1st XI vs Hurst

Dean and Zahid Power Sonning to Commanding Win Over Hurst

Sonning 1st XI secured an impressive 85-run victory against Hurst in their Division 2B league match at home, thanks to sterling batting performances from captain Peter Dean and Mohammed Zahid, followed by a disciplined bowling display.

After being put into bat by Hurst, Sonning's innings centered around a magnificent 93 from skipper Dean, who faced 131 deliveries and struck seven fours and a six. His opening partner Duncan Parr fell early for just 6, but what followed was the partnership that defined the match - a superb 185-run stand between Dean and Zahid, who contributed 87 from 130 balls including eight boundaries.

The duo batted with composure and intent, rotating the strike efficiently while punishing loose deliveries, taking Sonning from potential trouble at 32-1 to a commanding position at 217-2. Some late hitting from Muhammad Talha, who made an unbeaten 17 from just 7 balls, propelled Sonning to a formidable total of 258-5 from their allotted 50 overs.

Hurst's bowling attack struggled for consistency, conceding 34 extras including 27 wides. Nick Reynolds was the pick of their bowlers with figures of 2-36 from his 10 overs, while Max Carroll also claimed two wickets despite conceding 53 runs from his seven overs.

In response, Hurst's chase never gathered momentum against Sonning's disciplined bowling attack. James Watt (10 from 40 balls) and captain Lewis Smith (39 from 55) offered resistance, but regular wickets prevented any substantial partnerships from developing. Carter Hobbs (29) and Ollie Lovegrove (33) made starts in the middle order, but couldn't convert them into match-winning contributions.

Faraan Shafique and Dion Laban-Jeffries were the standout performers with the ball for Sonning, both claiming three wickets apiece. Shafique finished with 3-44 from his nine overs, while Laban-Jeffries returned impressive figures of 3-41, including the crucial wickets of Lovegrove, Phil Higgs, and Steve Morris in quick succession to break the back of Hurst's middle order.

Hurst were ultimately dismissed for 173 in 44.1 overs, with two run-outs underlining Sonning's sharp fielding performance. Oliver Rowe was particularly impressive in the field, taking three catches to support his bowling colleagues as Sonning completed a comprehensive victory in this Division 2B encounter.