Ickenham remain adrift at the bottom of Middlesex County League Division Three after Joe Mannick’s superb batting performance was only enough for a losing draw against MTSSC on Saturday.

Mannick fell agonisingly short of his century, but it was enough for a point at Oak Avenue as the strugglers now trail second-from-bottom Harrow Town by 11 points.

MTSSC won the toss and elected to bowl on a greasy surface and opener Ross Berti led the way with a half-century to get the ball rolling for Ickenham, hitting seven fours and a couple of sixes off 58 balls.

Number two Daniel Pope, out for a duck, was unable to match his performance and instead it was young Mannick whose star shone brightest on the day.

He reached 96, including a stunning 10 fours from 97 balls, and proved to be the bedrock of Ickenham’s innings as they declared on 225, with seven wickets down.

Ashok Andrews bowling for MTSCC.

And they made a dream start with the ball as the very first delivery saw Greg Knowles claim the wicket of Niro Sritharan, Berti making the catch.

Knowles was Ickenham’s standout bowler, finishing with figures of 4-56, as only MTSSC’s Sharuvinothan Yoganantham (60 not out) really chipped away at the target.

There was only time for the visitors to face 21 overs, but they were able to plunder enough runs for the winning draw.

Lowly Ickenham will take heart from this performance against a mid-table side who are a full 33 points above them in the standings.

In Middlesex County League Division Two, Eastcote crumbled in their pursuit of Southgate’s 208 total to slip to a six-wicket home loss.

Second-placed Uxbridge enjoyed a winning draw against a Shepherd’s Bush side who sit just one place below them in the table.

Elsewhere, Hayes’ match with Sonning was abandoned in Thames Valley League Division 2B on Saturday while Old Merchant Taylors’ game at Reading seconds suffered the same fate in Division 3B.

Division 4A sides Hillingdon Manor and Ruislip both beat the rain, but not their opponents, as they slipped to defeats to Marlow seconds and Burnham thirds respectively.

Harefield’s Home Counties Premier Division One clash at High Wycombe started but never finished due to poor weather,

And in the Hertfordshire Cricket League Division Two, Northwood had knocked up 68-1 before rain stopped play against St Albans West Indian and Division Three neighbours Northwood Town lost to Totteridge Millhillians seconds.