Hurley maintain strong start with 105-run victory over local rivals Littlewick Green

Phil Ridgeway took 2-25 for Hurley.

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Hurley CC - 1st XI Vs Littlewick Green CC - 1st XI

Result: Hurley won by 105 runs

Local rivals, Hurley and Littlewick Green faced off at Shepherds Lane in Division 1 of the Morrant Chilterns League and it was the hosts who took the spoils.

For the first time this season, Hurley skipper Yasir Gul won the toss and opted to bat first.

Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Sharam faced the young opening pair of Ben Duxbury and Oliver Todd, who both bowled with pace and control without getting a breakthrough.

Christie Green replaced Duxbury at the River End and immediately got the breakthrough, bowling Ajmal (6). Umar Zamman (0) survived a confident appeal for LBW against Stone but was not so lucky when struck in front by Green to reduce the hosts to 41 for 3 after a sharp catch by Jack Mason-Apps to dismiss Sharam gave Todd a deserved wicket. Naeem Hussain joined Josh Cole in a stand of 36 for the fourth wicket, ended by a sharp return catch by the veteran Chris Symonds to dismiss Cole for 16.

Hussain’s class showed as he manoeuvred the strike to score over half his side’s runs despite the best efforts of the fielding side to try and concentrate their attack on the other batsmen. Hussain had his fare share of good fortune with aerial shots dropping between fielders and one chance being put down before reaching his ton with a straight six.

Hurley’s total of 201 for 7 looked to be a few short of par at the tea interval, but time would prove otherwise.

Hurley’s opening attack of Umar Zamman and Adnan Liaquat proved too much to handle for the Littlewick batsmen.

Zamman struck in consecutive overs to dismiss Mike Duxbury (9) and Nanda Devaiah (0). Two wickets for Liaquat and another for Zamman reduced the visitors to 31 for 5 after 12 overs and they faced an uphill task.

The one shining light for the Littlewick was an unbeaten half century from Christie Green, as none of the others reached double figures.

After seventeen overs of pace, there was no respite for the batsmen with the two left-arm spinners, Phil Ridgeway (2-25) and Fiyyaz Mahmood (3-17) produced some unplayable deliveries to rip through the lower order. With a required rate of only five an over, Green looked quite capable of seeing his side home if only somebody could stay with him.

Symonds provided a glimmer of hope with a dogged nine from seventeen deliveries but when his patience failed him it was all over bar the shouting and Todd only lasted two deliveries to give Hurley another emphatic victory and remain unbeaten this season.

Next week the league switches to 90 over Win/Lose/Draw format.

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Chalfont St Giles CC - 2nd XI Vs Hurley CC - Saturday 2XI

Winning the toss and electing to field, Chalfont St Giles CC aimed to exploit any early movement in the pitch. However, Hurley 2s, led by a phenomenal innings from Mandeep Singh, put up a formidable total of 264 for 6 in their allotted 45 overs.

The innings got off to a shaky start for Hurley. Opener Jasdeep Singh was caught for a duck at midwicket in the first over, chipping a short pitched delivery from Oliver Miles, leaving the team at 0 for 1. Shortly after, Salman Khan also fell to Miles in the same manner for just 9 runs, leaving Hurley at precarious 14 for 2. Mandeep Singh, carrying his fine form from an unbeaten ton last week, crafted another masterful innings.

He displayed a wide array of strokes, anchoring the innings while punishing any loose deliveries. Mandeep’s 124 came off 115 balls and included 14 boundaries and 2 sixes, anchoring the innings and providing stability after the early setbacks.

Mandeep found an able partner in Akash Singh, who played an important supporting role with a composed 54 off 76 balls, including 5 boundaries.

The pair steadied the innings, putting together a significant third-wicket stand of 148 runs which set the platform for a high total.

Following Akash’s dismissal, bowled by Daniel Lowe, Joban Singh provided a quickfire 32 off 23 balls, hitting 3 fours. This aggressive knock helped accelerate the scoring rate during the middle overs.

Mandeep continued to dominate until he was bowled by Daniel Lowe, having set a strong foundation for a competitive total. Raman Singh contributed a useful 18 before being run out by Andy Hardy failing to complete the attempted 2 off the last ball of the innings, while Zee Khan added a brisk 14 not out to ensure Hurley finished strongly.

Chasing a formidable target of 265, Chalfont’s innings struggled to find momentum against a disciplined Hurley bowling attack. The home side finished their innings at 169 for 9 after 45 overs, falling short by 95 runs.

Chalfont got off to a shaky start, losing Andre Nasr early for just 1 run, bowled by Mandeep. Daniel Lowe followed soon after, caught by Zee Khan off Mandeep without scoring.

The early double blow left Chalfont reeling at 7 for 2. Nick Zala anchored the innings with a determined 57 not out off 124 balls, which included 4 boundaries. Zala, however, found little support from the other end as wickets continued to tumble.

Youngster Daniel Thalakottur provided some resistance with 35 off 55 balls, but his dismissal by Ajmal Ali further dented Chalfont’s hopes. Richard Ballard managed only 2 runs before being caught and bowled by Zee Khan.

Vanshi Suvarna added 15 runs before being caught by Raman Singh to make it a 2nd wicket for Zee Khan. Andy Hardy contributed 5 runs but was trapped lbw by Salman Khan, while Harry Lavery managed 13 runs before becoming another victim of Mandeep, caught and bowled falling to an excellently deceived slower ball.

The tailenders couldn’t muster significant runs either. Josh Maggs was bowled by Joban Singh for 2, and Oliver Miles was caught by Salman Khan off Mandeep for 6. Cedric Ayres remained not out on 1 as the innings ended at 169 for 9.

Hurley 2s secured a comprehensive 95-run victory over Chalfont 2s, thanks to an outstanding all-round performance from Mandeep Singh, who shone with both bat and ball.

Hurley’s strong batting performance, led by Mandeep’s century, set up a formidable target which their bowlers successfully defended with disciplined and effective bowling.

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Hurley CC - Sunday 1st XI Vs Sonning CC - Sunday 1s

Result: Hurley won by 152 runs.

Hurley’s Sunday XI gained their first victory of the season and made it a 100% weekend for the club with an emphatic victory over Sonning in the sunshine.

With skipper Mo Basharat delayed in getting to the ground, Mike Walton won the toss and opted to bat first in a traditional declaration game.

Hurley’s progress was slow in the early overs, only posting 26 in 10 overs for the loss of Pat Hinnell (6), bowled by a very good delivery from Isaac Jenner.

This brought Mubashir Nabi to the crease and despite having failed to trouble the scoreboard so far this season, he proceeded to live up to his nickname with an entertaining 68 from 77 balls, in a partnership of 151 for the second wicket with Haider-Ali Baig (81). Baig was a little unlucky to be trapped leg-before to a delivery that kept low from Kabir Dave. By now the platform was set and after Nabi fell, Mamoon Majid and Hamzah Zaman kept up the onslaught enabling Hurley to declare on 246 for 3 after 41 overs.

Two wickets in his second over from Joban Singh put the visitors on the back foot from the start and they never really recovered. With the score on 36 for 4 after ten overs the opening attack was replaced by the spin of Nigel Haines and Awais Hussain.

Haines struck twice in his first over, firstly having Skeil (25) well caught in the deep by Ajmal Ali and two balls later, Bill Travers skied a simple catch to the keeper. By the start of the last hour with Sonning floundering at 44 for 7, their only hope was to salvage a draw.

Youngster Henry Johnson (24*) showed some dogged defence but none of the other batsmen offered much in the way of support.

With Haines in search of a five-wicket haul, he was denied by two dropped catches in one over by Joban, but he made no mistake with his third attempt to dismiss Kabir Dave (13). With one wicket needed for victory, Basharat swapped his bowlers around in an attempt to finish off the match, but Johnson and Blakey (13) defied Hurley for seven overs.

Eventually Blakey’s patience ran out and he was bowled by Baig attempting a slog across the line, to give Hurley victory with six overs to spare.