Division One

A late fightback wasn’t enough as Ilford Catholic lost to Nazeing Common by four runs on Saturday.

Nazeing batted first and got off to a steady start against the accurate bowling of John Rogers (nought for 36) and Vince Mulholland (two for 30).

Nazeing began to up the run rate and posted a very competitive total of 197 for eight from 45 overs.

Arul Gopalasamy picked up three for 46 and Abbas Saleem was unlucky not to pick up more wickets from his spell of one for 38.

In reply, Catholic lost Ryan Naylor early, caught in the gully for one, before the Saleem brothers both fell and the score was 52 for three.

When Ed Tooth (44) departed, Catholic were 61 for five but a great stand of 80 between Arul Gopalasamy (26) and skipper Liam Mulholland (69 not out) staged a comeback.

With 48 required from the last five overs, Catholic took the game down to the wire with big shots from Abdul Wahab and Mulholland.

However with seven needed from the last four balls, Nazeing protected their boundaries to foil the Catholic win.

Division Five

Ilford Catholic Seconds lost to Potter Street Seconds by six wickets.

Skipper Martin Riches lost the toss and Catholic were asked to bat first on a green pitch offering variable bounce.

Openers Annanth Kumar (28) and Bob Marsh (44) started well, adding 44 in just 7.1 overs, and Sandeep Barot (29) joined Marsh and they added 65 in 22 overs.

Marsh fell in the 35th over with the score on 116 before Sulosan Thiru (22 not out) and Riches (31) added 57 in ten overs as Catholic reached 175.

In reply, opening bowlers Mukhtiar Singh (two for 27) and Anujan Thiru (one for 24) bowled well but a strong middle-order partnership took the game away from Catholic.

Friendly

A big-hitting innings of 93 from Wesle Benjamin helped Ilford Catholic Thirds overcome North Weald by 46 runs.

Catholic batted first and got off to a shaky start, losing early wickets. But Ashok Selvaratnam (21) and Benjamin brought the innings under control in an 18-over stand with Benjamin’s innings including a number of sixes.

Both players eventually fell and Catholic’s innings petered out from 145 for five to 170 all out.

In reply, openers Frederick Fernando (two for 12) and Louis Morgan (one for 16) responded positively by tearing through the North Weald top order.

North Weald struggled to gather momentum during their innings and were struggling at 54 for five at the half way stage.

Deepak Singh was the pick of the Catholic bowlers with four for 17 and his side were strong in the field throughout.

With North Weald nine down and 46 short, Morgan returned to claim the final wicket and rounded off a solid Catholic victory with five overs remaining.