U13 Spartans v Binfield U13 Bison

Captain Patel Steers Spartans to Victory with Unbeaten 27 at Binfield

Sonning U13 Spartans secured a hard-fought win away at the FWE Goates Memorial Ground on Wednesday evening, chasing down Binfield's total of 120 for 5 with five wickets in hand and ten balls to spare in this BYCL Under 13 Challenge encounter.

Binfield won the toss and elected to bat, with openers Viaan Bagde and captain Hollie Gamble putting on 33 for the first wicket. Bagde looked fluent in his 25 off 25 balls, striking four boundaries before being stumped by Sonning skipper Anay Patel off the bowling of Aarib Ansari. Gamble contributed a steady 19 from 31 deliveries before being run out by the alert Leo Ribbens, who also accounted for the run out of Alfie Snelling as Binfield slipped to 58 for 3.

Isaac Green provided the backbone of the Binfield innings with a composed 30 off 28 balls, finding the boundary six times before retiring not out. He shared a productive 36-run stand for the fourth wicket with Noah Jellema, who added 14 from 17 balls before being caught by Nelisha Widanapathirana off the bowling of Ethan Cawsey. Maximilian Feiler's brief cameo of 5 ended with another run out, this time effected by Patel, as Binfield posted 120 for 5 from their 20 overs. Sonning used ten bowlers during the innings, with Heet Panchal returning the most economical figures of 2-0-6-0, while Ansari and Cawsey claimed a wicket apiece.

The Spartans' reply got off to a solid start as Jude Alden and Izaan Baloch put on 34 for the opening wicket. Alden anchored the early stages with 12 from 27 balls, including two fours, while Baloch contributed 5 before being bowled by Oscar Farnden. When Alden fell bowled to Ronnie Bunker at 45 for 2, Sonning still had work to do.

Bunker proved Binfield's most dangerous bowler, claiming 3 for 16 from his three overs. He had Aarib Ansari caught behind by wicketkeeper Isaac Green for 6 and then removed Heet Panchal the same way, with Green pouching another catch to leave the Spartans wobbling at 67 for 4. Nelisha Widanapathirana managed only 3 before Green completed a third catch off Maximilian Feiler's bowling, and at 81 for 5, the chase looked far from straightforward.

Captain Patel, however, had other ideas. Coming in at number five, he played an increasingly authoritative innings, striking five fours in his unbeaten 27 from 28 balls. He found a willing ally in Leo Ribbens, who contributed 5 not out as the pair guided the Spartans home with a composed unbroken partnership. The Sonning cause was aided significantly by 56 extras conceded by Binfield's bowlers, including 32 wides — with Guillaume Lomondais alone sending down 11 wides in his two overs.

Patel's calm head under pressure, combined with sharp work behind the stumps and in the field earlier in the match, earned the Spartans captain a well-deserved match-winning performance as Sonning reached 121 for 5 in 18.2 overs to complete a satisfying away victory.