Harrow (193-7) lost to South Hampstead (197-4) by six wickets
HARROW'S six-match unbeaten run came to an end with a disappointing home defeat to South Hampstead.
Batting first Harrow never came to terms with a slow, low pitch and kept losing wickets at crucial moments just as partnerships threatened to blossom.
At 70-2 with Waqas Hussein and Luke Quinlivan looking set, Harrow seemed to be getting on top of some tight and disciplined South Hampstead bowling. But three quick wickets saw the middle order hand South Hampstead the initiative as Harrow subsided from 70-2 to 97-5. Only a 50 run unbroken partnership between Suk Bhupal (45*) and Avi Karia (22*) spared the home side's blushes as they scrambled to a defendable 194-7 off 55 overs.
The pitch was difficult to score on but Harrow's bowlers could not bowl as well as their South Hampstead counterparts. Too many boundary balls were bowled and although the run rate was kept in check, the bowlers couldn't build pressure by taking regular wickets. Thanks to 55 from Zia Sialvi, South Hampstead needed 93 off the last 12 overs. That they reached the target off the penultimate ball of the innings probably made the game look far closer than it really was.
Harrow's second string produced a solid performance away at Kenton that nearly gave them all 10 points. Harrow declared their innings on 278-7 with Steve Clarke holding the innings together with a fine 75. Kenton struggled to master Harrow's bowling attack and at nine down managed to hang on for the draw, giving Harrow the four points for the winning draw.
The third XI crumbled against top of the table Hornsey. Batting first Hornsey declared on 239-4 with Kevan David-Joseph performing with the ball, taking 3-55 from nine overs.
Harrow lost their first wicket without a run on the board and at 17-2 looked in trouble. This soon became 42-3, but Lou Nimend scored 44 as they tried to put partnerships together.
Johnathan Raveendran also chipped in with 29*, supported by Anil Karia (20). It was a battling performance in the end as they held on for the losing draw.
Harrow St Mary's (121ao) lost to Glaxo (139ao) by 18 runs
THE Saints missed the chance of ensuring Division One safety after suffering an embarrassing defeat to struggling Glaxo. Jayaratne took seven wickets to help restrict Glaxo to 139 all out, however the batters let his efforts go to waste.
The early wickets of Tony Wright and Nishil Patel went again before Saints skipper Gary Pettet was out LBW for the second week running.
After 25 overs, with the score on 75-4 Jayaratne and Jaimit Patel steadied the side until the former gloved a rising ball to gully.
This left the bowlers to try and save the game, not for the first time this season. Unfortunately, this time they were unable to save the blushes of their batsmen and the side was all out for 121.
