Week 4 proved to be another tough day at the office for Twickenham CC. Four of the five Saturdays sides came out second best (even if a number of them were in close run things), leaving only the 2nd XI pocketing ten points.

Rollercoaster ride for the 2s
The Twickenham CC 2nd XI seem to be making a habit of being in close games of cricket. Sure, they lost their first three games of the campaign, but they picked up bonus points in all of them, indicating that the contests were close run things.

In Week 4 they went one better, picking up all ten points against North Midd 2s. Margin Kantilal was the man who kept his powder dry when it really mattered, cooly and calmly cutting the ball behind square for four with the scores level and only Nakul Vishvanath left for company (see here for the card). The Knuckle Duster went in at seven, and quietly kept his head while all around were inevitably losing theirs. His 11no off 33 balls was a vital part of the story.

Before things got that far it was Syed Mehdi who stole the show. He took 7-33 and caused no small amount of mayhem. Blake van der Linde (2-22) helped him out as North Midd closed on 168.

The Ts had a less then perfect start, Ethan Wright trapped leg before first ball of the innings. James Smith (30 off 61), Sanjit Sandhu (36 off 33) and debutant David Wood (28 at a run a ball) helped move things along, but ultimately it was the efforts of Kantilal and Vishvanath that took the Ts over the line.

Shelling catches loses you matches
The fours were also involved in a close one, although they unfortunately came out on the wrong side of things.

Hinay Dassani's side made what is quite possibly the first ever Twickenham visit to Old Merchant Taylor's for a game of league cricket. The 4s played OMT's threes (see here for the card).

The main problem for the 4s wasn't really the batting or the bowling, it was the catching. No fewer than six chances went down. You're making it really hard for yourself when that happens.

The catching situation is even more galling when your batters have put the hard yards in and got you north of 200. Debutant Joe Hazell was undoubtedly the star turn, scoring 84 (off 95 balls) at the top of the order. Shah Bozdar (18 off 21) and Andy Donelan (18 off 42) chipped in along the way.

Twickenham spirits were further lifted when opener Jas Singh was removed by Bozdar first ball. Alex Penwill (3-44) then claimed two more quick wickets and OMTs quickly found themselves on 29-3.

But, Adhirth Saha (47 off just 27) changed the feel of things, and not even his departure - Jarryd Knott (2-36) snared him - could fully turn the dial. OMTs got home with three wickets to spare, and that despite being 157-7 at one stage.

Enfield 3s get the better of the Ts at Broom Road
The threes were back at Broom Road, welcoming Enfield. And, the side from Lincoln Road returned north with ten points in their respective back pockets (see here for the card).

The Ts will have been quietly confident at the half way point. Enfield had batted gamely, getting to 187 before the Ts bowled them out. Noor Maroof's 36 (53 balls) was key there, Ali Jennings (3-38 off a delivery shy of 12 overs) and skipper Robbie Bosier (2-41) caught the eye, Imran Niazai and Praween Siriwardena both grabbed a couple of wickets.

Ultimately, the 3s finished 27 short of Enfield's total. So, on paper the game looks close enough. In practice the Ts were a long way off it at 78-6 and then 106-8, and it was only the herculean efforts of Imran Niazai (48 off 53) that got Twickenham as close as they were. Respect due to Niazai though, a man who most definitely never knows when he's beaten.

Townsend and Gulati bat admirably, but it's not enough for the 5s
The story of the fives was not dissimilar to that of the 4s. On paper, the game looks closer than it perhaps really was.

A tough track made batting a hazardous process at times, and fair play to Cameron Allen (35 off 40) for battling through. Even more kudos to the Ts' final pair for putting on an unbeaten 39 and taking the 5s up to 150. Lloyd Townsend (18no off 33) and Rishabh Gulati (17no off 31) were superb, respect due to the both of them.

In reply Enfield got ahead of the game early, but then lost a gaggle of wickets as they approached 50. Still at 97-3 and then 130-3 there was only ever likely to be one winner....until Pete Burke took two in an over and gave Twickenham renewed hope.

Still, it wasn't ultimately meant to be, Enfield getting home with two wickets to spare.

Ones battle gamely, but North Midd come out on top
Finally, the poor old ones continued their run of rotten form, losing by five wickets to North Middlesex (see here for the card).

The 1s just can't seem to catch a break at the moment. Pat Dixon (29 off 30) and Preet Himanshukumar (27 off 39) got in, but couldn't build on what they had, no one else managed to get beyond 20. That led to a total of 145.

North Midd got off to a flier in trying to chase that total down. At 79-0 we were in 'walk in the park' territory. But, the Ts did fight back. Ollie White chipped in with 2-35, Don Manuwelge an impressive 2-19. Akash Multani also grabbed a wicket, but that couldn't stop The Midd getting home with five wickets to spare.

We move on.