Newham hopes extend lead at top of table as unbeaten run stretches to 12 matches

Action from Newham 2nd XI's clash with Aztecs at Flanders Field (pic Tim Edwards) (Image: Archant)

The home side won the toss and chose to bat first on a hot day, but were held to 203-9.

Adnan Khan made an early breakthrough with the new ball, before spinners Aamir Shaukat (2-27), Arjun Rana (2-34) and Kashif Iqbal (2-42) claimed crucial wickets on a flat pitch that wasn’t offering much for any of the bowlers.

Robin Bansal got the visitors off to a great start in reply, hitting nine fours in a valuable innings of 46 alongside opening partner Iqbal (26), who hit a six and four fours.

But a middle order collapse left Newham in a spot of trouble, before Mujakkir Hussain and captain Sajjad Mirza combined in a majestic partnership of 87 took them to the brink of success.

Action from Newham 2nd XI's clash with Aztecs at Flanders Field (pic Tim Edwards) (Image: Archant)

Mirza hit a six and eight fours in his 60, while Hussain was unbeaten on 40 after striking two sixes and two fours, as Newham sealed a three-wicket win in the 34th over.

And an 11th victory in 12 matches for unbeaten Newham, plus Redbridge’s latest defeat against Bow Green, puts the club in pole position with a third of the season remaining.

Newham seconds hosted Division One leaders Aztecs at Flanders Field and the visitors took advantage of a flat pitch to score 289 in 43 overs.

Anik Bhowmik (4-72) was the pick of the Newham bowling, while Qamar Qureshi (2-61) claimed a brace of wickets.

Newham 3rd XI's Oshada Pahalawithanage celebrates his six-wicket haul (Image: Archant)

But Newham lost wickets at regular intervals in the face of some excellent bowling from Manjit Dhaliwal, Pritesh Patel and Maaz Nakhuda, who took three wickets each to dismiss them for 107 in 21 overs.

There was better news for the thirds, who beat Bow Green seconds in their Division Two derby at West Ham Park.

Green were put into bat on an uneven pitch and tight bowling and fielding saw them dismissed for 140 inside 31 overs.

Oshada Pahalawithanage claimed a brilliant hat-trick to blow away the middle order on his way to figures of 6-47, but Newham made slow progress in reply on a pitch that continued to misbehave.

But good batting from Ahsan Malik (33) and Anshul Sharma (26) saw the visitors reach their target with one wicket to spare in the 36th over.