Finchley came up just short in Division One of the Middlesex County Cricket League on Saturday, losing by two wickets at North Middlesex.

Put into bat after losing the toss, Finchley scored slowly and although Jake Milton top-scored with 60 at number three, those runs came from 142 balls.

At 15 for two in reply, North Middlesex could have folded but despite the best efforts of Frahan Butt (three for 40) and Hassan Khan (three for 56), they came out fighting.

With two wickets remaining it looked a close-run thing but the visitors got home with 198 for eight.

Stanmore held out for a winning draw at home to Southgate elsewhere in Division One.

The away side won the toss and elected to bat, putting on 187 for nine. Restrictive bowling from Tushaar Karia (three for 40) helped keep the Southgate score down and leave Stanmore with an attainable target.

But the hosts began sluggishly with the bat; Grant Reingold putting on 54 from 110 deliveries.

And even though the wickets soon began to tumble once more, Stanmore held on with 155 for nine.

In the Saracens Herts League Premier Division, Potters Bar lost out by five wickets at home to Letchworth Garden City.

Harrison Palmer (55) and George Scott (69) scored well but their contributions were not matched by those further down the order and subsequently, Potters were all out for 190.

Letchworth knocked off the runs to reach 194 with five wickets in hand.

Thilan Walallawita (four for 54) returned the best bowling figures but his efforts could not stem the tide.

Totteridge Millhillians extended their winning run to four matches with a 180-run trouncing of Chorleywood.

Hots Totteridge put on 367 for five before removing their visitors for just 188 to ease home.

Old Finchleians fell to yet another defeat, going down by four wickets at home to Knebworth Park.

Having put up a paltry 110 all out, OFs gave themselves fleeting home by taking six wickets in the visitors’ reply. Yet Knebworth Park got home with four to spare after hitting 111.

Old Elizabethans were frustratingly held to a draw at Hertford in Division Three A after Rob Gibson hit a fine century.

Gibson’s knock of 101 was the highlight of the visitors’ innings.

Declaring on 304 for five, Old Elizabethans could not remove the stubborn Hertford line-up.

Akhtar snared four for 67 but the home side held out to draw with a total of 257 for eight.

Mill Hill Village made it four straight wins in Division Six B, marching to an eight wicket win over Totteridge Millhillians Thirds.

The Village tore through Totteridge for 92 and then raced to 93 in 16.1 overs.