North Enfield Cricket Club’s 1st XI claimed 16 points from a fighting performance at
table-topping Mill Hill Village to remain fifth in Division 4B of the Hertfordshire
Premier Cricket League.
Captain Ishan Tilakaratna’s boundary laden 99 had given his side an outside shot at
victory, only for them to be dismissed on 194 in reply to Mill Hill’s earlier 259 all out.
Tilakaratna came to the crease with his side five wickets down and in relatively
serious trouble, but soon set about looking to replicate his counter-attacking 64 from
the two side’s previous meeting this season.
With Tom Coughlan remaining resolute at the other end, North Enfield’s skipper
struck 18 boundaries in his destructive innings, which included 12 fours and six
sixes.
Having already brought up a third half century of the league season, Tilakaratna was
then denied a deserved, maiden 1st XI century in the cruellest fashion - courtesy of
an outrageous diving catch from the fielder round the corner.
The loss of their captain and a few further quick wickets meant that the game was
almost up for North Enfield and despite Coughlan remaining unbeaten on 48, they
ultimately suffered a 65-run victory.
Tilakaratna (3 - 45) and vice-captain Kieran Jones (4 - 50) had earlier led a North
Enfield fightback with the ball, as they reduced their hosts from 205 - 5 to 259 all out.
Despite having chipped away with two wickets from Steve Gandy and one from
Abbie Jones, North Enfield were still in a somewhat precarious position, until K.
Jones struck the double blow of removing Mill Hill’s destructive number five and their
well-set opener.
From there on, Tilakaratna and K. Jones shared the remaining five wickets between
them to restrict Mill Hill to 259, after they had potentially been set for a much larger
total.
Although they eventually came up short, North Enfield’s return of six batting and
seven bowling points was still satisfactory, given the context of a visit to their
division’s form side.
Elsewhere, the club’s 2nd XI lost to Ware by 90 runs, with the 1st XI hosting
Leverstock Green next weekend and the 2nd XI hosting Tewin.
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