Railway Taverners CC 216-8 (40 overs)
Belmont & Edgware CC 220-3 (31.2 overs)
Belmont & Edgware CC win by 7 wickets
Although by no means at full strength, Belmont arrived at North Middlesex CC to play Railway Taverners CC off the back of a convincing win the previous Sunday.
For the first time this season, captain Jacobs lost the toss and was predictably asked to bowl on a small oval with a lightning fast outfield.
Shorn of a number of bowlers, BECC were forced to open with Jacobs and Evans. Both bowled well, but were punished by Taverners' dangerous no.1, Reilly, who hit the ball powerfully and swung through the line to launch a number of straight sixes. Meanwhile, his partner, James, seemed intent on batting out the overs and occupying the crease.
By the 10th over, the pair were becoming increasingly concerning to BECC. However, just as heads were starting to drop, Jacobs managed to nip a slower ball back through Reilly's gate to pick up a crucial wicket and precipitate a mini-collapse.
Taverners' no. 3, Davies, fell soon after when Kay, bowling for the first time this season, took a smart opportunity off his own bowling. A horrible mix-up led to the no.4 being run-out, before the ever-reliable David Kaplan managed to trap Spee lbw for a golden duck.
That suddenly left the opposition reeling at 79-4 in the 15th over, where they had previously been 57-0 at the 10th.
From a seemingly difficult position, Taverners did manage to revive themselves somewhat. Josh Reynolds, making his debut for the club, picked up his first wicket when he clean bowled the no.6 for 13 before Dan Frumar joined the party by finally removing the barnacle-like James for a well constructed 37; Kay taking another catch, this time at cover.
From this point, Belmont sensed they could bowl their opposition out for a low total, but this did not prove to be the case, as Taverners' eighth wicket partnership frustrated them. Powles, in particular, struck the ball cleanly on the leg-side to score a quick fire half century before he was finally bowled by the returning Jacobs.
Reynolds, finishing off from the other end also claimed a second scalp as Taverners ended on a respectable score of 216-8 off their 40 overs.
Belmont started their chase positively, with Altmann-Richer cracking a beautiful four past point off his third ball. However, this proved to be the exception rather than the rule, as he and his partner, Leslie Allweis settled into a policy of containment, diligently seeing off the new ball bowlers, until Allweis tried to force a ball off the back foot which kept low and lost his off stump. That brought the in-form Dan Frumar to the crease, who began his innings cautiously before hitting out.
Altmann-Richer and Frumar quickly put on 66, before the former was also bowled, for 15, to leave Belmont well-positioned at 75-2 off 14 overs.
Next man in, Jacobs, immediately attacked, hitting his first delivery for a four. Nevertheless, before the third-wicket partnership could really get going, Frumar was adjudged lbw for 43. Never slow to express his disappointment, Frumar had to be practically dragged from the crease before no.5, Jonny Evans, could start his innings.
Initially Evans scratched around and struggled to time the ball. However, with Jacobs playing fluently at the other end, he was able to take his time before finding his rhythm.
As the partnership progressed, both batsmen peppered the boundary and reached rapid fifties. Evans was particularly severe on bowlers missing a good length and also heaved a waist-high no-ball over the ropes for six.
Belmont completed a drama-free win in the 32nd over, when Evans cracked a four to end on 60 not out. Jacobs finished on 69 not out, having played second fiddle for the latter part of his innings.
