Angus Fraser looks ahead to the last few weeks across the Middlesex County Cricket League as we enter the final stages of the season.
The Middlesex County Cricket League is, as Alex Ferguson famously once said, reaching "squeaky bum time".
With 15 rounds of matches having been completed and three still to go, there will be plenty of tension and looking at phones at the club grounds of Middlesex for the next three Saturdays. Elation and disappointment will be present in equal amounts, with players producing season defining performances when their team needs it most.
Emotion is one of the principal reasons why we are involved in this fantastic game, and it is great to see the passion players have for the game. All we need to do is make sure this emotion is tempered and does not lead to poor behaviour. Winning, whilst hugely satisfying, is not a key to eternal happiness and losing, whilst incredibly disappointing, is not the end of the world. Cricket will be played again in 2026 and each of us will have the chance to have another go.
So, for the final three weeks of the season – play hard, play fair and play with respect to you opponents and match officials.
With three rounds to go, how do the Divisions look?
Premier Division
At the Top
One of two clubs, North Middlesex or Shepherds Bush, will be Premier Division champions in 2025. North Middlesex are currently top, seven points ahead of their rivals. The two teams play each other on Saturday at Shepherds Bush. If North Middlesex win the title is virtually theirs. If the Bush win we will have a thrilling final two weeks of the season.
At the Bottom
A couple of weeks ago it looked as though Ealing and Harrow St Mary’s would be going down to Division One. But both clubs have rallied and have won two of their last three games. It has made the bottom of the table very congested.
Hampstead are on a poor run and have been dragged into the relegation fight. Stanmore and Teddington are probably safe, but Hornsey and Richmond still need another win before they can relax.
Ealing, last season’s champions, could produce their version of The Great Escape as two of their remaining matches are against Hampstead and, on the final day of the season, Harrow St Mary’s.
Division One
At the Top
The pre-season withdrawal of Osterley from the league has created a division where teams have never all played the same number of games. Twickenham and Finchley currently sit at the top with 96 and 92 points respectively. They are the favourites to win the title and get promoted as Acton and Brondesbury currently have 81 and 80 points.
Acton could really stir things up in the next two weeks as they play each of the top two teams. A couple of wins would place them in right in the thick of things. Brondesbury play three teams below them and probably need to win all three matches.
Indian Gymkhana may have a say on things over the course of the final three weekends. The club cannot go up or be relegated but they play Brondesbury, Twickenham and Finchley.
At the Bottom
Osterley’s absence means only one team are relegated and Southgate are down.
Division Two
At the Top
A resurgent Eastcote, on 117 points, are running away with Division Two. The club are already promoted (congratulations) and are likely to win the title. Harrow, on 100 points, are set to join them in Division One in 2026. The two teams play each other on the final week of the season but the title may well be won by then.
The only challengers to Harrow are Enfield (83 points), who will basically need to win their three remaining matches to have any chance of promotion.
At the Bottom
Things are pretty tight at the bottom and the four teams battling it out will be grateful only one team will be relegated. This anomaly is down to Osterley withdrawing from the League in Division Two and Old Merchant Taylors joining the league in Division Three in 2026.
At the moment Ealing Trailfinders and Harrow Town sit on 40 and 41 points respectively. A win ahead of them are Brentham and London Tigers. A win for each of these two would probably mean they were safe but each play Ealing Trailfinders in the last three rounds of matches. A loss to Ealing Trailfinders would drag them right into the battle to stay up.
Division Three
At the Top
Things are very tight at the top of Division Three - four teams will enter the final three weeks of the season believing they can get promoted, or even win the title.
Bessborough and Kay Plus sit in joint-first place on 104 points whilst West Harrow are only four points behind on 100 points. Friends United, with 93 points, are still in there too. Though fourth, Friends United play two of the teams above them in the coming weeks, starting with a crucial game v West Harrow this Saturday.
Bessborough are in good form, having won four of their last five matches, which included a win over West Harrow last Saturday (16 August). Who lifts the trophy or goes up will come down to who holds their nerve in what will be a thrilling finish to this Division
At the Bottom
Wembley are relegated but who will join them? Stoke Newington currently fill the ninth position and are 11 points behind SKLPC. The two teams meet this coming Saturday in a game that will have a big influence on who joins Wembley Division Four. Wembley could still have a say in who joins them as they play both Stoke Newington and SKLPC in the next three weeks.
Division Four
At the Top
Four teams will still be looking to play in Division Three in 2026 although two - Pinner Challengers (105 pts) and Headstone Manor (92pts) – remain the favourites. Pinner Challengers could secure promotion and make themselves virtual champions if they defeat third place promotion rivals, Alexandra Park (87pts), on Saturday. The loss wouldn’t end Alexandra Park’s chances of promotion but that would become very difficult if Headstone Manor defeat North London Muslims.
The other team with a chance are MTSSC (83 pts). MTSSC play Alexandra Park on the final day of the season and both clubs will be hoping the game is a decider.
At the Bottom
South Harrow will do well to avoid the drop to Division Five and to do so will have to beat sides competing for promotion in the next couple of weekends. Who potentially goes down with South Harrow will be Actonians or Lanka Lions, who play each other on the final weekend of the season.
Division Five
At the Top
As in Division Four, four teams are still dreaming of promotion and silverware. London Superkings (115 pts) would be favourites but they can afford only one slip up as they are being chased hard by United Sports (107 pts), London Sportif (105 pts) and London Desperados (101 pts).
One team could be ruled out this weekend when London Sportif play United Sports. London Sportif also finish the season with a match against London Superkings, so they have the toughest run-in. London Desperados have matches against three teams below them and could slide through to a promotion spot unnoticed.
At the Bottom
Swamibapa are relegated and will be joined in Division Six in 2026 by one of United Sporting Club (39 pts), Northwick Park (42 pts) or Ealing Hanwellians (46 pts). In the final three weeks of the season there is only one fixture when these three teams play against each other, which is Northwick Park v United Sporting Club on 30 August. The winner of this game will probably stay up.
Division Six
At the Top
Ealing Three Bridges won Division Six and gained promotion a few weeks ago, so congratulations are extended to them, and who will join them in Division Five next year is likely to be between Peshwa and Kingsbury Construction. With the league only containing eight teams some teams have played more games than others and Peshwa miss this week’s round of matches.
Unfortunately, concessions occasionally take place in this Division so making predictions becomes quite difficult. Youth Wing, however, play each weekend and could sneak into the promotion race if Peshwa or Kingsbury Construction lose focus. Youth Wing play Kingsbury Construction on 30 August.
At the Bottom
No team is due to be relegated from the division.
Division Seven
At the Top
Tamil United are promoted and Champions, so congratulations to them, and they will be joined by either Elite or Kingsmen. Elite (52 pts) lost narrowly to Kingsmen (51 pts) last weekend (16 August) to keep their hopes of promotion alive. Elite have a tough game against Tamil United this coming Saturday (23 August), whilst Kingsmen play Burhani. It’s all to play for between Elite and Kingsmen.
At the Bottom
There is no relegation from the bottom of Division Seven
