Middlesex Sunday League Division 2: North London Muslims 156, Belmont & Edgware 101ao off 22.3 overs. BECC lost by 55 runs

BECC suffered a disappointing start to the Middlesex League season as a promising display with the ball was followed by a poor one with the bat.

Belmont and Edgware were put into the field and Jeremy Freeman and Stuart Davis tried hard to remove the openers without success. With the run rate at over five runs an over captain Michael Blasebalk turned to Richie Wienburg (3-19) and Neil Myeroff (2-22) to make the breakthrough. The two scythed through the top of the order and reduced the run rate at the same time.

All catches were held and the pressure began to tell on visitors. When they finished their spell Gideon Restan (3-21) and newcomer Jake Reza (2-21) took over and cleaned up the tail.

With just 156 runs scored off 36.3 overs the home side went into tea feeling as if half the job was done.

Unfortunately no one planned for what happened next. When the opening bowler marked out his run up most thought he was joking. However, when he reached the crease the ball was flying towards the stumps at a ridiculous speed. The other opener may not have been as fast but had a variety of deliveries to trouble the batsmen.

After 11 overs the score was 27-7 with only Simon Durban (28) lasting any significant period time. The slower opener finished with 5-16. When they were replaced by new bowlers the runs became easier to score but with only three wickets remaining the chances of a shock result looked unlikely.

Nick McCleod (18), Restan (10) and Myeroff (10no) made them worry for a bit but eventually the home side were dismissed for 101.

The two opening bowlers were better than anything anyone had seen in two years in Division One and they totally changed the face of the game.

The camaraderie in the team is developing nicely. The potential Jake Reza displayed showed that he will be a very important part of the team in the future.