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WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
5 WINS OUT OF 5 MATCHES PLAYED MAKE OUR BOYS THE CRICKET CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND & WALES
Superb cricket played by North Middlesex over the 3 days when cricket was possible, has taken us to our final goal, National Champions 2008.
After the first days washout we then won all the rest of our matches. We finished equal with Yately from Hampshire but our superior run rate got us through.
Results:
Match 1: Hatherleigh washed out
Match 2: Yately washed out
Match 3:Old Northamptonians 146/7, NMCC 147/6 (19.2)
Z.Azom 4-0-17-4
W.Armstrong-Fox 4-1-13-1
C.Nurse 30 retired
Z.Azom 33 "
C.Yorke-Starkey 30 retired
N.Friend 30 retired
O.N put a good score on the board, but it was a tiny ground. Zulfy with an inspired spell of bowling clean bowled all 4 of his victims. Will A-F also bowled an extremely tight spell as other bowlers were going for 10 or more an over. In reply, the top 3 all posted 30s and after 10 overs we had 90 on the board. It then took us another 4 overs to get to 100!!! Charlie Y-S saw 3 partners come and go cheaply until Nick Friend was promoted from his usual no.11 position to NO.7 and with Charlie they put on 43 runs to take us within 6 runs of victory. Nick hit his first ever 6 in his innings and modestly suggested that the boundary was in his favour, short. In one of the many emotional moments of the week Nick reached his 30 hitting the winning runs.
Match 4: NMCC 151/7 defeated Barton-under-Needwood 138/7
C.Nurse 30 retired
Z.Azom 33 retired
C.Yorke-Starkey 30 retired
K.Pittman 3-0-16-2
Z.Azom 4-0-18-1
N.Friend 3-0-22-1
Once again Zulfy & Connor laid the foundations with a 54 partnership in 8 overs when Zulf was retired. Connor was retired in the next over and Charlie Y-S scratched around for 10 balls before finishing an over with 4,4,6,4 off their diminutive leg spinner. He was ably supported by Joe Bridgland who scored 27 and Nick Friend promoted yet another batting position to no.6 scored 16 not out which included one of the most dismissive 6s i have seen, Nicks 2nd career 6. So, a nice intimidating score was on the board. Under 11 Mathew Cracknell, cruelly run out without facing, got his revenge when one of the Barton openers took him on in the field and was run out first ball of the innings. Bartons next 3 batsmen posted 86 runs between them and after 15 overs were just ahead of our score at the same stage of the match. However, an inspired spell of bowling from Kyle slowed them up and 2 good high catches were taken as they tried to hit him down the ground. The Barton innings ground to a halt at 138.
Match 5: reduced to 10 overs
Wakefield Thornes 67/9 lost to NMCC 71/4
A.Gole 2-0-20-2
C.Yorke-Starkey 2-0-9-1
C.Nurse 2-0-11-1
C.Nurse 18 retired
C.Yorke-Starkey 15 retired
Z.Azom 14
We ventured "down the road" to the no.4 pitch. It is used by Leicestershire 2nd team as their home ground. However, the rain kept coming & going and after 1 attempt to start a match it was abandoned. When it fined up we were reduced to a 10 over match. Once again an early run out (2nd over) of one of their openers, then 2 good catches from Will A-F of Arjun. Charlie Y-S & Connor bowled tightly. In an exciting & gripping run chase we passed their score with a ball to spare when William Cracknell turned the bowler round the corner for 4 when we needed 1 to win.
Not to many more finishes like this i hope.
 
Match 6:NMCC 126/5 defeated Leamington 101/10
C.Nurse 30 retired
C.Yorke-Starkey 30 ret
Z.Azom 25
J.Bridgland 14
N.Friend 4-0-16-2
C.Nurse 3.2-0-14-2
The weather cleared in the afternoon as were to play our first match on the main square against another undefeated team. Connor & Zulfy once again got us off to a great start with a 56 partnership. Connor was magnificent, hitting everything along the ground on the much larger outfield. It was a joy to watch him continually find the gaps and run Leamington ragged. Charlie Y-S came in and played a beautiful innings with some magnificent drives for his 30 and we finished on the highest score that had been posted on the larger no. 1 pitch. The previous was 101. Once again an early wicket with Connor picking one up on the 3rd ball of the first over. our fielding was magnificent as we ground the opposition down. Nick & Charlie Y-S bowled well, with nothing more than a 2 hit off them. It was just a joy to watch this performance in this wonderful setting.
Match 7: NMCC 123/6 defeated Sherringham 84/8
C.Nurse 31 ret
Z.Azom 30 "
W.Armstrong-Fox 31 ret
C.Nurse 4-0-12-1
O.Turrell 4-0-14-1
Z.Azom 3-0-10-1
A.Gole 1-0-1-1
Now it was down to 2 undefeated teams, Yately and us. We had to make sure we won and with a good run rate. Connor & Zulfy going along at 8 an over with Zulf being retired in the 6th over! Connor once again batting maturely and retiring in the 8th. Then the wobbles, Charlie Y-S failed for the first time, then Joe ,Nick & Arthur went cheaply. Will A-F, after being dropped from his customary 5 slot to 7 then played a brilliant knock with the tail, putting on a good partnership with Arjun and Kyle getting his first bat of the week scored a handy 8 to get us past the 120. A run out wicket first ball of the 2nd over and in no time Sherringham were reeling at 23/3. A great spell of bowling from Oliver Turrell with swing & movement of the seam kept the run rate down. There were 4 run outs in total and 1 boy was retired. Job done, 5 wins out of 5.
Yately defeated Leamington but couldn't match our run rate, so the Ken Barrington trophy was ours.
Thank you to all the parents who helped out with washing, minding, driving and all the other bits that made our week so much fun. the boys were exemplary in their behaviour and a credit to themselves, their families and NMCC.
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