Belmont & Edgware beat Southlands by two wickets

Evans was extremely unlucky not to pick up a wicket but Mayer struck early by bowling Southlands' No. 2. The next batsman helped to steady the ship a little as he and the No. 1 began to build a partnership.

Wary of the fact that Belmont needed to find some extra overs from somewhere, Mayer introduced the part-time spin of Jonathan Field and he did a good job. However, Belmont soon reverted to their more experienced bowlers in Simon Taylor and David Kaplan. Both bowled with control and reapplied some of the early pressure.

Eventually, Taylor got Bean LBW for 25 and Kaplan removed the No. 3, also LBW for 24. Kaplan followed up his first wicket with a second as the No. 4 hit an aerial drive towards Elliott Mayer at cover who took a good catch diving forward.

Taylor bowled through and picked up a further two wickets against his former team in his seven overs. At the other end, Kaplan made way for wicketkeeper Michael Blasebalk. He took off his pads and tried his luck. His first spell in a while was mixed as expected but he was patient and his loopy leg-breaks managed to tease two batsmen out in two overs.

Kaplan then returned to the attack as BECC sensed they could dismiss Southlands. He delivered. bowling the No. 8 for 1. There was even time for debutante Josh Brennan to get in on the act, claiming the final wicket with just his second ball as Southlands closed on 93.

BECC's reply started tentatively as Elliott Mayer and Phil Mayer tried to build a partnership. They were looking comfortable good until Elliott was dismissed by an inswinging yorker that ricocheted off his pads and into the stumps.

Phil followed shortly after. Having hit a nice back-foot shot for 4, he subsequently spooned one up in the air and the chance was snapped up, at which point BECC were 18-2.

Field was given LBW for 3 and Mitchell Mayer was bowled shortly after hitting a 4 to cow corner. This brought Brennan to the crease and he, along with Evans, wrestled back some semblance of control. The pair both hit a couple of boundaries but then succumbed for 10 and 15 respectively.

Suddenly, having been in an extremely commanding position, Belmont were 60-6 and the tension was rising. However, BECC's more experienced trio of Taylor, Kaplan and Nick McLeod kept their heads and calmly guided BECC home, with Kaplan hitting the winning boundary with eight wickets down.

Despite the collapse, Belmont's strong performance in the field laid a solid platform. As the batting improves, hopefully further victories will follow.