Stanmore and Finchley played out an entertaining draw on Saturday, as the local rivals went toe-to-toe on Stanmore Common.

The visitors took home five points after putting on 283-5 from 63 overs, and while they could not bowl their hosts out in response, Stanmore’s 255-9 earned them only two points as they hung on to ensure Finchley did not take maximum points.

Having won the toss, Finchley decided to take to the crease and shook off the early loss of Phil Hughes, as Abhishek Kulkarni reduced them to 13-1, as Joe Barrett and George Scott put on 113 for the second wicket.

Once Barrett departed for 58 from the bowling of Tushaar Karia, Brad Chemaly stepped up and continued the increasingly impressive innings, making 41 before he too was dismissed by Karia.

Jake Milton added another 29 with Scott still at the crease, and shortly after he was finally removed for 136 when run out by Steven Reingold, Finchley ended on 283-5 from 63 overs.

Reingold was the first man to depart in Stanmore’s response, despite a rapid 24 from 18 balls, with Frahan Butt taking both his wicket and Jason Shield for a duck to leave the hosts stumbling at 26-2.

Kush Patel and Grant Reingold both made single figures as Seb Fezur-Hatchett, who registered Finchley’s most impressive bowling return with 4-61, and once Karia was taken by Brad Chemaly to leave Stanmore 66-5, they were facing an increasingly daunting challenge.

Mark Ramprakash’s arrival at the crease did stem the tide somewhat, and he ended with four separate batting partners before he was eventually removed for 120 by Chemaly.

With that wicket, the hosts found themselves 254-8 and with only minutes left, never in danger of chasing down their target.

Two points for Stanmore plunged them back into the bottom two, while five for Finchley left them fourth bottom, but only eight points off third in the Middlesex Premier League.