CRICKET ROUNDUP

High Beach 237-9
Thorley 218-9
(HECL Division Two)

MARTIN Gilbert’s under-pressure innings of 77 rescued High Beach from a dire position and set up a highly impressive victory over Thorley.

With the team in all sorts of problems at 78-6, Gilbert put his hand up and dug in for his team, boosting them up to a challenging score of 237-9, which proved a bridge too far for the visitors.

Nobody could have predicted the troubles ahead when Mickey Bear (36) and Chris Apps put on 58 for the opening wicket.

But an incredible collapse that saw five wickets fall in the space of just two runs changed the course of the game.

But Gilbert and Barckley Sumner put on 53 for the seventh wicket before 15-year-old Reece Hanna entered the fray, blasting 36 off 24 balls including three sixes to propel Beach towards a strong total.

The hosts’ bowlers managed to contain the Thorley chase but the fielders did not do them any favours by putting down a number of catches.

But with 24 required off the final over, Paul Glasgow stepped up to claim three wickets in four balls to end the visitors’ hopes of an unlikely win, while Mickey Evans, Bear and Robin Bear all weighed in with wickets.

Asian Network gunned down Hornchurch's total to cruise to a three-wicket win on Saturday.

Although the batsmen finished the game, a great deal of credit must go to the bowling attack, who all combined to skittle the visitors and give their batsmen the best chance to knock off the runs.

Ismail Patel was the star performer for the hosts as he emerged with superb figures of 3-14 off just four overs, while Sajid Mahmood and Waheed Mahmood claimed two each.

Meanwhile, the second XI trounced Ford in their Division One clash after posting a mammoth 279-7 in their innings with half-centuries from Shakeel Malik, Mansoor Ahmed and Fahad Anwar, while Abdul Rauf took four wickets to cripple the hosts' chase, completing an emphatic 118 run victory.

Waltham are preparing for the biggest game of their lives as they take on Malden Wanderers in the semi-final of the English Cricket Board National Championships.

The competition – named the Cockspur Cup – is the most prestigious amateur tournament in England and is open to teams up and down the country, with the final being contested at the home of cricket, Lord’s.

Waltham, who play in the Essex Sunday League, are the first team from Waltham Forest to reach this stage of the competition, having made it through seven rounds so far.

First-team captain Iftikhar Mehmood admits he can't wait for the game, which will be played at Waltham's home ground, the Peter May Sports Centre on Wadham Road this Sunday.

“We’re really looking forward to the match but we don't want to be too confident because anything can happen in a game of cricket,” he said.