Edgware break duck and record first win of the season

As the country basked in the late May sunshine, Edgware CC finally got into winning ways against a strong Southgate Adelaide side at the picturesque Walker Ground.

There was great energy in the side going into the game and when the captain, Ciaran Hosty, won his first toss of the year, the opener decided to bat first on what looked a quick and hard wicket. Southgate's opening bowler Conor Johnson would have been one of the quickest bowlers that the Edgware boys would have had to face in the last few years but both openers played him well as they raced to 57-0. However, Ciaran soon fell for 17 after driving a slower ball from Johnson up in the air and into the safe hands at cover.

Despite the set back, Nakul Jilka continued to play his strokes in what was turning out to be a career defining innings. It wasn't too long until the Edgware keeper registered his maiden fifty after dispatching a rank full toss for six off an inexperienced first change spinner. Unfortunately though for Nakul, there would be no three figures, as just 9 runs later he was caught on the mid-wicket boundary for a sparkling 59.

Enter then, Sajith Sriwickramasekaran, who's golden summer with the bat looked destined to continue after being dropped on 0 after just a handful of deliveries at the crease. The Sri-Lankan maestro played a patient and mature innings as he and Sunny Halai rebuilt the Edgware innings, pushing the score towards the 170 mark.

Sunny, who was playing a wonderful innings of his own was then caught of the bowling of Richard Elwood for 47, his best score in Edgware colours but agonisingly close to what would have been a well deserved fifty. One wicket so often brings two and this day was no exception as Dharmish was plum lbw second ball of his innings, again to Richard Elwood as Edgware were reduced to 173-4 with 10 overs left in the innings.

Sajith Sriwickramasekaran and Aakash Shukal then pushed on in the final 8 overs, adding 46 runs for the 5th wicket partnership and elevating Edgware's score to 219-4 off the allotted 40 overs. Sajith Sriwickramasekaran finished on 54 not out and Aakash Shukal on 11 not out as the two posted a score '19 runs over par' according to the Edgware skipper, Ciaran Hosty.

In response, Southgate Adelaide had no answers for Edgware's seam attack. Rahul Kothari removed the first opener and then the dangerous number three with two magic balls which moved off the seam. Vidanda Galgamuwa's unpredictability was too much for the second opening batsmen who fell to a superb caught and bowled from the Sri-Lankan medium pacer, who then removed their number five batsmen just a few balls later to reduce Southgate to 36-4. Moments later, Rohan removed their number 4 as Southgate slumped to 47-5, well short of Edgware's total with just 5 wickets left.

However, cue then the great escape. Captain, Richard Elwood and opening bowler Conor Johnson, both first XI players, started the recovery. Both batsmen looked at ease as they recovered the innings to 122-5 and reduced the required run rate back to a more manageable 6 an over. It wasn't going to be Southgate's day though as Ananya Dixit, on debut for Edgware, produced a ball that stuck in the wicket, hit high on Conor's bat and was safely taken by Vidanda Galgamuwa at mid-wicket to spark the second collapse of the day. Southgate Adelaide then slumped to 150-9 after another wicket from Rohan, two from Ananya and one from our second debutant Alik.

Despite being 9 down, Southgate still had a sniff in the chase as captain Richard Elwood moved to 90 out out including 9 fours and 4 sixes. His number 11 partner, just 13 years old, was doing an equally impressive job, keeping out Edgware's blood thirsty quicks. However, as the run rate pushed towards the 20's, the final wicket finally came as Ananya Dixit bowled a off stump yorker to remove Richard Elwood and spark wild celebrations from the Edgware team.

The win, the first of the 2018 season is much welcomed by the Edgware support and we hope the boys go well in a couple weeks time as they make their league debut against Chipperfield Clarendon.