North Middlesex's victorious Under-11s team

NORTH Middlesex’s Under-11s were crowned county champions of the winter indoor league at the weekend, following emphatic victories over Eastcote and then Ealing on finals day.

It is the fifth time that North Midd have won the title at Under-11 level, more than any other club, and the current crop triumphed in style, going through the entire season unbeaten.

Having progressed through a 10-match league format, the north Londoners were pitted against Eastcote in the final four, and captain Joe Cracknell put his opponents into bat.

Accurate bowling from Nick Woodfield (2-22) and Luke Hollman (2-27) kept the score down, while Percy Verity and Hugh Teesdale only gave away 20 each from their three overs and Emile Hohmann scored a direct hit from the field as Eastcote ended on 93-5.

In reply, North Midd lost Cracknell (17) before Woodfield was bowled for 29, one run short of the compulsory retirement figure of 30. However, Hugh Teesdale and Luke Hollman saw the team home to a comfortable victory, 97-2 off only 7.1 overs.

Ealing lay in wait in the final and, having been asked to bat, North Midd’s opponents initially made a slow start and struggled to 46 at the halfway point before finishing on a competitive 119-3 – with all three wickets coming from run-outs.

In reply, Cracknell and Woodfield both reached the retirement total, and once again it was left to Teesdale and Hollman to complete the victory in just 8.4 overs, Just like in the semi-final, only half of the team had been needed to bat.