Rain scuppered Bessborough’s away sides on Saturday but the Seconds picked up a six-wicket home win over South Hampstead.

Chairman Nitin Modha spun his magic, taking seven for 31 in Hampstead’s first innings total of 104.

Adil Parker (25) found the boundary but when he and Will Grogan (16) were out with half the job done the runs dried up.

Dejection followed as Tharshan Kanagaraj (four) was run out but the next partnership of Sanil Shah (24 not out) and Rishi Patel (21 not out) saw the side home.

Whilst Bessborough move up to fourth in the Middlesex County Cricket League Division Three, the Thirds lost their Middlesex 1987 League Division 1 match against Southgate.

Following a delayed start, Southgate’s Sarfaraz Hafiji (65) and Jeremy Dangerfield (78 not out) rescued their side after Bessborough removed the top order with two wickets apiece for Hamish Jeyacumar (two for 24) and Haroon Qadoos (two for 41).

Southgate eventually declared on 183 for five after 30 overs.

Bessborough came up short of the target as they finished 49 runs away from the victory line.

Bessborough won an epic tussle with Edmonton on the penultimate ball of their Dukes Chess Valley League Division Three encounter on Sunday.

Edmonton piled on the runs against Bessborough and only the bowling of Tom Newland and Kibreeth Rameez (one for 44) restricted their opponents as the opposition set a target of 266 from the full 45 overs.

Bessborough looked second favorites at 151 for five after 21 overs.

A late assault from Eddie Idrees (19) saw Borough over the line with a ball to spare and captain Alex Irani finished unbeaten on 52 not out to lead his side to victory.