U13 Sabres v Cholsey U13 Pairs

Sabres Edge Past Cholsey in Low-Scoring Pairs Contest at Knowl Hill

Sonning U13 Sabres secured a hard-fought victory over Cholsey in Pool 4 of the U13 Super 8s Gauntlet Goblet at Knowl Hill CC on 18th May 2023, chasing down their opponents' total of 81 to finish on 89 for 5 from their 16 overs.

Cholsey, having won the toss and elected to bat, found run-scoring difficult against a disciplined Sonning bowling attack. The visitors' innings was characterised by a struggle to find the boundary, with Harry Gill top-scoring with 8 from 14 balls and captain Oliver Nathanielsz contributing 6 off 18 deliveries. No Cholsey batter managed to truly dominate, and the team were heavily reliant on extras, which accounted for 54 of their 81-run total.

The standout bowling performance for the Sabres came from wicketkeeper Mayon Ariyasinghe, who produced the most economical spell of the match with figures of 2-0-4-1, including a maiden over — a rare feat in junior pairs cricket. Captain Christopher Dowse was similarly effective, conceding just 9 runs from his two overs while claiming a wicket. Abhisht Sharma picked up two wickets for 13 runs, while Taya Revenko and Kishan Akula each contributed a wicket apiece to share the six dismissals around the attack.

In reply, the Sabres' run chase was anchored by Ariyasinghe, who backed up his excellent bowling display with the top score of 12 from 14 balls. Dowse continued his influential match with 9 off 10 deliveries, while opener George Redfern provided a solid start with 7 from 12 balls. Contributions came from across the order, with Abhisht Sharma, Taya Revenko and Kishan Akula each chipping in with 5 runs.

Cholsey's bowlers made it far from straightforward for the Sabres. Captain Oliver Nathanielsz was the pick of the visiting attack, delivering a superb three-over spell that yielded three wickets for just 4 runs and posed serious questions to the middle order. Grace Fraser-Jones and Alexander Burden also claimed a wicket each, ensuring Sonning had to work for their victory.

Extras again played a significant role in the second innings, with 42 added to the Sonning total, though this was notably fewer than the 54 conceded in the first innings. The Sabres' greater discipline with the ball ultimately proved the difference, as their bowlers leaked 12 fewer extras than their Cholsey counterparts.

The result earned the Sabres five league points to Cholsey's two, with Ariyasinghe's outstanding all-round contribution of 2-0-4-1 with the ball and 12 runs with the bat proving decisive in what was a genuine team effort at Knowl Hill.