4th XI v Aldershot 5th XI

Ali Parkes Unbeaten 143 Powers Sonning to Commanding Win at Yateley

Sonning's 4th XI produced their most emphatic batting display of the season at Yateley Manor School, piling up 303 for 5 from their 40 overs before dismissing Aldershot's 5th XI for 190 to win by 113 runs.

Aldershot won the toss and asked the home side to bat, a decision that looked reasonable when Sonning lost their first wicket with only four on the board. What followed was an innings of quite remarkable control from Ali Parkes, who batted through the remaining overs for 143 not out from 130 balls, an innings decorated with 25 fours and built almost entirely on placement and running rather than aerial risk. He barely gave a chance and never let the scoring stall.

Parkes was well supported throughout. Peeush Bajpai, playing only his third match for the club, helped repair the early damage in a stand of 77 for the second wicket, contributing a busy 26 before he was bowled with the total on 81. Captain Arun Raghavendra then added 44 alongside Parkes, and when Rishabh Singh arrived he struck two sixes in a brisk 21 as another 54 came for the fourth wicket.

The final flourish belonged to Shahbaz Ali. Promoted to number seven and given licence to swing, he finished unbeaten on 56 from just 30 deliveries at a strike rate of 186.7, clearing the ropes twice and finding the fence seven times. It was a maiden half-century for the club and comfortably his best return in Sonning colours, and it lifted a strong total into a formidable one. Purnachandra Rao Jagarlamudi was the pick of the Aldershot attack with 2 for 35, while Megan Irwin's four overs for 15 were the tidiest on show.

The visitors began their reply with intent. Jon Ford was in fine touch, striking nine fours and a six in his 52, and after the early loss of Stanley Longbottom he added 74 for the third wicket with Jagarlamudi to take Aldershot to 114 for 2 and keep the chase faintly alive.

Sonning's response was decisive. Four wickets tumbled for ten runs to leave the visitors 124 for 6, with Aahaan Sharma leading the way and finishing with 3 for 33 from his six overs. Siddharth Kumar claimed two, and there were wickets apiece for Arthur Parkes, Rish Bajpai, Raghavendra and Shahbaz Ali as the innings was shared around. Rish Bajpai's five overs cost just 16, and Raghavendra's spell of 5-1-21-1 kept the pressure firmly applied.

Azaan Ali refused to go quietly, reaching exactly 50 not out with a clean-hitting effort that included nine fours and a six, and a last-wicket stand of 25 with Mark Padwick added respectability. Aldershot were all out for 190 in the 32nd over. The win leaves Sonning ninth of ten in Division 9C as the table stands today, but on a day when bat and ball came together this was the 4th XI at their best.