The MCCL is now most definitely entering the home straight for 2024. Just two weekends remain and two of the Twickenham sides have promotion/relegation battles to sort out.

Ones welcome Southgate
The ones are one of those two sides. Although they currently sit sixth in Division One, they do still have an outside chance of securing one of the two promotion slots. To do that they’ll have to win both of their remaining games and hope that lady luck shines on them elsewhere.

Either way, Carlos Nunes’s side will want to end the season on a high. With 8th placed Southgate in town on Saturday Nunes will also be hoping that the 1st XI can put in a much better performance than they did nine weeks ago at the Walker Ground.

The ones are looking strong. Blake Cullen is unavailable, but that aside Nunes will be happy enough with the team that’s turning out. With Ethan Wright not being about Sami Shori keeps his place. Rhett Wallbridge also comes in to offer something with both bat and ball. The ones look primed to go well.

The 1st XI is Carlos Nunes, Pat Dixon, Ben Leale-Green, Jiyaas Maghrey, Don Manuwelge, Adam Mather, Nikhil Nomula, Gurjit Sandhu, Sami Shori, Neville Talbot and Rhett Wallbridge.

Twos travel to Eastcote
With rain ruining Week 16 the die is now cast for the twos. They will be playing Division Two cricket next season. They had, of course, been on a tremendous run, but ultimately it was too little too late.

The final two games of the season are therefore excellent opportunities to re-group and look ahead. And, of course, to simply get out there and play the wonderful game that is cricket.

In Week 17 the seconds are off to Eastcote, always a nice place to play. The hosts are, theoretically, in the promotion race but much like Twickenham’s first XI they’d need a very particular set of results to go their way in order for that happen.

Blake van der Linde will be pleased to welcome keeper/batter (and indeed part-time off spinner) Mo Ahmad back into the side, whilst Aarush Jain also comes to offer a bit of youthful zest. Ben and Matt Parker also play, Phil Nash makes a welcome return and Thomas Hopkins is likely to be let loose with the new ball. All good.

The 2nd Xi is Blake van der Linde, Mo Ahmad, Eugene Berger, Thomas Hopkins, Aarush Jain, Hamish Johnston, Phil Nash, Ben Parker, Matt Parker, Sanjit Sandhu and Nakul Vishvanath.

Threes travel to Wycombe House
The threes are where the real action is this weekend. They need to win to keep their chances of staying up alive.

Robbie Bosier’s side has been on a good run of late and they will be hoping that they can continue that at high-flying Wycombe House. The top of the table is very congested but the House know that two wins and they’ll be promoted. They’ll certainly be up for the fight on Saturday.

Bosier’s side has a nice look about it. Mark Smith, a man always primed to break a partnership or skank a few runs when they are really needed, is back in, as is the ever-elegant Rajdeep Chaudhary. Dev Tomlinson and Jonty Hunt are also in the XI and that hopefully means more stability in the batting. Imran Niazai and Frankie Lingemann, meanwhile, offer that bit of je ne sais quoi.

The 3rd XI is Robbie Bosier, Ollie George, Rajdeep Chaudhary, Milan Gurjal, Jonty Hunt, Frankie Lingeman, Imran Niazai, Varad Rampal, Praween Siriwardena, Mark Smith and Dev Tomlinson.

4s welcome Old Isleworthians
The fours will be hoping to use the visit of Old Isleworthians to jump above Harrow and off the bottom of the table.

Isleworthians, for their part, are fourth but just too far away from the top two to still be in with a chance of promotion. Two from Perivale (3s), Indian Gym (4s) and Shepherd’s Bush (4s) will be going up.

Skipper Hinay Dassani had a brief flirtation with the threes last week, although that went nowhere fast on account of the deluge that hit Middlesex last weekend. He’s back to lead the fours this week.

Dassani’s new ball partner-in-crime, Shah Bozdar, also returns and that undoubtedly offers the side a big lift. In a tough campaign Bozdar’s performances have been a real beacon of light. Mo Khizzer has also had a good second half of the season and Dassani will be hoping that Khizzer’s quickfire approach will get the 4s’ batting up and running.

The Sultan of Swing, Pete Burke, is back from gallivanting around Italy and he’ll no doubt be hoping to wobble the ball around. As he does. The other two members of Twickenham’s version of Last of the Summer Wine, Andy Donelan and Martin Fairn, are also present and correct. Answers on a postcard as to which of them is Compo, Foggy and Clegg, please.

The 4th XI is Hinay Dassani, Ryan Barton, Shah Bozdar, Pete Burke, Saul Croxford, Andy Donelan, Martin Fairn, Gowtham Govindaraju, Mo Khizzer, Nitin Parab and Salim Salam.

5s travel to Bushy Park
The fifths know that they will once again be playing Division 5B cricket in 2025. They sit eighth, but they are 23 points ahead of 9th placed Teddington. Given that Teddington are their opponents this week, it’s probably a relief to Chris Wylde and his side to know that no matter what their opponents do they won’t be catching them.

Wylde has a decent side to call on, too. Ryan Oakes and Lloyd Townsend have both done well with the ball this year, as has off-spinner Harry Tebb. The Salford Stopper, Paul McLoughlin, offers solidity up top with the bat, leaving the more enigmatic Zafar Ali to blaze away. The likes of Puneet Sahota, Mike Richardson and Risbah Gulati have also come to the party at various times in 2024.

The full 5th XI is Chris Wylde, Zafar Ali, Jon Bosier, Chinni Devabhaktuni, Risbah Gulati, Paul McLoughlin, Ryan Oakes, Mike Richardson, Puneet Sahota, Harry Tebb and Lloyd Townsend.

Go well everyone.