Coach and Horses CC continued their fine start to the North East London Cricket League season with a 117-run victory over Royal Sovereign at Springfield Park.

Despite losing early wickets to the excellent, probing bowling of Nick Franks, a period of stabilisation saw Coach reach 89-3, with James Moore contributing 38 at drinks.

Thereafter, the middle order were able to capitalise on short and wayward deliveries on a green wicket that offered the bowlers assistance, with a fine 50 from Juwel Roy.

A late cameo from Edgar Maddicott (32 not out) frustrated Sovereign just as they were getting back on terms thanks to Freddy Alexander and enabled Coach to reach an above-par 220.

In reply, Sakil Mahmud and Matt Tait removed both Sovereign openers without scoring, exerting real pressure on the middle order.

Despite some lusty blows from Ken Willock (45) and Luke Browne (26), Sovereign found themselves with too much ground to make up and Chris Norris ripped the heart out of their batting line-up with a fine spell, recording his first five-wicket haul in Coach colours to dismiss Royal Sovereign for 103 and seal an impressive victory.

GB Strikers also continued their good start, making it three wins out of three against Clapton & Oval in a low-scoring game at Millfields.

Strikers asked Clapton to bat, and the tight bowling of Farooq Jabbar and Zubair Ghardiwala reduced them to 26-4 after 10 overs.

Ismail Matvad and Adarsh Chhabria (36) dug in for a solid partnership to help them recover from their nightmare start but, despite their efforts, Clapton finished on a below-par 127 all out after 36 overs.

Clapton’s bowlers took the game to Strikers in the second innings, with wickets from Jim O’Reilly, Kaspar Pedersen and Kerry Tyrrell leaving the batting team on 67-5.

However Zubair Ghardiwala (38no) followed on from his good performance with the ball with some confident attacking strokes to take his side over the line for a four-wicket win.

Finally, GB UK – one of the league’s other new boys – recorded their first victory over Tower Hamlets on Hackney Marshes.

Tower Hamlets won the toss and elected to bat, but were swiftly reduced by strong bowling from GB UK, notably from Sulimaan Gajia and Khalil Mulla.

Their batsmen then made short work of the run chase – despite losing a couple of quick wickets they were taken over the line by Gul Hamid (49) and Ibrahim Mulla (54no) for an eight-wicket win.

In the Middlesex Championship, Stoke Newington recorded a three-wicket win over All Lions in North Wembley.

Stoke Newington captain Scott Doody chose to bowl, and after Lions opener Gus Walsh had been dismissed for 29, new batsman Sudeep posted his IPL intentions, scoring four sixes and a four in his 29 before falling to a beauty from Khalpwak Zazai.

Dileepa and partner Hushoo stuck to the task as Stoke Newington upped the bowling. It was in the 15th over that Hushoo went with the score on 91, with a tough day in the field looking likely.

But the situation changed as Lions lost four wickets to Doody and Zazai – who then hurt himself on the boundary, with the score 120-7.

That meant Stoke Newington declined to go for the jugular and, although the eighth wicket fell on 152, Jayasingha (17no) and Srirangan (35) took the total to 200.

Newington began well as openers Alex Chadwick and Doody put together a 50-run partnership. But Chadwick soon followed Doody back to the pavilion and the middle order of T Jenkinson (15) and Ijaz Manjra (54) batted sensibly.

All looked good at 169-4, but there was a mini-panic as Z Mohammad, I Mohmand and T Ashman all went cheaply, leaving Stokey reeling on 184-7.

However, Sarafat Ali hit a mature 58 not out, to see Stoke home with three wickets to spare.