23/08/2026
Another really big day for the Senior sides on Saturday. The 1st team clinched the Division 5B title away to their nearest rivals and the 2nd XI kept themselves in a good position to make it a double promotion this season.
After making our longest trip of the season to Silverstone, who had been sitting behind us in the table for most of the season, stand-in captain Philip Samuels won the toss and chose to bowl first. We didn't start at our best, maybe searching too hard for wickets. Helped by a few thick edges to the boundary, the home side moved to 33 without loss. But as so often the case this year, Ronak Suthar (1 for 24 off 5 overs) found some sharp seam movement to bowl Silverstone's leading league runscorer. Shortly afterwards Dharmendra Patel (1 for 23 off 9) won a leg before decision to remove the other opener. Unlike a number of other teams we have played this year, our hosts did not collapse in a heap and began to fight back. Although never scoring particularly freely, the third wicket pair took the score to 108 before being parted. We weren't quite on it in the field and a few strong words at the drinks break helped us to refocus. Then the breakthrough came when Thomas Patel beat an attempted big shot, skidding one through to crash into the stumps. We then began to pick up wickets at regular intervals, with no other partnership getting above 26. Jonny Patel (2 for 24 off 9) got rewarded for an excellent spell, bowling one batter then seeing a rare loose ball hit straight into the hands of brother Tommy at short fine leg. Tommy (2 for 40 off 9) then induced a catch looped up to Tom Walker at long off. George Robinson (3 for 38 off 8) worked his way through the middle and lower order, with a well judged catch by Dharma on the midwicket boundary the highlight. Silverstone finished their 45 overs on 187 for 9.
We were unsure how good a total that was, given the mixture of a slow and very low pitch, but short boundaries to 3 sides of the ground. However, any concerns were soon dispelled when George Robinson began to get going. Helped by 3 dropped catches of varying difficulty, George took the majority of the strike as he reached 51 (41 balls, 10x4) before having to retire out to attend his mother-in-law's 60th birthday party. Already well ahead of the run rate, we never gave the home team a sniff of getting back into the game. Having done all the hard work and played so well, Tommy Patel (52 off 67, 9x4) was finally caught after an 110 partnership with only 9 needed to complete the win. We did lose another wicket 2 balls later but Liam Smith (48 not out off 65 balls, 5x4, 2x6) smashed the winning boundary as we completed a comprehensive victory with more than 15 overs remaining. With 3rd placed Old Bradwell New City losing we would have been promoted anyway, but it was great to clinch the Division in style at the ground of our closest challengers.
The 2nd team hosted Brackley 3rds at Church Lane, knowing a win could see promotion clinched. However, with Cublington 2s winning too, the battle continues into the final pair of games despite another crushing win for Kyan Dawson and his boys. Winning the toss and batting first we lost Gavin Paulse for 9 with the score on 33 and Lewis Richards for 25 (36 balls, 4x4) when we were on 56. However, an 101 partnership between Casey Bobrick Dawson and Lucky Junior (53 off 50 balls, 8x4, 1x6) ensured we would reach a decent total. We did lose another wicket shortly after they were parted but Casey (81 off 102, 11x4, 1x6) and Max Mariscotti (23 off 22, 4x4) propelled us past 200, before both falling in the final over as we reached 225 for 6 from our allocation of 40.
Brackley added 20 for the first wicket, but quickly subsided to 26 for 4. Will Smith (2 for 25 off 8) and Sonny took 2 wickets each, the latter courtesy of a pair of catches from U15 team mate Freddie. Venky (1 for 25 off 6) chipped in with another victim before a partial recovery took the away team from 38 for 5 to 71 without further loss. However, Kris Greig (3 for 13 off 4) nipped any thoughts of a comeback in the bud, and Sonny (3 for 11 off 5.2) took the last wicket with the final batter not making it to the crease. 81 all out in 23.5 overs meant a win by 144 runs.
With just 2 matches to go, the 2s are 30 points ahead of 3rd placed Cublington. With 25 available for a win, we know another victory next week as the 2nds take their turn to travel to Silverstone 2s would see them promoted and set up a winner takes all final day title decider with Old Bradwell New City 2s.
