GRACE'S ARE TOPS
Despite the cancellation of two of their league fixtures due to the recent bad weather, a resounding win over their nearest rivals in Division 2 of the Middlesex Sunday League puts Grace's way out in front at the top of the league.
Put in to bat on their home ground by visitors Southall CC, Stockinger and Shorrocks made a confident start against a lively attack and it wasn't until the eighteenth over, with the score on 89 that they were separated by a controversial lbw decision against Shorrocks. Stockinger continued to dominate until he misjudged a ball that dipped back to take his off stump when he was on 63. Mendis was again on fine form and set about the Southall bowling making a fine 66 from just 56 balls. With great support from Mappin and Whitmore, Grace's finished on 254-8 from their 40 overs.
After tea it soon became apparent that Southall were going to struggle. They never matched the required scoring rate and Bielby captured the first wicket in the sixth over with the score on 15. A brief flurry by Azhar brought forth a verbal response from Shofiq before a more fitting one with the ball that shattered his stumps. A bowling change brought no respite for the visitors with two further wickets falling at the same score. In all six bowlers were used and all were among the wickets, with Mappin taking 2-6 and Benjamin 3-22, and Southall collapsing to 104 all out. Graces thus won by a massive 150 runs.