Finchley got their first win of the Middlesex County League Premier Division season on Saturday, beating Richmond by one wicket.

Having won the toss, visitors Finchley elected to bowl, dismissing Richmond for 178.

Andrew Lowe top-scored for the hosts with 36, whilst tail-ender Tom Hemingway managed 31.

Tilan Wijesinghe was the top Richmond wicket-taker, claiming three for 35.

Finchley overcame a poor start to their innings to reach their target of 179 with just one wicket to spare.

Opener Francois Haasbroek – who had earlier taken three wickets – was bowled for just three before Sayed Bukhari followed for a duck.

An unbeaten 60 from Muhammad Arshad got the innings back on track, with Ayush Sahota adding a further 40 to the total.

Jack Porter took three for 28 for the hosts.

Elsewhere in the Premier Division, Stanmore began with a five-wicket loss at home to Ealing despite a strong batting display.

Put into bat after Ealing won the toss, Stanmore made 248 for four. Stevie Eskinazi smashed his way to an enormous knock of 133 not out and Nikhil Dutta was unbeaten on 51.

Chris Peploe took two wickets for 79 for the visitors.

In reply, Epping hit 249 for five to secure the win.

Opener Mylo Wilkin scored 73 and Luke Stoughton 67. Sam Helm finished with figures of two for 32.

In the Saracens Herts League Premier Divsion, Potters Bar lost to Hemel Hempstead Town by eight runs.

Hosts Hemel won the toss and elected to bat first, posting a competitive total of 242 for eight.

Adam Winchester top-scored for Hemel with 65, while Kashif Dalvi and Brett Penny both reached 35.

Thilan Walallawita took two for 27 for Potters Bar.

The visitors fell narrowly short of reach Hemel’s total, dismissed for 234.

Harrison Palmer top-scored for Potters Bar with 91 and Tom Coughlan chipped in with 29.

Gareth James was the stand-out bowler for Hemel, taking four for 44.

Old Finchleians travelled to Knebworth Park in the Championship and were well beaten by 78 runs.

The hosts won the toss and feasted on a below-strength attack amassing 289 for five off their 50 overs.

Despite good starts Matt Fletcher (26) and Chetan Depala Jnr (39) were unable to push on and the visitors soon fell out of contention.

It was left to a lively 65 not out from Hardik Savani to propel Old Finchleians to 211 for eight.

Totteridge Millhillians suffered a seven-wicket loss at home to Flitwick.

The hosts reached 277 for six in their 50 overs, but Flitwick batted their way to 278 for the loss of just three.

Old Elizabethan's comfortably beat Northwood Town by eight wickets in Division Three.

After winning the toss, skipper James Heavey put the opposition into bat first on what appeared a decent wicket.

In the second over, 14-year-old Charlie Busby (2-9) – playing just his second game for the first team – made the breakthrough taking his maiden wicket, when he took a good return catch.

Alongside Busby was Dominic Goring (three for 12), whose hostility allowed him to produce a delivery that nipped back to take the opener’s off stump. The openers between them had reduced Northwood Town to 17 for three.

A resurgence was beginning when up stepped Matt Holland (four for 17), in his fourth over producing a bit of magic to complete his first ever hat-trick and rip through the middle order.

With support from Goring and then Nav Akhtar the opposition were all out for 67 in a great bowling and fielding display.

The target was 68 and despite the early loss of captain Heavey & Saqib Parkar, Elizabethan’s cruised to victory as Paul Lissowski (38 not out) and Akhtar (18 not out) saw the side home.

In Division Seven, Mill Hill Village won by seven wickets at Watton-at-Stone.

Watton batted first, posting an impressive 330 for four in 53 overs.

In response, the visitors scored 332 for five to clinch the win.