4th XI vs Theale and Tilehurst

Khan's Magnificent Four-Wicket Spell Propels Sonning 4th XI to Emphatic Victory

Raja-Shahroz Khan delivered a devastating bowling spell, claiming four wickets for just one run, as Sonning 4th XI secured a comfortable eight-wicket victory against Theale and Tilehurst in their Division 10A encounter on Saturday.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the home side struggled to build momentum against a disciplined Sonning attack. Theale's innings began shakily with Jai Sharma removing both openers within the first few overs. The wicketkeeper Finlay Griffith was in exceptional form behind the stumps, taking four catches to dismantle the Theale top order.

Tim Kasozimusoke offered some resistance with a brisk 16 including one six, while Aarvind A top-scored with 19, but their efforts proved insufficient against Sonning's relentless bowling. The introduction of Khan proved decisive as he tore through the lower order, finishing with remarkable figures of 4-1 from just 2.1 overs, including two maidens. His spell included a stumping by Griffith to dismiss Mosa Nadeem without scoring.

Theale's innings crumbled to 74 all out in 21 overs, with Sharma's 3-27 providing excellent support alongside Robert Jones (2-30) and Isaac Blakey (1-15). The only notable partnership came between Kasozimusoke and Aarvind, who added 30 runs for the sixth wicket before Khan's intervention.

In response, Sonning captain Charles Astwood fell early for 9, caught off the bowling of Vijayrao Parthiv, but Matthew Dawes took control with a commanding 39 not out. His innings, featuring eight boundaries, provided the backbone of the chase as he shared a crucial 60-run partnership with Syed Naqi (13).

When Naqi fell leg before to Soumya Mishra with the score on 72, Henry Cook joined Dawes to see Sonning home comfortably. Cook struck a boundary in his unbeaten 4 as the visitors reached their target in just 16 overs with eight wickets in hand.

The comprehensive victory demonstrates Sonning 4th XI's potential in Division 10A, with their bowling attack proving particularly potent. Theale and Tilehurst, despite a spirited effort from their middle order, will need to address their batting fragility in upcoming fixtures.