Ones travel to Finchley
The 1sts will be looking to build on their impressive performance against Brondesbury in week 7 when they visit bottom of the table Finchley. The hosts have struggled this season and currently have just the 8 points (see here for the table). So, if they are going to seriously think about avoiding relegation, it’s games like this week’s where they’ll need to get wins on the board.

The Ts will nonetheless be travelling with both hope and expectation. Last week’s winning draw sees them safely in 7th, less than a win behind 6th placed Ealing. A win in Week 8 and Carlos Nunes’s side can begin to really think about making a play for one of the Europa League spots.

The side again has a pretty settled feel to it. In what is arguably the most un-like-for-like swap of the campaign so far left arm spinner Parminder Singh has recovered from an ankle injury and he comes back in for Neville Talbot. Then again, asking Parmy to open up and go big does sound like an idea that could have some merit.

The return of the Pandook to one side, the side is as it was last week for Brondesbury’s visit. The full XI is Carlos Nunes, Patrick Dixon, Ben Leale-Green (wk), Adam Mather, Don Manuwelge, Rashid Mullazahdah, Scott Newman, Monty Panesar, Gurjit Sandhu, Parminder Singh and Ethan Wright.

Twos welcome Highgate
The twos are back on the Green this week. They’ll certainly be looking to put their week 7 thumping at North Middlesex behind them and to move on out of the relegation zone (see here for the table).

On the plus side, Nakul Vishvanath definitely has a stronger all-round unit to call on. Blake van der Linde adds some finesse with the bat, swing with the ball and some buckets in the slips. Good to see him back on board. Dom Thamby bowled well last week and deservedly keeps his place. Brandon Newman will be helping Thamby out with the new ball whilst Vishvanath and Tom Field are the go to men in the spin department.

The full 2nd XI is Nakul Vishvanath, Prabhu Dhev (wk), Tom Field, Callam Goldthorp, Mesome Hussain, Phil Nash, Brandon Newman, Nikhil Nomula, Dan Taylor, Dom Thamby and Blake van der Linde.

Threes host North Middlesex
It being a Saturday, the threes probably won’t play. Much of their season has been wetter than a dolphin’s swimming costume.

Connor Finney will nonetheless lead his side to North Acton Playing Fields in the hope that somehow they do end up actually playing some cricket for a change. North Middlesex are in town and they are top of the league. A real challenge awaits.

The 3s do at least look like they have a decent side to call on. Chairman Eugene Berger is in as is Sanjit Sandhu. Batting and bowling there for Finney to call on. JP Bowman is also up from the fours whilst Praween Siriwardena will be looking to spin his intricate webs. Euan Pickering adds a touch of class behind the stumps whilst Ajmal Allahdad is the go to man for batting pizazz.

The full 3rd XI is Connor Finney, Firooz Ahmad, Mo Ahmad, Ajmal Allahdad, Eugene Berger, JP Bowman, Dan Hough, Euan Picketing (wk), Sanjit Sandhu, Praween Siriwardena and Steve Watts.

Opportunity knocks for the 4s
The fours are on the road round the North Circular. Having played top of the table Crouch End last week, the twos continue their tough run of fixtures when they visit second placed Hampstead (see here for the table).

Being positive, Hinay Dassani’s men currently sit fourth and a win on Saturday could plausibly see them leapfrog their opponents. There’s a bit to play for.

Dassani is pleased to have Steve Cowley in the ranks. Cowley’s been struggling with injury and availability of late but he’s well and truly back this week and will be in the mood for runs. Mehran Iqbal’s another man who’s had injury concerns; he plays too.

The king of red-inkers, Nihal Tomar, will be looking to dig in and get back into the runs, whilst Ozzie Qavi and Vijay Sanas offer pace and pretty damn decent run ups with the ball. Uzzi Khan and Jonty Hunt will also be feeling in the mood to dig in and get some runs on the board.

The 4th XI is Hinay Dassani, Rajdeep Chaudhary, Steve Cowley, Hiran Dissanayake, Jonty Hunt, Mehran Iqbal, Usama Khan, Abdul Mani, Ozzie Qavi, Vijay Sanas and Nihal Tomar (wk).

Fifths welcome Teddington 4s
The 5ths have been doing well of late but they also face a fair old challenge this weekend. They welcome top of the table Teddington 4s to Broom Road (see here for the table).

Having not played last week Harmeet Singh is likely to have a ring-rusty side to deal with. Much like the threes, the fives have been pretty unlucky with the weather of late. But, Singh has rebuffed Middlesex's advances for Jonny Bosier ("no, you'd be mad to ask him to carry the drinks, there'd all be gone in a flash") and that has to be a good thing.

Singh, as ever, subsequently has an eclectic mix of talents to call on. Paul McLoughlin and Andy Donelan definitely won’t be giving anything away up top whereas Varun Ghatge, Bosier and Zafar Ali tend to prefer rather faster scoring rates. Pete Burke is notionally somewhere inbetween.

Chinni Devabhaktuni has had a quietly efficient season with the ball thus far and Bosier – the premier allrounder in the club – will also be backing himself to join the wicket-taking party. It could be an interesting afternoon.

The full side is Harmeet Singh, Zafar Ali, Jon Bosier, Pete Burke, Chinni Devabhaktuni, Andy Donelan, Varun Ghatge, Adil Khalid, Paul McLoughlin, Liam Tebb (wk) and Chris Wylde.

Go well one and all
Come rain or shine, the pavilion on the Green will be open and if the twos going toe-to-toe with Highgate isn’t quite for you then the football will be on from 17h. Do pop down if you can.