Published: 14 August, 2014
by STEVE BARNETT

HAMPSTEAD missed the chance to go top in the Premier Division of the Middlesex County Cricket League on Saturday after basement boys Brondesbury took the lion’s share of the spoils in a frustrating draw. 

Having lost the toss the champions were sent into the field at Brondesbury’s Harmon Drive ground and looked to have taken the advantage as wickets from Jordan Price, Mark Jones, Steve Clarke and Mubasher Hassan left the hosts struggling at 66-4. Brondesbury were in a precarious position but a 102-run partnership between Hugh Gimber and Tom Shaw turned the innings around, leading them to 168-5. 

Clarke removed the pair in quick succession, with Shaw falling one short of his half-century and Gimber scoring 34. But a late innings of 43 from Adam Wilson helped Brondesbury push on to 261 all out off 60.4 overs. 

Skipper Clarke was the pick of the Hampstead bowlers as he claimed five wickets for 60. 

He was less effective with the bat, though, and departed for a duck at the start of the innings, while his replacement Hassan could only add six runs before being caught by Alex Shoff off Robert Nelson. 

Coming in at No 4 Ragheb Aga started brightly with 14 off 12 balls but he was then caught by James Overy off Sam Smith to leave Hampstead struggling on 44-3. Opener Archie Fellowes and Freddie Fairhead added 51 together but 95-3 quickly became 95-5 as Nelson removed Fellowes for 35 and Matt Kabir, who came and went without scoring. 

Fairhead continued to give Clarke’s side a small glimmer of hope of taking all 10 points as he hit 72 off 77 balls before being trapped lbw by John Fosbraey. 

In the end Hampstead finished behind the run-rate on 196-8 when their 59 overs elapsed, leaving them with just a point for their efforts.