Belmont & Edgware Cricket Club

Belmont & Edgware CC 1st XI played a friendly against Polytechnic CC in Chiswick yesterday. This game was treated as a warm-up to the Middlesex League game against Stanmore to be played later this week.

Polytechnic won the toss and elected to bat on a very green track which looked to offer something to both batsman and bowler. Aussie import Adrian Godlewicz and local hero Stuart Davis(1/5) opened the bowling and kept things very tight from the start. Godlewicz went for 14 in his 7 overs whilst Davis went for an impressive 5 runs in 5 overs.

Richard Ableson(3/18) and David Ritterband continued to apply pressure with Ableson making way through to their middle order batsmen dislodging bails on a regular basis.

Eddie Davis(1/16) replaced his brother David showing some fiery pace on the pavilion end whilst captain Richard Wienburg(3/9) persevered with spin on the other end and together helped restrict the run-rate. Ben Hilderbrand also finished with two tight overs at the end of the innings.

Polytechnic finished on 107/9 after their 35 overs with the help of some great fielding and a fantastic wicket-keeping performance from youngster Steven Shaw who is proving to be more than capable with the gloves.

Belmont & Edgware CC picked up their bats after tea with Nick McLeod and Eddie Davis leading the way. Both got off to a slow and steady start before McLeod was given out LBW. Jonny Reid took guard and began a solid innings not long before both Davis and Steven Palester lost their wickets.

Stuart Davis joined Reid and together they worked their way up towards the final total to help BECC win the match by 7 wickets. Reid finished on an unbeaten 27 and Davis 31.

A good team performance with everyone playing a role has instilled more confidence in the team for this week's league encounter.