U13 Sabres v Sandhurst Sandhurst CC U13 Strikers

Sabres Demolish Sandhurst With Dominant All-Round Display

Sonning U13 Sabres produced a commanding performance at Sandhurst Cricket Club on Monday evening, posting a formidable 209 for 4 from their 20 overs before bowling the hosts out for just 84 to claim a comprehensive victory in the BYCL Under 13 Challenge (Tier 2) East.

Invited to bat first after Sandhurst won the toss and elected to field, the Sabres made their opponents pay from the outset. Captain and wicketkeeper Finley Andrews set the tone with an aggressive 32 from 22 balls, striking six fours before retiring not out. Opening partner Ishan Jithendriya was equally fluent, crashing five boundaries in his 23 off 16 deliveries before falling caught by Rohan Nayeb off the bowling of Jack Maiden, with the first-wicket partnership having already yielded 41 runs.

The momentum never let up. Nicholas Jones contributed a measured 20 from 24 balls before Sibikumar Muthukumaran launched an explosive cameo of 19 off just 10 deliveries, smashing four fours as the pair added 71 for the second wicket to push the total past 100. The Sandhurst bowlers struggled for control throughout, conceding 39 extras including 21 wides and 14 no-balls across their ten bowlers.

Charlie Koslicki then took centre stage with the innings' highest individual score of 33 from 19 balls, finding the boundary seven times before retiring not out. He was ably supported by Idris Malik, who struck an unbeaten 28 off 19 balls with five fours, the pair adding 86 for the fourth wicket in a devastating partnership that carried the Sabres well beyond 200. Elias Haidari chipped in with a brisk 13 from nine balls lower down the order.

The Sandhurst reply was in immediate trouble as Elias Haidari produced a devastating spell with the ball. His figures of 4 for 3 from three overs, including a maiden, were exceptional, as he ripped through the top order. Rohan Nayeb was caught — Haidari taking the catch off his own bowling — for 1, before Alex McLean was bowled for a golden duck in the same over. The hosts slumped to 5 for 3 and never recovered.

Raenu Babu was equally impressive at the other end, returning figures of 3 for 9 from his three overs with a maiden of his own. He accounted for opener Ashvin Atwal for 3, Hugo Kinner for 5, and Shylan Atwal, who was caught behind by Andrews for a duck. Vinudi Jayawardana Weerasinghe also contributed with the ball, bowling Ben Oliver for nought to leave Sandhurst reeling at 21 for 6.

Captain Owen Hancock offered the only meaningful resistance for the home side, top-scoring with 13 from 23 balls and putting on 29 for the seventh wicket with Jack Phillips, who made 6. Aditya Vikram Sengupta showed some fight lower down with 10 from 26 deliveries, but the damage had been done. Ishan Jithendriya completed the bowling effort by removing Hancock, bowled for 13, as Sandhurst were eventually restricted to 84 for 9 — a margin of 125 runs reflecting the Sabres' complete dominance on the evening.