Ones welcome Hampstead
The ones have quietly but convincingly turned things around mid-season. Five wins on the bounce might not (yet) have made a massive difference to their league position (see here), but a win on Saturday against Hampstead and the Ts may well find themselves third in the league.

Hampstead will certainly not be pushovers. After a stuttering start Matt Watson’s side have also quietly made progress this season. Four wins in their last five plus a draw against Ealing says that they aren’t a side to be underestimated.

Carlos Nunes again has a strong squad to pick from. Phil Nash, fresh from a Cricket Week century on Monday, returns to the middle order. Don Manuwelge, a man averaging 109 over the last 6 games (327 runs in total), will be hoping to carry on with his productive summer of runs.

The dangerous pairing of Abhi Singh and Ishi Sohi will also be looking to cause more carnage with the ball. With that in mind, it’s worth keeping an eye out for George Yates; 13 wickets at an average of less than 7 says he has an idea what he’s doing.

The TCC side is Carlos Nunes, Rhys Davies, Ben Leale-Green, Don Manuwelge, Phil Nash, Scott Newman, Dave Russell, Gurjit Sandhu, Abhi Singh, Ishi Sohi and George Yates

Twos travel to MTSSC
The Second XI will be making the journey over to the Post Office Sports Ground to play MTSSC. Eugene Berger’s men came off second best in their contest on the Green 9 weeks ago so they will be looking to right a wrong there.

In the intervening period the two sides’ fortunes have changed somewhat. The Ts sit third in the league (see here), whilst MTSSC have slipped to seventh. The Tamils are in no real danger of relegation but they’ll nonetheless be looking for one more win to make sure that that’s firmly off the radar.

Harry Grinstead will be looking to continue his encouraging start in the second XI whilst both Nakul Vishvanath (50 from number 10 last week) and Dom Thamby (a 50 for the Club XI on the Green on Sunday; see here) illustrate the depth that the Ts have to call on in the batting department.

Bowling-wise, Berger has his battery of off spinners to call on, plus Lewis Mitchard, Dom Thamby and Sanjit Sandhu.

The TCC side is Eugene Berger, Sanjit Sandhu, Mo Ahmad, Tom Field, Harry Grinstead, Mesome Hussain, Lewis Mitchard, Dan Taylor, Dom Thamby, Nakul Vishvanath and Ethan Wright

Threes visit Uxbridge
Steve Watts’s third XI have played some decidedly topsy-turvy cricket this season. Sometimes they have looked like they can compete with the very best, on other occasions they have been imploded spectacularly.

Saturday sees Watts’s side travel to Uxbridge. The skipper is taking arguably the strongest side he’s had all season with him. Indeed, there is a case to be made that it’s the strongest third XI that the Ts have ever put out (the day in 2006 when James Richards hid then new member Warwick Paul in his side claiming he was ‘ring rusty’ is to be left to one side there; Warwick chipped in with 150 and the 3s unsurprisingly won!).

Poor old Nikhil Nomula finds himself in the threes, as do Ajmal Allahdad, Pushtak Arsikere and Brandon Newman. That’s a lot of second XI experience there. Throw in the returning Anu Agarwal and Kit Wilson and the 3s really do like they mean business. And that’s without even mentioning the professional northerner, Geoff Stothert.

The TCC side is Steve Watts, Anu Agarwal, Ajmal Allahdad, Pushtak Arsikere, Connor Finney, Vedant Jain, Brandon Newman, Nikhil Nomula, Ozzie Qavi, Geoff Stothert and Kit Wilson

4s welcome Indian Gym
The fours look to continue their winning run by welcoming old friends Indian Gym to Broom Road.

Indian Gym currently sit third (see here). A long way (32 points) behind the Ts they may be, but Hinay Dassani and his side know better than to take them lightly.

Dassani is going for a mix of youth and experience; Martin Fairn, Colin Blunden and Stuart Amos have been there and done it all before, whilst Hayden Tyler, down from the threes, adds a bit of batting firepower. Ali Jennings and Alex Waddell add a touch of youthful exuberance.

The TCC side is Hinay Dassani, Stuart Amos, Colin Blunden, Hiran Dissanayake, Martin Fairn, Oli George, Ali Jennings, Uzzi Khan, Hayden Tyler, Chetan Ubale and Alex Waddell.

5ths hit the road
The 5ths are once again on their travels, this time over to the Pheoncians of Perivale.

The 5ths currently sit 6th in the table whilst their hosts are just behind them in 8th (see here). The 5ths will subsequently be looking to cement their place in mid-table.

Liam Tebb comes in to the side, as does Nisar Abidi (from the fours). Jonty Hunt won’t be there, so Andy Donelan will be opening the batting with someone new this week. The skipper himself? The Wall, Paul McLoughlin? The indomitable Phil Walker? The skipper clearly has some decisions to make.

The TCC side is Chris Wylde, Nisar Abidi, Anil Bhatt, Andy Donelan, Anthony Jones, Dominic McCabe, Paul McLoughlin, Harmeet Singh, Liam Tebb, Phil Walker and A.N.Other.

Go well, everyone.