The Shepherd’s Cot club secured a 100-run victory on Saturday after posting 283-8 from 45 overs at home to Winchmore Hill
Johan de Silva praised Highgate's batsmen after an encouraging win in the Middlesex County Division Two on Saturday over Winchmore Hill by 100 runs.
The hosts batted first and posted 283-8 from their allotted overs with Zahid Ali Khan's 82 off 45 balls doing most of the damage.
In reply, Winchmore had no answers and were dismissed for 183 in the 35th over to give the Shepherd's Cot outfit a second victory from four games this season.
Highgate's club development officer de Silva said: "It was a great win for the guys on Saturday, bouncing back from a disappointing loss to Brentham the week before.
"On a scorching day in north London, skipper Syed Muz Ali won the toss and elected to bat first.
"On a lovely batting deck Hasnain Ali & Uzair Amjaid started circumspectly, however the impetus was really thrown into the innings with the arrivals of Will Bowley (40 off 24) and Zahid to the crease.
"Coupled with good contributions from Hasnain (60) and overseas Sandun Dias (46), we were able to get up to 283-8 in 45 overs.
"It was a great score, indebted mainly to an exhibition of batting from Zahid, who demonstrated shots all around the wicket against a tiring Winchmore Hill bowling attack."
After an excellent showing with the bat, Highgate took it into the field and started well to reduce Winchmore to 50-6.
The visitors managed to fight back, but Amjaid (2-40), Billy Blghton (2-64) and Edward Foster (2-25) claimed braces each to secure a comprehensive triumph.
"We started brightly with the ball to remove much of Winchmore Hill's top order without troubling the scorers too much, with Winchmore teetering at 50-6 thanks mainly to the bowling of Scott Melville (1-10), David Monk (1-22) and Amjaid," de Silva said.
"There was some spirited resistance from Winchmore's lower order, with Charlie Avent (33), Henry Saunders (24) and Scott Burkinshaw (52) flaying some late boundaries.
"However with such a large score on the board, it was only a matter of time until we picked up the last wicket, Foster cracking Tim Royall's off stump in two to finish the game with some 10 overs to spare."
Captain Ali will now prepare his team to travel to Eastcote, who are eighth after one win this season.
"This win sends us back up to fifth and we look forward to visiting Eastcote in the last of the overs games on Saturday keen to improve on our away form," de Silva concluded.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here