Scorecard

Neasden CC 1st XI v Friends United Cricket Club Sunday - 1st XI on Sun 01 Jun 2025 at 13:00
Friends United Cricket Club Won by 1 wicket

Match report Dramatic Collapse and Nerve-Shredding Finish as Friends United Edge Neasden in MPCL Cup Thriller

Friends United CC, Middlesex emerged victorious by the narrowest of margins in a pulsating MPCL Cup 1st Round encounter against Neasden CC, winning by a single wicket in a match defined by dramatic batting collapses and a tense finale.
Neasden Stumble After Solid Start

Winning the toss, Neasden CC elected to bat first on their home ground. Despite losing early wickets, a crucial partnership between Dhaval Patel and Simarjeet Singh steadied the innings, taking the score from 73/5 to a more respectable 162/6. Patel anchored the innings superbly, playing a responsible knock.

However, Neasden's innings imploded catastrophically once Singh was dismissed. Four wickets fell without adding a single run as FUCC captain on the day Pankaj Narotam took 4 wickets in 4 balls, plunging the hosts from 162/6 to 162/9 in a stunning collapse. Only a late 22-run stand for the final wicket between Patel and Meetkumar Patel provided some solace. Patel remained unbeaten on a defiant 72*, a lone hand carrying his team to 188 all out in just 34.2 overs. His innings included vital boundaries under pressure.

Friends United's bowling attack shared the spoils, but Pankaj Narotam (7.2-1-39-5) was the chief destroyer, claiming a decisive five-wicket haul. Jaydeep Amrullah (7-1-26-2) and Nishal Mohane (9-3-38-2) provided excellent support.

Friends United Chase Stutters Before Last-Wicket Heroics

Chasing 189, Friends United started confidently. Nirmal Ramesh (43 off 32 balls, 7 fours) led the charge with a brisk innings. Contributions from Aarav Rajnikanth (34 off 67 balls) and wicketkeeper Gourav Phatak (27 off 50 balls) kept the chase on track, although regular wickets fell at the other end.
Just as Friends United seemed to be cruising towards the target at 183/7, Neasden mounted a late fightback. Brijeshkumar Patel spearheaded the resistance, ripping through the middle and lower order to finish with remarkable figures of 5 wickets for 39 runs from his 9 overs. The dismissals of Harsh Vyas (22) and captain Pankaj Narotam (10) left Friends United teetering at 183/9, needing 6 more runs with only the final pair at the crease.

Amidst mounting tension, the last-wicket pair of Nishal Mohane and Upen Ukarda held their nerve. They carefully navigated the remaining runs, securing a dramatic victory for Friends United in the 42nd over (41.3 overs bowled), finishing on 189/9.
Result & Aftermath

Friends United CC, Middlesex - Sunday 1st XI won by 1 wicket, booking their place in the next round of the MPCL Cup. The match was a testament to the unpredictable nature of cricket, featuring a remarkable Neasden collapse, a brilliant rearguard by Dhaval Patel, a destructive five-for by Brijeshkumar Patel in the chase, and ultimately, the cool heads of the Friends United tailenders under intense pressure. Neasden CC will rue their dramatic middle-order capitulation, which ultimately proved decisive.



Neasden CC 1st XI Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
7w 1b 1lb 
for 10 wickets
9
188 (34.2 overs)		     
Vaibhav Rana MPCL 2148 ct  D Prakash b N Mohane 6 6 1 100
Shravan Patil MPCL 2740 b  N Mohane 18 34 4 52.94
Dev Patel MPCL 2734 ct  G Phatak b M Ramesh 0 7 0
Rajat Tiwari b  J Amrutlal 16 19 3 84.21
Premal Patel - MPCL 7 ct  G Phatak b J Amrutlal 20 17 4 117.65
D R N Patel Not Out  75 73 12 102.74
Simarjeet Singh MPCL 3020 ct  G Phatak b P Narotam 42 38 8 110.53
Krunal Jr Shah - MPCL 855 lbw  P Narotam 0 1 0
Manav Patel MPCL 2717 b  P Narotam 0 1 0
Brijeshkumar Patel - MPCL 647 b  P Narotam 0 1 0
Meetkumar Patel - MPCL 1121 b  P Narotam 2 9 22.22

Friends United Cricket Club Sunday - 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Nishal Mohane9.0338219.004.22
Margesh Ramesh6.0038138.006.33
Jaydeep Amrutlal7.0126213.003.71
Pankaj Narotam7.203957.805.32
Nirmal Ramesh3.002200.007.33
Aarav Rajnikanth1.001200.0012.00
Upen Ukarda1.001100.0011.00

Friends United Cricket Club Sunday - 1st XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
4nb 2w 4b 1lb 
for 9 wickets
11
189		        
Martinkumar Patel lbw  B Patel - MPCL 647 14 21 1 66.67
Nirmal Ramesh ct  S Singh MPCL 3020 b B Patel - MPCL 647 43 32 7 134.38
Aarav Rajnikanth ct  S Patil MPCL 2740 b B Patel - MPCL 647 34 67 3 1 50.75
Jaydeep Amrutlal ct  B Patel - MPCL 647 b B Patel - MPCL 647 0 2 0
Gourav Phatak lbw  D R N Patel 27 50 2 54.00 3
Margesh Ramesh b  P Patel - MPCL 7 16 13 2 1 123.08
Dhaval Prakash ct  P Patel - MPCL 7 b D Patel MPCL 2734 7 22 1 31.82 1
Harsh Vyas lbw  B Patel - MPCL 647 22 13 4 169.23
Pankaj Narotam lbw  S Singh MPCL 3020 10 13 2 76.92
Nishal Mohane Not Out  1 9 11.11
Upen Ukarda Not Out  4 12 33.33

Neasden CC 1st XI Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Krunal Jr Shah - MPCL 8553.003400.0011.33
Simarjeet Singh MPCL 30209.0141141.004.56
Brijeshkumar Patel - MPCL 6479.023557.003.89
Premal Patel - MPCL 79.0124124.002.67
Rajat Tiwari4.321300.002.89
D R N Patel5.0124124.004.80
Dev Patel MPCL 27342.0013113.006.50