two set the foundation for the innings by putting on 106 for the first wicket before Hosty was adjudged lbw for 43. Unfortunately for Edgware they then lost two quick wickets as Shuraj and Nakul, 1 and 71 respectively left Edgware 133-3. Despite some fine hitting from Rahul Kothari in the middle including two sixes out of the ground, Sajith Sriwickramasekaran and Rahul then lost their wickets to leave Edgware in a tricky position of 175-5, still some 60 runs shy of the target.
However, in Raj Parmar and Dharmish Bhatt Edgware still had hope and the middle order batsmen chiselled away at the score reaching 211-5 before Raj was bowled by the North London CC skipper for 25. Still a few runs shy and with the run rate increasing Edgware needed a boundary and Jude Saverus stepped up to hit one of the largest sixes this journalist and many of the Edgware cricketers had ever seen, the ball travelling several metres over the club house into the car park. However, clearly high off his own supply, Jude Saverus then tried to replicate the six next ball only to find himself stumped and Edgware requiring a further 11 for victory.
With the runs now into single figures, Dharmish Bhatt flicked the ball into the leg-side and a run was called through only for hesitation to leave Dean Veerapen halfway down the pitch and the wicket-keeper with ball in hand. Luckily for Dean, the wicket-keeper panicked and a throw at the stumps was missed to give Edgware a crucial extra run. However, the drama wasn't over yet as Dean was then bowled by Paul Frost to give the skipper his 3rd wicket of the innings with Edgware still needing six more runs for victory.
Into the last over and with the Edgware players scattered around the ground with heads in hands, barely having the strength to watch, Edgware needed just three for victory. First ball, dot. Second ball, one run to Suraj Kerai (2 to win), third ball, dot, fourth ball dot. Edgware requiring 2 to win off 2 balls. The bowler runs in, Dharmish plays a square drive, it runs along the square and past the fielder, the call is two... and they make it home! An incredible finish to an incredible game and the Edgware players storm the pitch to congratulate yet another Edgware hero!
Somehow, Edgware are still in the promotion race and a win against Harrow St Marys will give them an outside chane should other games go their way! Stay tuned for the next one!
