Medium-pacer Sam Bardon opened the North London attack for the first time – and responded with a hat-trick as the Division Three basement boys recorded a resounding nine-wicket victory over Middlesex Tamils.

Bardon’s three wickets in three balls, coupled with tight bowling from Tom Wakeford, ensured that the Tamils crumpled to 11-5 after winning the toss and opting to bat.

Although the visitors recovered from that disastrous start, they were rolled over for 93 in 33 overs, with Bardon taking 3-30 and Yasir Hashmi finishing with 4-30.

NL, who are now just three points from safety, knocked off the required runs in just 18.1 overs, with Ibrar Tariq the only wicket to fall as Rich Hall and Hussain Shabbir saw them home.

North London captain Jack Atchinson said: “Sam’s been bowling well for the last few weeks, so we felt he’d earned the right to take the new ball – but I’m keeping him in suspense about whether it stays that way for the next game!

“It was good toss to lose - we would have batted as well, but we had them under pressure from ball one and they couldn’t get us off the square.

“We’re steadily improving and everyone’s been working hard to put the little things right. We didn’t give away any cheap runs in the field and it was the first time we’ve batted, bowled and fielded at the top of our game this season.”