MTSSC 204 (45 overs)

Ruislip 99

After starting their defence of the Middlesex Championship League Cup with a 105-run win over Ruislip on Saturday, Middlesex Tamils are faced with a major problem.

The league are insisting that rounds up to the semi-final are played on Sundays. Tamils have been playing in two Sunday leagues for the past five years, and are going to find it very difficult to field a good side to defend the cup. The next round is to be played on Sunday, June 28.

After winning the toss against Ruislip and electing to bat, Tamils found it tough going and were in trouble at 26-4 off 13 overs.

Then Gobi (52) and Sathes saw off the opening attack, hitting out with seven sixes and six fours in adding 87 off five overs to boost the score to 123-5. Baski made another useful contribution with 36, before Tamils were dismissed for 204 in 40 overs,

Gajan soon struck, reducing Ruislip to 5-2, before opener Bell (28) and Gatten (27) offered stout resistance in a stand of 60.

However, Tamils' master leg-break exponent Ganges demolished Ruislip single-handedly, taking 7-14 in 8.3 overs to dispose of them for 99.

MTSSC play Hanwell in the Daily Mirror Middlesex Federation Cup at Greenford on Wednesday, seeking a place in the quarter-finals.

Other results: Lynx Cup: Southall Dragons 116, MTSSC 117-3 (Baski 43 no, Michael 27 no, Sothi 24). Lohana III 180, MTSSC III 181-3 (Daylan 69, Mathi 57).

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.