U11 Scorchers v Tiddington Under 11

Scorchers Fall Short as Tiddington Chase Down 73 at King George's Field

Sonning U11 Scorchers suffered a defeat at home to Tiddington in their U11 League Pool 3 fixture on Sunday, posting 73 for 7 from their 20 overs before the visitors overhauled the target to finish on 101 all out.

Captain Anay Patel won the toss and elected to bat on a King George's Field surface that offered plenty for the bowlers early on. The Scorchers' top order found life difficult against a disciplined Tiddington attack, with Barnaby Bosley doing the early damage. Ridith Kandadi fell bowled by Tim Issitt for 4, Vivaan Ramesh was clean bowled by Bosley for just 1, and Oscar Williams was caught off Bosley's bowling for 1, leaving Sonning reeling at 8 for 3.

The innings was rescued by a composed partnership between Jonathan Turner and wicketkeeper Aryaansh Rawat. The pair added 27 for the fourth wicket, the most productive stand of the Sonning innings, with Rawat the more aggressive of the two. Rawat struck one four in his 16 from 19 balls before being bowled by Arthur Gresty, while Turner batted with admirable patience for his 10 not out from 25 deliveries, including a boundary, before retiring.

The middle and lower order contributed in fits and starts. Oliver Baker occupied the crease for 22 balls in making 5, and Zain Baloch provided a late flourish with 8 from 24 balls, including a four, adding 21 for the seventh wicket with Oscar Tann. Extras proved significant, with 22 added to the Sonning total — 14 no-balls and 8 wides highlighting some wayward spells from the Tiddington bowlers. Thomas Betteley and Arthur Floyd were the most economical, each conceding just 2 runs from their two overs and claiming a wicket apiece, with Betteley also bowling a maiden.

Tiddington's reply got off to a strong start through openers Arthur Floyd and captain Wilf McGuirk, who put on 25 for the first wicket. McGuirk was the anchor of the chase, batting with maturity throughout to finish unbeaten on 25 from 26 balls. Nicholas Wright contributed 11 in a second-wicket stand of 22, and when Vivaan Ramesh struck twice — removing Max De Rauville Ridgway for a duck and Barnaby Bosley for 2 — Sonning briefly sensed an opening at 53 for 3.

However, Jackson Ferguson-Davie seized the initiative with a breezy 18 from just 14 balls, cracking three fours in a fourth-wicket partnership of 21 with Wright that effectively put Tiddington in command. Arthur Gresty continued the momentum with a brisk 13 from 12 deliveries before Leo Ribbens bowled him. Despite a late flurry of wickets — Tiddington losing their last six for 27 — the damage had already been done.

Anay Patel was the standout bowler for the Scorchers, returning superb figures of 3 for 4 from his two overs, dismissing Thomas Betteley, Wilf Chana and Kit Trueman as the Tiddington tail collapsed. Oliver Baker chipped in with 2 for 12, including the important wickets of Wright, caught by Vivaan Ramesh, and Ferguson-Davie. Vivaan Ramesh's 2 for 8 also provided a bright spot with the ball to complement his earlier bowling exploits.

The Scorchers will take heart from several individual performances — Rawat's enterprise with the bat, Patel's incisive late spell, and Turner's composed knock — but ultimately a difficult start with the bat left them with too few runs to defend against a Tiddington side who batted with greater consistency through their top six.