Langley CC vs Wealdstone Corinthians CC

Date: Sunday, 12 May 2024

Venue: The Odney Club cricket ground, Odney Lane, Berkshire

Type: 35 overs.

Result: Won

Key Facts:

• This is the first ever encounter between the 2 sides.

The picturesque Odney Club ground in Berkshire, nestled by the serene River Thames, was the venue for the clash between Wealdstone Corinthians and Langley CC. Bathed in glorious sunshine and with temperatures hovering in the balmy mid-20s, conditions were nothing short of perfect for a day of cricket. The pre-match pitch inspection hinted at low bounce but promised a decent batting surface. The decent batting surface reading may have been incorrect.

Wealdstone Corinthians' skipper, Akshay Samarth, won the toss and elected to bat first.

First Innings: Wealdstone Corinthians CC

Langley CC initiated their bowling assault with spin, as skipper Dev led the charge with a maiden over. The early exchanges saw Wealdstone Corinthians' batsmen grappling with the unpredictable bounce, particularly opener Dipen, known for his aggressive stroke play. His struggles mirrored those of his partner, Suren Iyer. Aditya Verma's crafty bowling claimed both openers, with Pritesh Shroff taking sharp catches on both occasions.

However, Shahbaz Baangi and Tejas Ved dug in, forming a crucial partnership amidst the tricky conditions. Despite the sluggish run rate, their resilience was commendable. A mix-up saw Shahbaz fall victim to a run-out. Though Shahbaz scored 11, it was a highly gritty one in the context, stopping the wickets from falling and allowing for the biggest partnership of the match - a stand of 59 betweeen the two. Tejas Ved showcased resilience yet again, notching up his third consecutive half-century before falling victim to a well-judged catch in the outfield off Vashisht's bowling. Tejas' knock of 55, embellished with elegant strokes including 5 boundaries and 2 sixes, anchored Corinthians' innings. Dharmik Shah injected some urgency with a brisk 19 off 21 deliveries, while Steve Brown's unbeaten 14 bolstered the total to 136 runs in 35 overs.

Notable Performances:

• Tejas Ved: 55 runs

• Dharmik Shah: 19 runs not out

• Steve Brown: 14 runs not out

• Shahbaz Baangi: 11 runs

• Mayank Vashisht: 6 overs, 2 wickets for 14 runs

• Aditya Verma: 4 overs, 2 wickets for 16 runs

• Dev Pai: 7 overs, 0 wickets for 14 runs

Second Innings: Langley CC

Corinthians' fielding woes were compounded by the loss of fielder Dipen due to illness, reducing them to 10 men. However, the team rallied with a clear strategy – to take wickets and prevent Langley CC from batting out the allotted overs, given the modest target of 3.8 runs per over.

Captain Akshay Samarth deployed an aggressive field setup, leaving the onside shorter boundary exposed intentionally, asking the batter to hit against the line while having a packed off-side and two slips. He struck early, inducing an edge from Gaurav Sharma, swiftly followed by a peach of a delivery to dismantle Baliga Bantwal's off stump, leaving Langley in a spot of bother. Akshay's near hat-trick highlighted Corinthians' intent.

Vamsi complemented his skipper's efforts with a well-deserved wicket of Pritesh Shroff, further denting Langley's batting order. Akshay Samarth got his third with another edge which was held brilliantly by Tejas Ved at first slip.

The middle order of Langley had it all to do. The relentless pressure from Wealdstone Corinthians' bowlers and the fielders rallying around, paid dividends as wickets fell at regular intervals. Every bowler that the skipper turned to, brought a wicket. As Langley’s middle order crumbled under the sustained assault, Tejas Ved joined the wicket-taking spree, enticing Amarpreet Arora into a false stroke, brilliantly caught by Shahbaz Baangi at gully. Balaji looked like he was back to his best, picking up 3 wickets for the Corinthians, bowling with accuracy and intent.

Dharmik completed his full quota of 7 overs in a straight spell conceding only 19 runs. Crucially, he also claimed the wicket of Vishal Torne. Torne, upon arrival at the crease, displayed an aggressive intent, scoring 16 runs off just 6 deliveries at a striking rate of 266, reminiscent of T20 cricket. Despite Corinthians having picked up several wickets, Torne's quickfire innings raised concerns as the required runs were still within reach. However, Dharmik maintained his composure, bowling with precision and targeting the stumps, eventually dismissing Torne with the final delivery of his spell. Balaji sealed the deal by castling Vashisht, who had been steady at the crease for some time.

While Corinthians might have felt they were slightly short on runs at halftime, the team’s collective effort, the bowlers' disciplined display and fielders' brilliance ensured a commanding victory, winning by 51 runs.

Notable Performances:

• Vishal Torne: 16 runs

• Aditya Verma: 13 runs

• Akshay Samarth: 4 overs, 3 wickets for 10 runs

• Dharmik Shah: 7 overs, 2 wicket for 19 runs

• Balaji RaviKumar: 4.5 overs, 3 wickets for 24 runs

• Tejas & Vamsi: 1 wicket each

Player of the Match: Tejas Ved ⭐