The 3's arrived at the glorious Shenley ground knowing that a win from this final game against Finchley would secure their MCCL div 1 status.

With a strong side assembled,the all important toss was won and the home side were asked to bat first.

Things didn't initially go to plan as openers Ayres and Pattini put on 50 for the 1st wicket in pretty quick time as seamers Pankaj Choudhary and Pete Burke got little assistance from the pristine track.

The introduction of spinners Anurag Dayal and Vikram Thakur changed everything though,as they preceded to tear through the Finchley batting with some high class spin bowling.

Apart from a classy 53 from Pattini and a hard hitting 39 from skipper Patel,none of the batsmen had an answer ,as the hosts were skittled for 146.

Thakur finished with 4 for 41 and Dayal an excellent 6 for 46.

Choudhary and Colin Blunden started the reply for the T's,and immediately laid in to anything off line from the young Finchley seamers.

Despite both men being dropped,53 was on the board before Choudhary was out for 27.

Ross Montgomery strode to the crease and made his intentions very clear pulling his 2nd delivery for 6 over midwicket!

He preceded to play some savage back foot shots,and it came as somewhat of a surprise when he was caught for 33 with the T's 25 runs from victory.

Blunden,who'd played a delightful innings,including a huge trademark straight 6,passed a deserved half century,and along with James Salmon,saw the T's over the finishing line without further loss.

Salmon was unbeaten on 13,and Blunden on a fine 58.

With the result of the Hornsey/Stanmore game immaterial,some celebratory beers were downed.But when the dusts settles,the T's should reflect on a disappointing  season,whre in any other season their 2nd bottom finish would have meant relegation.

There are definitely some encouraging signs though,and hopefully with the all important 'consistency' achieved it will mean a more fruitful 2011