Mill Hill Village Cricket Club’s 4th XI fell 18 runs short chasing a modest 173 away at Edgware CC on Saturday, May 20.

Well-placed at 170-3 with 10 overs to bat and set for an imposing total despite a slow outfield at Watford Town CC, Edgware’s “home” ground, a new-look bowling attack did brilliantly to wrestle back control and restrict Edgware to 173 all out. For that the Village largely had the impressive Syed Mujtaba Ali to thank. The opening bowler was brought back into the attack and he blew away Edgware’s middle and lower order. On a slow pitch, the right-arm seamer found enough nibble bowling down the slope at Woodside Playing Fields to finish with figures of 4-22 - all dismissals bowled - off six overs.

In response, the Village should have gone on to win the match from 110-1, with a half-century from Usman Humayun and 26 from David Hickey setting a solid foundation. But when the pair fell in successive overs, an inexperienced middle- and lower order was always going to be tested. Some lusty blows from Syed and Ken Shakoor were not enough to take the Village over the line.

Edgware CC take 30 points to Mill Hill Village 4th XI’s 16 points.