WHEN the silverware is being dished out at the end of the season, Saturday’s 64-run victory at Hampstead could prove a vital moment for North Middlesex.

Lymington Road is never an easy ground to visit, especially when taking on a Hampstead side buoyed by back-to-back wins in the top-flight of the Middlesex County Cricket League.

A solid start from openers Will Fort and Will Frais was key as they helped North Midd build a solid foundation.

Fort thwacked 57 runs off 77 balls before being trapped lbw by Sam Fraser, while Frais hit an even more rapid 43 off 48 balls before succumbing to a smart catch from Arran Duguid off Damien Burrage’s bowling.

Hampstead were never going to surrender runs easily, and with Fraser ending the afternoon with three wickets at the expense of just 21 runs to his name, and Callum Cameron chipping in with 3-38, the visitors did well to amass 218 before being bowled out in the 45th over.

It was, though, still going to take some effort if North Midd were going to leave West Hampstead with all 10 points. Joel Hughes (2-15) and Max Harris (2-29) duly delivered as they skittled out the top-order. Oyishik Chakraborty again produced with the bat before being caught by Alex MacQueen off Harris’s bowling one run shy of his half-century.

Ben Lockrose then stole centre stage as he picked off four wickets for 40 runs as Hampstead were dismissed inside 45 overs for 154.

Mubasher Hassan’s side will have to be at their best if they are going to bounce back this weekend when they travel to second-placed Shepherd’s Bush, while leaders North Midd host Harrow St Mary’s.