Hornsey 118 Finchley 121-9

A fine all-round performance by Kirthi Ranasinghe helped Finchley snatch a one-wicket win at Hornsey on Saturday and climb to fourth place in the Middlesex County League.

In an all-day game on a difficult batting wicket, Arron Laraman (4-40) also bowled well, and a splendid performance by young wicketkeeper Peter Sogbodjor, who snapped up five catches saw Hornsey dismissed for 118, off 49 overs.

After Steve Selwood (27) and Sogbodjor (19) laid the foundations for victory, Finchley suffered shocks as skipper Glucka Wijesuriya and Laraman were both caught for ducks off Patel (4-65).

Though Ian Blanchett (15) resisted, Jake Milton (0), Eddie Hodges (0) and Daminda Wijesekera (2) all fell cheaply to Scott (3-9), but Ranasinghe (41 not out) astutely steered the visitors out of troubled waters and saw them home in a nerve-jangling finale.

OTHER RESULTS: Hornsey II 148-9dec. (Heard 4-24), Whelan 3-47), Finchley II 149-7. Hornsey III 184-8 dec., Finchley III 185-2 (Jordan 81, Johns 64 no).

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