1st XI vs Aldershot

Zahid and Kwatsha Star as Sonning Cruise to Seven-Wicket Victory at Aldershot

Sonning CC 1st XI delivered an outstanding all-round performance to secure a comfortable seven-wicket victory against Aldershot in their Division 2A league fixture at Aldershot Cricket Club on Saturday.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Aldershot struggled against Sonning's disciplined bowling attack. Mohammed Zahid led the way with impressive figures of 3-37 from his 12 overs, while Daniel Longridge provided excellent support, claiming 3-16 in just 4.5 overs. Bobby Malik was particularly economical, conceding only 13 runs from his 10 overs while picking up one wicket.

Aldershot's innings never gained momentum, with only Corne Botes (35) and Tom Dickson (35) offering meaningful resistance. The pair contributed the bulk of the runs as the home side was dismissed for 134 in 41.5 overs. The most substantial partnership came between Botes and Rob Hislop (22), who added 49 runs for the second wicket before Zahid broke through, having Botes caught by Michael Longridge.

Sonning's chase got off to a shaky start when captain Peter Higginbottom was bowled by Justin Pretorius for a duck, and Connor Wardlaw soon followed, caught for 9 with the score at just 17. However, Mohammed Zahid, who had already impressed with the ball, showcased his all-round abilities by anchoring the innings with a commanding 59 not out from 65 deliveries, including 11 boundaries.

Muhammad Ayub contributed a quick 14 before falling to Ravi Sharma with the score at 60, but any hopes Aldershot harboured of a comeback were swiftly extinguished by Zanoxolo Gift Kwatsha. The Sonning batsman played with authority, smashing 54 not out from just 55 balls, including seven fours and a six.

Together, Zahid and Kwatsha formed an unbroken 77-run partnership for the fourth wicket, guiding Sonning to their target of 135 in just 24.2 overs. Pretorius was the pick of the Aldershot bowlers, finishing with 2-37 from his eight overs, but the home side's total simply wasn't enough to challenge the visitors.

The comprehensive victory maintains Sonning's strong position in the Thames Valley Cricket League Division 2A, with the team demonstrating both bowling discipline and batting firepower that should serve them well for the remainder of the season.