ALL-ROUNDER Matthew Moran breathed new life into North Middlesex on Saturday when he returned to their starting line-up to smash a stunning century at Finchley.

Putting in one of the performances of the day in the Premier Division of the Middlesex County Cricket League, Moran displayed commanding shot selection as he hit 117 runs off 91 balls in a knock that included no fewer than 17 fours and four sixes.

Skipper Jacob Miltz also batted well for 76, forming a formidable fourth-wicket partnership alongside Moran that was worth 171 runs.

It was just the kind of all-out attacking flair that the defending champions needed as they look to drag themselves out of a relegation fight.

Will Vanderspar helped bulk up the visitors’ tally with a rapid 41 not out as North Midd put 303-9 on the board before declaring after 60 overs. But despite posting the biggest total of the afternoon in the top-flight, it still wasn’t enough to earn them the win as they missed out by just one wicket.

Miltz’s side couldn’t have done much more to get over the line.

North Midd were just as aggressive in the field, with Vanderspar taking four wickets at the expense of 45 runs, while Ben Lockrose added to his impressive stats this season by collecting 3-60.

However, largely thanks to the resilience of Matthew McGowan, who scored 98 runs before being caught by Miltz off Vanderspar’s bowling, Finchley somehow managed to survive.

They finished on 203-9 to earn an unlikely point, with North Midd picking up five points courtesy of their faster run-rate.

It proved enough to see North Midd move off the bottom of the table, albeit only by four points. They will be looking to increase that gap this weekend when they host relegation rivals Ealing at their Park Road home ground in Crouch End.

Meanwhile, in Division One, Hampstead dropped to fifth after slipping to a six-wicket home defeat against leaders Harrow.