GBCC maintained their unbeaten start to the North East London Cricket League season with a 41-run victory over Clapton and Oval at Millfields Park.

After a lot of overnight rain, visiting Clapton won the toss and elected to field – but GB started well, with the opening batsmen seeing off the new ball and reaching 45 without loss after 12 overs.

However, some outstanding bowling from Kerry Tyrrell saw three quick wickets fall in a short spell and GB started to wobble.

A partnership between Ibrahim Mulla (79) and Altaf Galyara piled on the runs once more, but some fine death bowling from Marcus Elwin meant the hosts were bowled out for 192 after 37.2 overs.

An excellent opening bowling spell from Ibrahim Mullah meant Clapton lost two early wickets in their chase, but a partnership full of positive strokes between Marcus Elwin (45) and Tom Taylor (44) put GB on the back foot once again.

In the end it fell to spinner Khalil Mulla to come in and rescue the home team as he took four wickets to leave Clapton 41 runs short after being dismissed for 151 in 34 overs.

Meanwhile, Tower Hamlets remain top of the table after beating Royal Sovereign by six wickets at a sunny London Fields.

Sovereign batted first and lost a couple of early wickets, but Dennis Fanus held the innings together, peppering the boundary and delighting the crowd with a series of fours.

However, wickets then fell consistently, and when Fanus was run out for 49, Chris Walters (20) and Elroy Pond (21) had to help them to reach a competitive total of 188 from 32.4 overs.

After losing an early wicket in their reply, Hamlets cruised to 108 before Kayser Alamud fell for 48.

Wickets then went down with the score at 121 and 160, but Rohit Khan’s unbeaten 79 saw the visitors comfortably home at 189-4 with six wickets in hand after 33.2 overs.

In the Middlesex Championship, Stoke Newington beat Rosslyn by eight wickets to ensure a quick victory and allow the players to get home in time for the FA Cup final.

Captain Scott Doody won the toss and made the bold move of asking spinner Zhwalpak Zazai to open the bowling alongside regular Gus Walsh – and he conceded 13 off his first over.

But, while Walsh blasted away at one end, Zazai put his unsteady start behind him and began to weave his magic, with wickets falling in three consecutive overs.

Walsh bowled nine successive overs and, when Zazai was replaced by Zabehulah Mohammad, he took a wicket in his first over, while Irfan Mohmand collected one himself before Zazai came back to clean up the tail for a total of 120.

Stoke Newington’s openers Tom Stewart and Abul Kasim Nalla then set about the Rosslyn bowling with vigour.

Stewart struck 54 in his first match of the season and Nalla (46) hit a six to ensure the victory was sealed inside 16 overs, and with eight wickets to spare.