Last pair deny Eastcote after bowlers hit back

PREMIER DIVISION: Eastcote 238 for 9 drew with Winch-more Hill 216 for 9

Eastcote were denied victory by the last pair in an exciting drawn match with Winchmore Hill on Saturday.

Winchmore lost seven wickets for 49 runs thanks to another spirited fightback from the Southill Lanes side.

Eastcote lost the toss and where asked to bat first, and Scollay set off in characteristic style, producing a classy 26 before he was caught out,

Chowdhury (5) was soon followed by Chris James (6) and Chris Coleman (4) reducing the home side to 68 for 4. Jivan Lotay (39) was batting well and for a while he and Stefan James (10) looked comfortable, but a pre-lunch surge by Winchmore Hill removed them both and Eastcote were in trouble at 108f or 6.

After lunch things went from bad to worse as Phil Wise (5) fell to the catch of day by Varley and the scorecollapsed to 113 for 7.

However, the long Eastcote tail wagged fiercely as first Mark Collier (15), then James Corbett (31) and finally Paul Metcalfe (16 not out) supported Harpal Sagoo as he produced a memorable innings of 71 not out to take the home side to 238 for 9 from the maximum 68 overs.

In reply Winchmore Hill set off at a frenetic pace, with Adamson (33) and Horst (17) smashing Metcalfe and Collier around the ground. The loss of these two did little to stem the flow as Varley and Brown continued where they had left off, taking the score from 54 for 2 to 154 before Brown was finally trapped leg before wicket by Lotay.

The Hill now only needed 85 for victory with seven wickets and 24 overs in hand, but they had not allowed for a remarkable fightback from Eastcote.

James Gatting (5) was tempted out of his crease by Lotay to make it 162 for 4 and danger-man Varley was clean bowled, also by Lotay, to make it 189 for 5.

The visitors were still in the box seat, needing just 50 from the last 15 overs with five wickets remaining, but James Corbett topped off a fantastic first team debut with his first wicket to make it 193 for 6.

Then a magnificent pick up and throw by Mahrouf Chowdhury reduced the score to 203 for 7, and doubt crept into the Winchmore Hill tail.

This quickly became 203 for 8 as Metcalfe struck, then 203 for 9 as Thorpe departed without troubling the scorers.

Winchmore Hill already had enough runs to secure four points if the match was drawn, and the last pair decided that four was better than none so clung on for the last six overs as the home side were unable to break through.