Highgate close gap at the top
Highgate moved within four points of the top of the County League when they beat division threee leaders Twickenham by six wickets on Saturday. Justin Lampard finished with a beautifully constructed 72 not out as Highgate
Twickenham 138 Highgate 142-4
Highgate moved within four points of the top of the County League when they beat division threee leaders Twickenham by six wickets on Saturday.
Justin Lampard finished with a beautifully constructed 72 not out as Highgate chased the home side's total of 138.
"It was great to bounce back from last week's disappointment with what was probably our best team performance of the season so far," said skipper Dave Benton.
"Andy Browne bowled beautifully and made life difficult for their batsmen and I was able to get enough spin to create problems from the other end."
Benton won the toss and decided to field first in glorious conditions, with Tony Duckett and Andy Browne opening the bowling in the absence of Syed Karrar.
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Tim Vanderpump took the first wicket off Browne's bowling and that was followed by another fine delivery from Browne to remove the dangerous Carey for 47.
Benton picked up a catch in the gully before getting a caught and bowled. Browne fired one through Storey's defences and further good catches from Sam Joseph, Will Clarke and Chris Fletcher left Twickenham in deep trouble at 105-8.
Four tough chances all went begging before Benton finally picked up his fifth wicket through a safe catch from Lampard.
Browne finished things off with a casual one-handed caught and bowled to give him his fifth wicket in only his second first team game. Twickenham were all out for 138 from 51.2 overs with Browne taking 5-47 from 25.2 overs, and Benton 5-51 from 19.
Twickenham kept the old ball and Highgate's reply got off to the worst possible start, with Jake Sharland run out for one in the first over. Chris Wilson and Lampard took the score to 67 before Wilson was adjudged lbw for 29, but Clarke moved the score past 100 with few alarms.
Lampard started to assert his authority with some powerful pull shots. But when Clarke fell to one that kept low for 12, Highgate still had some work to do.
Jim Denning played very sensibly, supporting Lampard through to a well-deserved half-century. He fell with victory in sight, chipping one back to the bowler for 14 with Highgate needing just two to win. Fletcher came in and smashed one through the covers for four to take Highgate to victory.
Highgate entertain Wycombe House tomorrow.
jonny.weeks@hamhigh.co.uk
