Eastcote outplayed local rivals Stanmore in their Middlesex County Cricket Premier League match on Saturday, thanks chiefly to an outstanding individual contribution by man of the match Mark Collier, who scored a battling 47 not out, when his side where in trouble, followed by a 5 wicket haul with the ball as he routed the Stanmore tail to earn Eastcote a 72 run victory and the maximum 10 championship points.

Stanmore won the toss and were soon rewarded with the prized scalp of in form overseas player, Tom Scollay (2). Wise (6) soon followed as the Southill Lane side continued to shed wickets. 14-2, became 37-3 and then 52-4 as Goodchild and Chris James joined their colleagues in the single figures club. Alan Coleman (14) resisted for a while, but when he was lured away by Goh just before lunch the hosts where in trouble at 81-5.

Harpel Sagoo witnessed all this from the other end and had stood resolute throughout, after the interval he and Ed Stolle consolidated and put on 52 runs for the 6^th wicket in a fine stand in difficult circumstances before Stolle was dismissed. Rhodri James then supported Sagoo admirably as the later reached his 50 and began to accelerate. However when he was out for a sparkling 85, soon to be followed by James (14) the score was 169-8 and a low total looked favourite.

Enter Mark Collier (47*) and Summit Anand (17*), in a fine partnership these two added 65 runs, with Collier taking the attack to the Stanmore bowlers. Collier ran out of time as the 66 over maximum intervened when he was just short of what would have been a richly deserved 50.

In reply Stanmore were always behind the clock and never managed to dominate the Eastcote bowling in the way that Sagoo and Collier had done. Metcalfe intimidated in signature style as he took 3-37 and Goodchild bought a couple wickets at the other end.

Eastcote old boy Omar Anwar (13) was the first to be returned to the pavilion, soon followed by McCarthy (6) to reduce the visitors to 25-2. A brief rally by Mehra (32) gave a little cause for concern but he was soon dispatched by Metcalfe for a battling 32. Hussain adopted Twenty20 style to smash 24 from 22 deliveries before he was caught on the boundary by Metcalfe, who seemed to be having a good day.

Metcafle’s antics in the field where soon to be eclipsed by Mark Collier, who produced a match winning performance with the ball as he put the Stanmore batsmen to the sword, taking 5-51 in a remarkable spell that left previously 3^rd placed Stanmore stunned at the magnitude of their defeat.