U13 Scorchers v Peppard Stoke Row Under 13 Maharajas

Scorchers Stumble in Final Overs as Peppard Stoke Row Chase Down 123 at Peppard Common

Sonning U13 Scorchers travelled to Peppard Common on 6 July for a BYCL Under 13 Blast North West league fixture and, despite posting a competitive total of 122 for 9 from their 20 overs, were unable to defend it as Peppard Stoke Row's Under 13 Maharajas reached their target with 3.3 overs to spare.

Captain Namit Desai won the toss and elected to bat, and his side made a solid start through openers Henry Verrier Jones and Finley Andrews. The pair put on 34 for the first wicket before Andrews fell for 11, caught by Seb Mcquillan off the bowling of Leo Franklin. Verrier Jones batted throughout the innings with admirable composure, finishing unbeaten on 14 from 30 balls, but it was Saurav Sivaram who provided the real impetus in the middle overs. Sivaram struck six fours in a blistering 31 from just 24 deliveries before retiring not out, his boundary-laden knock helping to push the score along briskly.

After Sivaram's retirement and Oliver Barker's departure for 6, bowled by James Sanigar, Desai steadied the ship with a useful 17 from 22 balls, including two fours. He and Sivaram had earlier shared in a period that took the score from 55 for 2 to 101 for 3 — a partnership phase worth 46 runs that formed the backbone of the innings. However, the closing overs brought a dramatic collapse. Reuben Shah produced a devastating spell of 2-0-8-4, dismissing Elijah Patel and Frederick Parkes in quick succession — both falling without scoring — before also accounting for Daniel Moseley, caught by Franklin. Three run-outs, two of them effected by wicketkeeper George Craven, compounded the damage as Sonning lost their last seven wickets for just 21 runs.

The 38 extras conceded by Peppard Stoke Row's bowlers, including 20 wides, had offered the Scorchers useful additional runs, but Shah's late intervention ensured the target remained within reach at 123.

Peppard Stoke Row's reply got off to a flying start courtesy of Craven, who was utterly destructive at the top of the order. The wicketkeeper-batsman smashed six fours in a rapid 31 from only 15 balls, putting the chase firmly on track before retiring not out. Desai struck an early blow by bowling captain Elliot Mackmin for a duck with the score on 29, and Daniel Moseley removed Lucas Pagella for 9 to make it 53 for 2, giving Sonning brief hope.

Finley Andrews was the pick of the Sonning bowlers, claiming 2 for 9 from his two overs, including the scalps of Mcquillan (7) and Franklin (16). Sivaram also chipped in with the wicket of Ida Tomlinson, well caught by Parkes. At 75 for 4, and later 95 for 5, the Scorchers had created genuine pressure, but the hosts' depth saw them through. A partnership of 27 between Benjie White (8) and James Sanigar (7) proved decisive, carrying the score from 95 to 122 before White was run out. Sanigar and Wynter Greenaway then saw the Maharajas home without further alarm.

Sonning's cause was not helped by 39 extras leaked during the second innings, with 27 wides proving particularly costly. Heet Panchal's 2.3 overs included eight wides, while Parkes and Elijah Patel also struggled for consistency. Despite picking up six wickets between them, the Scorchers' bowlers could not stem the flow of runs sufficiently, and Peppard Stoke Row completed their victory in the 17th over.

The defeat means Sonning take away eight bonus points — five for batting and three for bowling — but the manner of the late-innings collapse with the bat will be the primary concern for Desai and his team as they look to tighten up their performances in the second half of games.