Wilkin ruins Eastcote’s chance of first win
MIDDLESEX COUNTY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
Ealing 377-7 Eastcote 250 all out
Eastcote lost by 127 runs
AN IMPERIOUS innings by Ealing’s Ollie Wilkin put paid to Eastcote’s hopes of making a winning start to their league campaign.
Following their promotion back into the Premier League after an impressive 2015 season, the Southill Lane side faced the somewhat daunting prospect of Ealing away in the first fixture of 2016.
Eastcote skipper Chris James won the toss and elected to bowl first, only to see the ball dispatched to all parts in an impressive and hard hitting double century by the former Middlesex staffer.
An almost chanceless innings of stunning ferocity, accuracy and power saw the score race away and ended up at 377-7 after the allotted 50 overs.
In reply, Eastcote started positively with Harpel Sagoo and Amand Lotay clipping along nicely at about eight an over and, after 12 overs, were slightly ahead of the required rate at 91 without loss.
Sagoo, who had been playing nicely, made his 50 before falling LBW on 54 to summon Australian Josh Sundberg to the middle, who kept the scoreboard ticking over.
At the halfway stage, Eastcote were 151-1 and nicely placed to take advantage of the good batting surface and hopes of an exciting run chase swelled in the ranks of Ealing and Eastcote supporters, who were watching on a sunny and warm Saturday afternoon. The loss of Sundberg sparked a minicollapse that the Southill Lane team were never to recover from as they slumped to 170-6 in 4 overs.
A worthy score of 250 all out in 49.3 overs was testament to the spirit and determination of an Eastcote team who fell short of the target but will take heart from this performance.
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