The Calthorpe club secured a second-placed finish in Division Three with a final day win and are already preparing for the 2019 season

Crouch End vice-captain Pratik Patel has hailed their promotion from the Middlesex County League Division Three as an unbelievable achievement.

The Calthorpe club defeated local rivals North London by nine wickets on September 1 to earn a spot in Division Two for next season.

Given they only come up in 2017, they have adapted to life in Division Three like a duck to water with 11 wins out of 18.

Patel said: “It hasn’t really sunk in yet. We have had the same group of players for two years and the aim was to earn back-to-back promotions because we knew Middlesex County League Division Two is where the proper cricket starts.

“To actually achieve it the club is still in dreamland I think, but it is an unbelievable achievement.”

Plans for 2019 are now underway with Crouch End eager to not simply make up the numbers in the second tier.

In Division Two, they will come up against former Premier Division outfit Highgate and Hornsey, who almost secured promotion this season.

The Calthorpe outfit know things will not be straightforward next year and so will not set any outlandish targets.

Crouch End will simply aim to compete and show they are a capable side at Division Two level.

“We fancy our chances of competing. We know the standard between Division Three and Two is massive, so next year we need to be realistic,” Patel said.

“I don’t think we will focus too much on achievements like winning titles or getting relegated, we will concentrate on playing tough, hard cricket.

“We want to make it difficult for all the other teams to take points off us. We don’t want to be seen as a side who give away easy points, so we want to be a hard club to beat.”