The delayed introduction of spin twins Parminder Singh and Don Manuwelge meant Twickenham were left frustrated with a winning draw at North Middlesex in the Middlesex County League Premier Division on Saturday.

A skipper’s innings of 90 from Carlos Nunes and 42 from David Russell had rescued the Ts from 73-5 to post a competitive 199 all out in north London.

Middlesex man Manuwelge (5-41) and Singh (4-79) bowled 40 overs between them as they reduced their hosts to 192 for nine, having reached 83-0 at one stage.

But had they been used in tandem earlier, Nunes’ men might have been celebrating a third successive win instead of watching the hosts block out the final over to avoid defeat.

The top of the table clash between Teddington and Richmond at Bushy Park was rained off without a ball being bowled allowing Ealing to return to the summit with an eight-wicket win over Shepherd’s Bush.

Division Two Barnes lost ground on the league leaders as they crashed to a low scoring seven wicket defeat at second placed Hornsey for whom Paul Weekes (4-25 & 62*) starred.

The visitors were dismissed for 118 in just 38 overs.

Richmond beat Twickenham by six wickets in their opening Middlesex Development League fixture of the summer on Sunday.

Fixtures: Twickenham v Hampstead, Shepherd’s Bush v Richmond, Southgate v Teddington, Barnes v Indian Gymkhana.