Adam Jacobs produced the starring role as Belmont & Edgware CC registered their third consecutive victory with a six-wicket success at Southlands.
Two victories in their previous two games meant BECC entered their away fixture with high hopes. Jacobs called incorrectly for the third time this season and BECC were unsurprisingly invited to field first by Southlands' stand-in skipper Lenny Cohen, on what looked like a true wicket in bright, sunny conditions.
Jacobs opened the bowling but failed to immediately find his lines and lengths against the aggressive Jonny Kay. Meanwhile, Joe Saleh, running in from the other end for the first time this season, initially looked rusty having not played during his exams. Nonetheless, after the score rapidly reached 25-0, Jacobs induced Kay to drive uppishly straight to Philip Mayer at mid-off, who took a smart catch to dismiss a key batsman.
Saleh then removed Southlands' no. 3, Wolfe, shortly afterwards as BECC began making inroads. The other opener battled on for a few more overs but found his scoring increasingly restricted, before he was finally adjudged lbw off a Saleh slower ball.
Soon after, Jacobs, who was causing increasing problems, bowled no. 4 Cohen to leave Southlands 37-4. At this point, Belmont were confident that they might be able to bowl their opponents out for around 100.
Things did not quite materialise like that. BECC were frustrated by nos.5 and 6, Raj and Stain, who constructed an important, if watchful, partnership. They put on 53 together - seeing off good spells by Jonny Evans and David Kaplan - before Greg Mayer finally castled Raj with a leg stump yorker.
The next batsman, Weinbaum, was aggressive from the off and looked to increase the run rate. He took a liking to the extra pace offered by Mayer and Tilley and, as such, Simon Taylor was quickly introduced into the attack. He soon delivered, by inducing a high, wild slice by Weinbaum straight to the waiting Elliott Mayer at gully.
From there, Kaplan, bowling his second spell, took proceedings by the scruff of the neck by decimating Southlands' lower order. First he removed Mymin, who cut straight to Evans at point, before he removed the stubborn Stain, who had made a patient 42. He subsequently took a third, when he clean bowled no.10 Paul, for a duck. This snuffed out any momentum Southlands' had threatened to build and meant they finished under 150.
In reply, Belmont openers Phil and Elliott Mayer made a watchful start, particularly against left-armer Paul, who was bowling good lengths and finding some movement. They put on 26 for the first wicket before Elliott nicked off behind.
Phil continued serenely to 25, hitting some nice boundaries, before he lost concentration and spooned the ball to mid-wicket.
When no. 3, Jonny Evans, was dismissed in slightly bizarre fashion, by hitting his wicket having tried to guide a full ball to third man, Belmont were 43-3 and Southlands sensed an opportunity to win the game.
However, a 94-run partnership between Simon Taylor and Jacobs put paid to these hopes. Jacobs was the aggressor, helping himself to boundaries when balls were over-pitched or short, whilst Taylor was content to anchor the innings responsibly.
In fairness though, Southlands were hindered by their lack of a true fifth bowler. Nonetheless, by the time Taylor was out for 23 in the 27th over, Belmont were 137-4 with the game all but won. That allowed debutant Joel Freedman to make a brief cameo, before Jacobs hit the winning boundary to finish unbeaten on 64.
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