Law's 70 shatters Richmond

1:30pm Friday 17th June 2005

RICHMOND were left wondering what went wrong on Saturday as they lost away to Winchmore Hill in a game they should have won.

The close match was only decided when ex-Essex and Sussex player Danny Law cut loose, hitting 70 off 46 balls to turn things in Winchmore Hill's favour.

Richmond strike bowler Craig Jones' back injury in the warm up was the worst possible start for the side who chose to bat first.

Owen Hewlett found some form, making 55 and Nick Compton 60 before he was run out, backing up at the non- striker's end.

Ben Griffiths and Richard Barlow batted superbly to force the run rate along as Richmond raced past 200. Barlow struck three sixes in his 47 from just 30 balls and Richmond declared on 280 for 6 from 66 overs.

In reply Nick Armstrong took Winchmore Hill's first wicket in the second over, but a second-wicket partnership of 97 set the home side on the way to victory with an over to spare Richmond second XI enjoyed victory over Hampstead at Old Deer Park.

Electing to bat first, they scored 192-8, before dismissing Hampstead for 182, with Ryan Connor taking five wickets.

This weekend Richmond are at home to Brondesbury.

TEN-MAN Twickenham held on for a losing draw at Edmonton on Saturday.

Batting first, Edmonton raced to 100 off 16 overs.

An opening stand of 130 was followed by a middle-order onslaught as Edmonton reached 319-4 off 55 overs.

Facing a required run rate of 6.7, Twickenham came out firing, with Mark Hudson blasting 54 and JP Cronje 49.

Simon Hawley added 38 before Justin Scriven stepped up the pace in a partnership of 85 with skipper Andrew Barnes (42).

Scriven made a half century, but Twickenham's hopes of a stupendous victory were ended by the fall of a couple of quick wickets. Scriven and last man Mike Barnes were forced to bat out the last three overs to secure a losing draw on 280-9 from 48 overs.

Twickenham are at home to Southall in the Middlesex Championship Division One on Saturday.

Brendan O'Connell spun Malden Wanderers to a thrilling last-over win against Dulwich in the Castle Lager Surrey Championship Premier Division.

Former Warwickshire spinner O'Connell took 8-69 as Malden won by 31 runs with just three balls to spare.

"It was a terrific game," said Malden captain David Gorrod.

"Brendan failed with the bat, but made up for it with the ball."

Earlier, Malden recovered from 25-4 to post a total of 225 all out.

Rayno Norval hit 96 and John Albert 45 in a century partnership for the fifth wicket.

Malden's next two matches are against the top two Reigate Priory on Saturday and Weybridge the following week.

KEW were overtaken as league leaders despite drawing with Datchet in Saturday's top-of-the-table clash.

Datchet batted first and their opener reached 119 in their 282-9 in 52 overs.

Kew's reply started steadily enough thanks to Paul Abbot (59) and Peter Wellings (30).

Datchet took five quick wickets before the umpires decided that the light wasn't fit for play and the match ended in a draw.

Datchet secured sufficient bonus points to leapfrog Kew at the top of the table.

Kew second XI went down to an eght-wicket defeat by Thatcham Town, while the third XI drew with Chesham.

ANOTHER poor batting display gave NPL Teddington's bowlers nothing to play with as they lost to Farnham Royal.

Richard Royce top-scored with 24 as NPL battled their way to 110 and when Alistair Darby took two wickets there was a glimmer of hope, but Royal cruised home.

Meanwhile, NPL seconds also suffered a heavy defeat against Slough, but the thirds took satisfaction from a draw with North Maidenhead.

For the fourths the notable performance came from 10-year-old Jamie Churchman who took two wickets in a six-wicket defeat.

Left-arm spinner John Daniell ripped Ripley apart with a haul of 6-37 as unbeaten Worcester Park stayed top of Surrey Championship Division Four with a seven-wicket victory.

Joe Hill took two wickets in his first over as Ripley limped to 161-9 declared off 55 overs.

Park openers Rob Waite and Hill hit 36 off the first five overs of the reply.

When Waite departed, Ed Southey (21) consolidated Park's progress as he and Hill put on 58 in 19 overs.

The South African finally fell to a disputed catch, but from 113-2 Hill pushed on to follow up his hundred against Kingstonian with a well-crafted 51.

Park wrapped up victory with three overs to spare.

On Saturday, Park take on winless Addiscombe.

Teddington Town gained a thrilling victory away to Aldershot.

Asked to bat first on what looked to be a bowlers' wicket, Towns' openers Ed Watchorn and Mike Tamblingson put on 33 before Tamblingson departed.

Gareth Simmonds (33) and Watchorn (43) then raced to 93-1, but a collapse followed. Gavin Baguley, making his 1st XI debut, hit a vital 31 not out as the visitors scraped to 167-9.

With not many runs to defend, Town needed a hero with the ball and Dave Barrett proved equal to the task.

He took 6-59 to run through Aldershot's line-up, leaving them requiring 14 off the final three overs with one wicket in hand.

Ben Moxon then grabbed the final wicket to give Town victory.

The second XI were beaten at home by Stoke Green's third XI.

Stewart Holton (32), Liam Capper-Starr (29) and Malcolm Hopwood (27) helped the home team to 191. Stoke Green then reached 194-6 despite Hop-wood taking 4-39.

KINGSTONIAN kept up their impressive run with a 133-run thumping of struggling Addiscombe.

The win moved Ks nine points clear of Epsom in second place, but they still trail Worcester Park by 19 points.

Maz Hassan hammered 128 in Ks' 246-6 dec, with Rohan Narse making 34 and Imran Khalid a fine 52 not out.

Matt Barnes then took four wickets as Addiscombe were bundled out for 113.

Ks visit Southern Rail & Kenley this Saturday.

The second XI's lack of batting form was again highlighted as they crashed by 114 runs at Kempton.

Ks were bowled out for just 82 on a decent wicket that should have seen them get much closer to the home side's 196-9 declared.

Matt Wise's side had struggled with the ball as well before Farhan Khalid (5-45) returned for a second spell.

Hampton Hill were beaten by just five runs in a thrilling game at High Wycombe.

Rob Fullicks took 4-54 and Myles Harry, Martin Aylett and Warren Carr each picked up two wickets to restrict the hosts to 214.

Tommy McLoughlin (51), Jamie Sherry (39) and Harry (31) led Hill's reply, but they were bowled out five runs short with one over left.

Hill seconds moved up to fourth in their league with victory over Chalfont St Peter.

Khartic Vijayakumar restricted Chalfont to 198 and went on to score the winning boundary.

Ed Taylor (53) and Mitesh Patel (40) enabled Hill thirds to pass the 184 they were set to win at Chiswick & Latymer.

Hill's Sunday first XI showed they intend to get their bands on the Bushy Park League trophy with a 106-run victory over Teddington Town.