Dozens of teams entered the final weekend of Middlesex County Cricket League cricket season in 2025 with silverware, promotion or relegation on their minds, but its denouement actually offered very few, if any, surprises.
In fact the only game, at the top or the bottom, where a team overtook another was when Harrow defeated Eastcote to win Division Two. In other Divisions the higher placed teams won to secure promotion and the sides in relegation positions failed to produce the victories they so desperately needed.
So, this is what happened and where clubs ended up:
Premier Division
With North Middlesex having won the title the previous weekend all eyes in the Premier Division were on the winner takes all relegation battle between Ealing and Harrow St Mary’s at Corfton Road.
And it was Ealing who stayed up by securing a 78 run win over their north London rivals. Ealing’s 1st innings total of 279-6 was built around a partnership of 134 between Tom Shaw and Robbie White. Shaw and White, who scored 89 and 67 respectively, ensured Ealing were able to post, at minimum, a competitive score, and late hitting by Scott Ensom and Ryaan Hussain turned their total into a challenging one. Ensom scored 53 off 20 balls as Ealing struck 79 runs in the final six overs of their innings.
Harrow St Mary’s made a solid start, reaching 42 for the loss of one wicket, but their reply never took off. Seven of their batters reached double figures but none went on to play a match defining innings. For Ealing, Ensom completed a man-of-the-match display by taking three top order wickets to finish with the figures of 3-43 off 10 overs.
Harrow St Mary’s will now be joining Hampstead, who were relegated last weekend, in Division 1 in 2026. Ealing will have the chance to challenge for the trophy they won in 2024.
Division One
Twickenham, having secured the Division One title and promotion prior to the final weekend, could sit back and watch two teams – Finchley and Brondesbury – desperately attempting to join them. Finchley’s fate was in their own hands, knowing that a win against Indian Gymkhana would take them back up to the Premier Division.
Finchley secured the victory they required but not without a number of nerves being shredded. At the half way point, having bowled Indian Gymkhana out for 161, Finchley would have been confident of not having to worry about how Brondesbury were performing against North London.
But that would have changed when Finchley were reduced to 117-7.Comfort would have been taken from the fact Brondesbury were struggling against North London but who was going up with Twickenham was still up in the air. Step forward George Leggett and Sebastian Feszczur-Hatchett who put together an unbeaten 48 runs partnership for their side, an effort that took Finchley to victory and promotion. Brondesbury’s defeat meant that Finchley would have been promoted even if they had lost but Finchley’s win ensured they went up to the Premier Division in style.
At the bottom, Southgate had been relegated a few weeks ago.
Division Two
With Eastcote and Harrow having already secured promotion and Harrow Town relegated, the only thing up for grabs in Division Two was who would win the title?
With the fixture schedule being as it was Eastcote and Harrow were playing against each other with the winners taking home the silverware. In the end it was Harrow that prevailed at Paynes Folly, defeating their local rivals by 88 runs.
Harrow batted first and posted a huge total of 349-6. This was largely due to a 182-run partnership between Pansilu Wijesinghe and Devon Smith. Both players scored hundreds, Wijesinghe 105 and Smith 100 exactly. Harrow’s score was also helped by late hitting from Nish Patel and Rahul Rajkumar, who struck nine sixes in the closing overs.
Eastcote had a go and looked out of it on 95-4. But then Ronald Ettienne, as he has done on so many occasions this season, played an outstanding innings. Ettienne (98) and Daniel Travers (56) put in 120 for the sixth wicket but the run out of Ettienne all but ended Eastcote’s chances as they fell away to 261 all out. Fahim Baharami was Harrow’s hero with the ball, taking 5-59.
Division Three
The final weekend of the season started with three teams competing for two promotion places. Kay Plus were in third place and they required one of the teams above them – Bessborough or West Harrow - to lose to have any chance of promotion.
These events, however, failed to happen as Bessborough swept aside Friends United and West Harrow defeated Chiswick. Kay Plus narrowly won too, yet it was to no avail.
Simranjeet Singh was the star for Bessborough, taking 5-11 as they dismissed Friends United for just 81. The runs were knocked off in 22 overs, allowing Bessborough to have an enjoyable afternoon.
West Harrow were made to work a little harder, after being set a target of 203 by Chiswick, but their four wicket victory was completed with nine balls to spare. Divyang Patel led the way for the victors with a solid knock of 70.
At the bottom, with one team – Wembley – already relegated it was a question of who would go down with them – Stoke Newington or Old Isleworthians?
For Stoke Newington to have a chance of staying up Old Isleworthians needed to lose and they had to win. One of these results went Stoke Newington’s way - Old Isleworthians lost to South Hampstead. But Stoke Newington failed to keep their part of the agreement losing by 6 runs to Kay Plus. The results meant Stoke Newington will be playing in Division Four with Wembley in 2026.
Division Four
With Pinner Challengers already having won the title the race, in Division Four, was to become the second promoted team. Four clubs – Headstone Manor, Alexandra Park, North London Muslims and MTSSC – were challenging for the final spot and there were plenty of possible outcomes.
These potential outcomes depended on Headstone Manor losing, which they failed to do. In a relatively low scoring match Headstone Manor completed an 18 run victory over Kensington & Chelsea, a result that brought an abrupt end to the aspirations of the chasing pack.
At the bottom there was nothing to play for with Actonians and South Harrow already being relegated.
Division Five
Like Division Four, there were plenty of potential outcomes and drama on the final day of the season as five teams competed for the two promotion places and a piece of silverware.
And, as in Division Four, the complexity created by one of the top two teams losing failed to materialise. The crucial match of the day was 1st placed London Sportif playing third placed London Superkings. And it was a cracker with Sportif winning a high scoring encounter by just 8 runs.
Batting first Sportif posted 299 in their 45 overs. The score was largely down to a 122 run partnership between Oliur Rahman (102*) and Shawon Chowdhury (65). In reply Superkings looked out of it on 208-9 but an 83 run 10th wicket partnership almost brought them unexpected success.
The result of this game won Sportif the title and left United Sports needing a victory to take the final promotion spot. This they did with a three wicket win over New Calypsonians. Chasing 253 United Sports reached their target with five overs to spare.
At the bottom, sadly, it was an anti-climax. United Sporting Club needed Ealing Hanwellians to slip up to stay up but Swamibapa conceding the game and the points, which ended any chance of that. The concession meant United Sporting Club were relegated with Swamibapa.
Division Six
Before moving on to who went up on the final day of the season, huge congratulations must go to Ealing Three Bridges, who finished the summer with a 231 run win over Kingsbury Construction. It was a victory that ensured they finished 2025 with a 100% win record in the Division. Ealing Three Bridges won all 14 games they played – an outstanding performance.
Peshwa, in second place going into the final weekend, secured the 2nd promotion place with a comfortable 111 run victory over Regents Park.
With no side going down and Division Seven being completed last weekend, that, as they say, was that for 2025.
In closing I would like to wish you all a good winter and if your club would like to play indoor cricket during the winter please contact Jack Davis at [email protected].
