New Bessborough club captain Rohan Karkhanis and fellow spinner Mitesh Vyas dug in for a 17-over last wicket stand to salvage a losing draw against Wycombe House on Saturday in the Middlesex Championship.

Karkhanis won the toss and put the opposition in to bat, but the slow wicket didn’t offer much to the seam attack of Nirvav Ghantiwala who was punished by the Wycombe House openers Chaudhury (57) and Uddin (47).

Karkhanis turned to Vyas, who managed to slow the rate a little, but it was only when the two were operating in tandem that Bessborough started to find their way back into the game.

Vyas claimed four for 65 from 20 overs while Karkhanis finished with three for 64 as Wycombe House finished on 197 for seven.

The Bessborough response could not have got off to much of a worse start as Ramesh Gunulan was caught in the first over for a duck and his opening partner Ishan Shah followed him into the clubhouse, also without troubling the scorers.

A 40-run partnership for the third wicket between Talha Junaid (17) and new overseas wicketkeeper Jigar Shah (34) helped steady the ship. Shah and Ian Barrie (43) then put on 31 for the fourth wicket to leave Bessborough still in with a chance on 77 for four, but there followed a dramatic collapse when five wickets were lost for only 30 runs. It was at that stage that Karkhanis (4 not out) and Vyas (12 not out) demonstrated the application required to keep their wickets in tact for 17 overs to rescue a draw and a league point as they ended on 129 for nine.

Bessborough Seconds lost by one wicket at Wycombe House in the Middlesex County Cricket League But the Thirds were humbled at home by Indian Gymkhana in the 1987 Cricket League, losing by seven wickets after being bowled out for 76.

There was better news for the Fourths after they beat Wembley Fifths by seven wickets.

Wembley found it difficult to score against Bessborough’s attack and ended on 89 for nine. Pick of the bowlers was new player Adil Patel (4-17), well supported by Bharat Vyas (2-9), Neil Patel (1-4) and Ravi Vyas (1-16).

Acting skipper Praekash Balendra (19) and Simon Heaney (25) put on 47 for the first wicket before an unbeaten 20 from Rochard Ward helped Bessborough home after 31 overs.

Bessborough were knocked out of the MCCL Cockspur Rum Club Twenty20, suffering a heavy 82-run loss to local rivals Harrow St Mary’s.