SYED Karrar and Phil Brown shared all 10 wickets on Saturday, annihilating Bessborough's entire order between them for just 55 to clinch a 169-run victory. After a slow start to the season...

SYED Karrar and Phil Brown shared all 10 wickets on Saturday, annihilating Bessborough's entire order between them for just 55 to clinch a 169-run victory.

After a slow start to the season, Craig Gourlay's outfit have now taken 14 points from their last two games, having surprisingly held league leaders Hornsey the previous weekend.

Bessborough skipper Sherrick Chavda won the toss and elected to field, a decision which seemed to have paid off as openers James Warburton (7) and Jake Sharland (0) were immediately out caught.

But, having made 72 against Hornsey, Ed Binns was again on form with the bat, making a steady 45 including eight fours to steady the innings.

He was eventually caught as well, but Dave Benton and captain Gourlay continued the middle-order recovery.

Benton hit nine fours on his way to a half century, before falling one run later for 51, and Gourlay made a useful 28 to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Nick Brunner added 17 at no6 and Brown hit six fours in a knock of 33, the bowler excelling at the crease even before his stunning spell with the ball.

Gourlay declared at 224-7 after 52 overs and that total proved amply adequate as Bessborough's ill-fated chase lasted just 22 overs.

Brown was in a devastating mood, and the paceman took the home side's first four wickets in rapid succession, dismissing both of the openers caught and bowled for a total of three runs and immediately removing the no3 for a duck.

Chavda offered momentary resistance, crawling into double figures before Brown again had him caught by Brunner for 12.

The gauntlet had been thrown down, but Karrar soon proved that he was up to his team-mate's challenge in the attack.

The spinner took the next two wickets but, soon after Lawrence Horsley had overtaken Chavda's score, it was Brown who removed him for a top score of 14.

Brown finished with stunning figures of 5-13, but Karrar was far from not finished. A stumping by Sam Joseph, a second catch from Brunner and an lbw decision gave him three ducks in a row as Bessborough lost four wickets without scoring a single run in reply.

Karrar ended the day with figures of 5-12, remarkably eclipsing Brown's effort, as Highgate picked up their fourth victory of the season and stayed in the promotion hunt.