EALING are through to the Evening Standard Trophy for the fourth year running - and have another amazing double in their sights.
Victory over Bishop's Stortford by 81 runs secured Ealing a date against either Wimbledon or Sunbury at the Brit Oval on September 7.
And they are gunning for a repeat of last season's heroics when they won the league as well as the Standard trophy.
The batsmen fired in Sunday's semi-final at Corfton Road, with Simon Hawk (52 from 77 balls), Chris Peploe (49 from 30) and David Holt (62 from 90) all among the runs.
A total of 260-9 from 50 overs always looked too steep for the visitors to better and Leigh Parry's returns of 4-16 and Steve Atherton's 2-32 put the brakes on the visitors' reply. Peploe also took 3-28.
Skipper Luke Stoughton told the Gazette: "It was a very good win because Bishops Stortford have beaten some good sides to reach the semis, including Finchley and Ardley Green, who are the Essex Premier League Champions.
"Our seamers didn't bowl too well to begin with, but our spinners made sure we stayed on top."
In the league, it is all about holding nerve now for Ealing as they enter the home straight with a fourth Middlesex County League title in their sights.
A five-wicket win at Stanmore on Saturday was matched by a win for closest challengers Teddington at Brentham and the gap remains just eight points with three to play.
Ealing at least have matters in their own hands and remain favourites with home games against strugglers Eastcote and Southgate to come before a visit to third-placed Finchley on September 6 - the final league fixture of the season.
And what a weekend that could be for the Corfton Road club, with the Oval final the following day.
But Teddington also have two of their remaining games at home. They entertain Winchmore Hill this weekend and after a trip to Hamsptead next week, they conclude their fixtures with a home game against Stanmore.
Stoughton said: "Playing at home is definitely an advantage and we have to make sure we get 10 points from each of the next two games against two of the weaker teams in the division to maintain or even extend our lead at the top.
"We don't really want to go Finchley needing a win on the final day."
Ealing were hoping local rivals Brentham might do them a favour by taking points off Teddington as they did earlier in the season, but it was not to be for the Meadvale Road club, who are relegated after one season in the top-flight.
Ealing know they cannot afford any slip-ups in the runin if they are to make history as the first club to win the title four years running.
Helping to keep that ambition on track at the weekend was Chris Peploe (pictured), who has been in fine form this summer.
The spinner took 4-25 at Stanmore as the home side subsided to 116 all out. And he then made 37 with the bat as Ealing made it home in the 32nd over. Stanmore's Nick
Goh did his best to apply the pressure, taking 5-55 in a fine spell of bowling.
Brentham's struggle to stay afloat has always looked like ending in tears and their sixwicket defeat confirmed those assumptions.
They managed to post 200, thanks to a half century from Hasan Khan (56) but Tedding
ton were in no mood to allow vital points to slip and they romped home to their winning total on the 42nd over. Jeremy Attfield top-scored with an undefeated 86.
Finchley, the only other team with title aspirations, could only claim a winning draw at Hampstead and suddenly look out of the running. Former Middlesex man PaulWeekes took 5-45 as well as plundering 56 runs for Hampstead.
A thrilling finale is brewing in Division two as Shepherds Bush mount a case for replacing Brentham in the elite division next season.
They claimed their seventh win of the campaign after routing North London by 123 runs. The victory margin would have been even greater had Moez Haffeji not made 72 after coming in at number nine.
Del Terblanche was the Bush top-scorer with 51.
The win did no more than keep Shepherds Bush up with the pace because both leaders North Middlesex (by eight wickets at Wembley) and thirdplaced Richmond (by 155 runs against South Hampstead) had wins to keep the pressure on.
The good news for the Bush - as they strive for a top-two place - is that two of their three remaining games are at home.
They play lowly Harrow and an almost-relegated Barnes before finishing just down the road at Acton. By contrast, Richmond must play two away (at Wembley and Barnes) while their one remaining home match next week happens to be against leaders North Middlesex.
Acton's potential opportunity to sabotage the Bush on the final day of the season may be their only consolation from a season that has not quite matched last year's.
They had to settle for a winning draw at Twickenham, although Keith Hunt's innings of 62 raised hopes.
With 18 points to make up on the Bush with only three to play, it will be a tall order for them to go up now - especially as they have only been able to claim four wins all summer. [25a0] Ealing's second XI need three points from their final three games to wrap up the Second Teams championship.
They scraped a one-wicket win at home to Eastcote after being set 262 to win.
Half centuries from Chris Elisha (62), Neil Fairburn (54) and Chris Wakefield (51) helped Ealing edge home with three balls to spare.
Brentham are almost down after losing at Brondesbury and Acton's losing draw with Stanmore makes them favourites to join them.
The table reads: Ealing 105 points, Brondesbury 77, Eastcote 67, Hampstead 64, Teddington 61, Stanmore 60, Richmond 52, Southgate 51, Acton 38, Brentham 22.
