The final Saturday of the 2026 season ended with three Twickenham sides (2s, 3s and 5s) bringing home ten points and two (1s and 4s) coming home with silver medals. The fact that the twos won an entertaining game on the Green against Crouch End wasn't enough to keep them in the Premier League, while the fifths' 11th (!) win on the bounce couldn't quite see them past Teddington 4s at the top of Division 6A of the third tier (see here for the table). So, a decent end to the campaign results-wise, but ultimately 2026 will go down as one of 'what might have beens'.

Fives finish on a high
The fives went into Week 18 knowing that the odds were against them edging past Teddington 4s and winning Division 6A. But, all they could do was win their contest against Barnes and hope for the best. That they did (see here for the card).

Barnes won the toss and sensibly had a bat; a warm day plus two players still en route made that look a sensible option. Opener Ben Robinson swished hard and was decent value for his 38 (off 45 balls), but at the other end wickets kept on falling.

Pete Burke had little directly to do with any of that. Burke bowled nicely, but it was one of those days where there'd be no point in him doing the national lottery - no chance of winning that given how his luck seemed to be panning out.

Ryan Oakes, however, opted for the liquorice allsorts ('you never know what you're likely to get next') approach to bowling. There were rank long hops, toe-crunching yorkers and a range of deliveries inbetween. All to decent effect, too; Oakes ended up with 3-13 off little more than four overs.

The star turn, however, was one of the stars of the fifths' whole campaign. Rishabh Gulati took his season's tally of wickets to 24 (at an average of 14.9) as he helped himself to the first three wickets to fall (3-34 off 9). Shout out to Zafar Ali, as well; two decent slip catches plus a further one at short leg. Decent tekkers.

Barnes ultimately closed on 98, the indomitable Sourav Salgotra claiming a quickfire 3-5 off 24 balls to sweep things up at the end. That's 16 wickets for Salgotra in 2026 at an average of 14.3. Solid stuff from Twickenham's Mr Infectious Energy.

Batting-wise, things didn't start wonderfully for the Ts. Paul McLoughlin snicked off to the lively Nate Campbell while Cam Allen fell victim to a decent looking in-ducker from the same bowler.

If there were any jitters on the sidelines, Salgotra (30no off 31) and Ryan Oakes (18 off 22) soon settled those, but it was left to the fifths' heartbeat, skipper Jon Bosier, to blast what was ultimately the final delivery of the fifths' campaign somewhere towards Kingston High Street and finish things off in style. The 5s were home and hosed, and off to watch the cricket on the Green.

The 5s were relegated in 2025, but they've bounced back from that disappointment impressively. Four players have scored more than 200 runs, six players got into double-figures in terms of wickets taken. Shout out, too, to ten year old Stan and Vince Hough for their excellent scoring. A real help to all concerned.

Twos go down fighting
Much like the fives, the twos knew that they needed to win and hope results would go their way elsewhere. And, that nearly happened. Hampstead IIs and Brondesbury IIs both lost, but Hampstead eeked out two bonus points in running Stanmore IIs close. That was enough to render anything the Ts did on the Green redundant.

That message did indeed filter through, too, but it didn't stop the second XI from winning their contest against Crouch End (see here for the card).

Oliver Melville-Ross (54 off 64 balls) led the way, three other batters also made their way into the 20s. Syed Mehdi's quickfire 23no (off 14 balls) was particularly useful there. That all came together to see the Ts post 203 from their 45.

In reply Crouch End's innings started reasonably, but it wasn't long before wickets began tumbling. Eugene Berger took his 233rd and 234th wickets in Twickenham colours - both stumped by the lively Milan Gurjal - to remove the openers, Margin Kantilal then bowled the dangerous Joe Ludlow. The Ts were in the ascendancy.

Skipper Jack Hulme then led something of a fightback. He was good value for his 64 (71 balls) and while he was there Crouch End were never out of it. But, wickets did keep falling at the other end; Syed Mehdi claimed a couple, Nakul Vishvanath snared Mustafa Shah first ball.

It was, however, two run outs - one of which was catastrophically kamikaze - that finally tipped things the second XI's way. Crouch End were all out 27 runs short.

Threes end with a crescendo
The threes didn't have a particularly enjoyable Week 17. An under-strength side playing out a game in the rain. No one's fault, but not ideal.

Week 18 was a different story altogether. The threes were very much back in the groove and finished their season with a barnstorming 155 run against relegated Richmond (see here for the card).

Eight Twickenham players had a bat and all eight got into double-figures. Never a bad thing. The ever-reliable Steve Cowley (63 off 107) led the way admirably, Praween Siriwardena (37 off 55) offered good support. Quite what Kev Cavilla was doing hitting his own wicket nonetheless remains something of a mystery that feels like it needs explaining....

Cavilla, for his part, did not dwell on such things. He took the new ball and alongside Robbie Bosier caused total and utter chaos. The first five Richmond players were out for ducks and at one stage the Old Deer Parkers were 2-5 (!). Cavilla's contribution was ultimately 2-8 off 3, skipper Robbie Bosier chipping in with what ended up being 4-28 off 12. That's 29 wickets at an average of 18.7 for Bosier in what's been a quietly effective season.

Richmond did dig in a little, Kishor Dattani scoring 28 (68 balls), but it wasn't long before Praween Siriwardena (3-21) swept the tail away nicely. Like Bosier, Siriwardena's been his usual meticulous self; 22 wickets at 15.7. Solid stuff.

The win sees the threes finish the campaign in fourth place (see here for the table). That represents a solid campaign. Was there more in it for the threes? Maybe, particularly as they beat champions Hornsey a few short weeks ago. Bring on 2027 and a potential promotion charge.

Ones give it a go
Elsewhere, the ones finished their season with a defeat at Finchley, but they did at least give it a good go (see here for the card). Fair play to them for that, too; it's not easy to keep going when everything seems to be going against you.

Skipper Carlos Nunes (92 off 121 balls) led the way, and it was good to see Ross Talmage batting nicely (62 off 101). Those contributions were key to the Ts closing on 235.

Finchley, however, have had a really good 2026, and the key to that has been their batting. That top order solidity ultimately helped them ease their way past the Ts' total.

Matt McGowan (60 off 61) and Muhammed Ikram (47 off 63) batted nicely, Ali Jennings, Faf Fourie, Ben Ellis and Akash Multani were in the wickets. The defeat leaves Finchley fifth and the Ts to draw the line under a tough campaign.

Fours come up just short
The fours travelled in hope to play already relegated London Tigers' 3s. Unfortunately, the Tigers put in a decent shift in their last hurrah in Division 4A of the third tier, the 4s will leave this one be and move on to 2027.

The fours batted first and put 151 on the board (see here for the card). Barty Boyd breezed his way to 28 (25 balls) and Puneet Sahota chipped in with 27 (45 balls). Mehran Iqbal (56no off 52) was nonetheless the star turn, scoring an impressive half-century batting at nine.

With the Holy Trinity all in attendance, the fours were hopeful that that would be enough to secure all ten points. Ultimately that wasn't meant to be. Skipper Umar Aziz (45no off 73) was the main man for London Tigers, holding things together impressively in the middle. Shah Bozdar, in potentially his last hurrah in Twickenham colours, bowled well for his 3-57 (off 12), Hinay Dassani (2-18 off 8) also put in a good shift. The Tigers nonetheless got home with four wickets to spare.

With that, 2026 comes to a close. In some ways it's been a tough campaign. But, that is the way cricket (and indeed life) sometimes is. Options moving forward? Re-group and go again in 34 weeks' time!