Hornsey 176

Stanmore 177-7

Stanmore made a winning start in the Middlesex County league in an all-day match at The Common on Saturday, with the highlights a superb second spell by seamer Julian Makin and a sound half-century by skipper Alastair Fraser .

After Hornsey elected to take first knock on a wicket helpful to seamers in the early stages, Fraser gained a quick success when he had opener Ian Johns (0) caught by Mark Dyson, making his league debut after joining from Kenton, with just four runs on the board.

But the visitors, riding their luck, reached 90-4 at lunch.

Opener Jones (62) provided the backbone of Hornsey's innings, helped by Patel (26) in a fifth-wicket stand of 67.

Then Makin struck back with a vengeance in his second stint, breaking the partnership by bowling Jones to make it 151-5.

Sevens runs later, Makin struck again, as Dyson took his second catch to send back Patel (26).

Only one run was added before Heap (2) became Makin's third victim, trapped lbw.

When South African Niaz Ahmed (2-6 off eight overs, including four maidens) claimed his second wicket, trapping Freeth lbw, Hornsey were 160-8 and had lost four wickets for just nine runs.

Dave Dunn (1-26 off 15 overs, including six maidens), drove home Stanmore's advantage, ending tailender Scott's brave resistance.

Then Makin (4-35 off 15 overs) rounded off his fine second spell by having Shuffelbotham (6) caught by Dunn, and Hornsey were all out for 176 in the 68th over.

It might well have been less, but a couple of chances went down, and skipper Fraser expressed his concern about some poor ground fielding after the game.

Thirteen proved unlucky for Stanmore, when opener Kamdar was run-out, but the home side paced their chase well on a slow wicket, with Fraser (50), who looks set for another successful season, leading by example.

Umesh Valjee (34), Rob Hesketh (19) and Rob Brooker applied themselves well, and there were some lusty blows from Ahmed (14) and Colin Sayers (13), before Stanmore won at 177-7 in the 54th over.

Freeth (4-45) was Hornsey's most succesful bowler.

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