1st XI vs Wargrave

Zahid's Half-Century Not Enough as Sonning Fall Short Against Wargrave

Sonning 1st XI's Mohammed Zahid scored a patient 56, but it wasn't enough to prevent a defeat against Wargrave 2nd XI at Wargrave Cricket Club on Saturday in their Thames Valley Cricket League Division 2A clash. After winning the toss and electing to bat, Sonning were dismissed for 186, a target which the hosts chased down with four wickets to spare.

Sonning's innings began cautiously with captain Peter Higginbottom falling early for just 5, trapped lbw by Mandip Sohi. Connor Wardlaw (22) provided some resistance before Zahid anchored the innings with a determined 56 from 99 deliveries. His knock included four boundaries as he battled to give Sonning a competitive total.

Zanoxolo Gift Kwatsha contributed a valuable 30 in a 50-run partnership with Zahid for the fourth wicket, while Muhammad Ayub's cameo of 19 from just 14 balls, including a six, injected some urgency. However, regular wickets prevented Sonning from building sustained momentum, with Mandip Sohi (3-33) proving particularly effective with the ball for Wargrave.

Wargrave's response began aggressively through opener Sohi, who raced to 44 from just 37 balls with nine boundaries, establishing a solid platform in a 50-run opening partnership with Peter Dean. The Sonning bowlers fought back as captain Higginbottom claimed 3-54, including the wickets of Sohi and Sam Bowers, while Kwatsha picked up 2-42.

Dean contributed 28 before falling lbw to Daniel Longridge, but it was Dan Ormond who guided Wargrave to victory with an unbeaten 48. His innings, featuring six fours and a six, proved decisive as he shared important partnerships with Bowers (16) and captain Matthew Townson (18).

Despite Sonning's efforts to take regular wickets, Wargrave reached their target in the 39th over with Louis Dean (10 not out) helping Ormond complete the chase. The result saw Wargrave claim 22 points, while Sonning took home 9 bonus points – 4 for batting and 5 for bowling.

Sonning will rue their inability to post a more substantial total after winning the toss, with five of their batsmen dismissed lbw or caught behind. Despite Zahid's resilience and some lower-order contributions from Daniel Longridge (15), they ultimately fell short of a competitive score on what proved to be a good batting track at Wargrave Cricket Club.