Belmont & Edgware Cricket Club (BECC) claimed their second straight league win – and third consecutive victory overall as they convincingly beat Gravely CC.
Captain Adam Morris won the toss and elected to bowl first, with all-rounder Scott Gerard, who already scored an unbeaten century with the bat this season, opening the bowling with young Elisha Lev.
Both struck early, but it was Gerard who did the damage, ripping through the Graveley top order and taking a magnificent five-wicket haul for just 26 runs, which included several catches behind the wicket from keeper Fred Nathan.
Going from 18-1 to 45-6 in a short space of time, by the time Gerard finished his spell, Zak Shipman and Adam Morris had both claimed a wicket each.
The innings concluded, despite some late order resistance, when Lev followed up a good spell with a spectacular run out, in just the 24th over. Graveley were dismissed for 96, with Nathan finishing with five catches.
In reply, BECC got off to a brisk start, with Uriel Lev and Ilan Selby opening up. Both hit several boundaries and ran well between the wickets, making the most of some loose deliveries. Lev was eventually bowled out with the score on 41, and while Dan Humphrey was adjudged LBW, Selby ended up on 59 not out. Aron Davis, promoted to number four to finish the innings off, duly obliged, smashing several powerful fours, with 17 off just 9, as BECC romped home by the 17th over, winning the match by eight wickets, meaning they now sit in second place in the North Hertfordshire League, Division Two table.
Morris said: “It was great to keep our momentum going and start our league campaign with back-to back-wins. There were a few standout performances, but what encouraged me most was how everyone played their part in the field. It was clearly going to be a tough pitch to bat on and every run mattered, and the performance out there to restrict Graveley meant we were well worth the win.”
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