Scorecard

Batchworth CC Saturday 1st XI v St Albans Cricket Club 5XI on Sat 16 Aug 2025 at 13:00
St Albans Cricket Club Lost by 25 runs

Match report Full of youthful energy, St Albans 5XI made the trip to Croxley Green to take on Batchworth 1XI in what turned out to be a highly competitive encounter.

Batchworth winning the toss and choosing to bat, Batchworth started strongly with opener Yusuf Waqar (64) anchoring the innings, punishing anything loose and providing a solid platform. He was well supported by Raz Khan (37), while later contributions from Adeel Usman (33) and Arnav Rawat (30) kept the scoreboard ticking over.

The Saints’ bowlers, facing an experienced line-up, showed real fight. Skipper Imran Ahmed (1/23 from 8 overs, including 2 maidens) bowled with superb control, drying up the runs in the middle overs. On debut, U15 bowler James Lancaster produced the standout spell, claiming 3/24, including two in quick succession to halt Batchworth’s momentum. Wickets from Dexter Fisher, Nadeem Arif, and Alexander Molvik further pegged the hosts back, and Batchworth were eventually dismissed for 229 – a challenging but not unreachable target on a good batting track with a lightning-fast outfield.

St Albans 5XI chase began shakily, with early wickets leaving the Saints on the back foot as Abdul Alim (0) and Imran Ahmed (8) departed cheaply. But Praveen Kumar (49) dug in and counter-attacked fluently, falling just short of a deserved fifty.

The innings then found its rhythm through a superb stand between Mostufa Fazle Alahi (52) and Nadeem Arif (52)*. Fazle combined patience with well-timed aggression to bring up his half-century, while Nadeem played with calm assurance, guiding the chase and remaining unbeaten at the close.

However, wickets tumbled steadily at the other end, with Khalid Mehmood (4/20) delivering a decisive late spell for Batchworth. With 26 runs required from the final 18 balls, the game hung in the balance, but despite Nadeem’s resistance, the Saints ran out of partners and were bowled out for 213 in 38 overs – just 25 runs short.

Though defeat was disappointing, St Albans secured a vital 19 points – the maximum available in a loss – which means victory against Langleybury 3rd next week would lift the 5XI out of the relegation zone and keep the Saints safe.
This was a spirited effort from a youthful side, featuring five U15 players and four debutants. With two half-centuries, disciplined bowling, and a brave chase against strong opposition, the team showed immense character and resilience. It was an unforgettable game for the youngsters – a proud performance full of fight, heart, and promise for the future.

Key Performances (St Albans CC):
• Praveen Kumar – 49 runs
• Mostufa Fazle Alahi – 52 runs
• Nadeem Arif – 52* runs
• James Lancaster – 3/24
• Imran Ahmed – 1/23 (8 overs, 2 maidens)

Batchworth CC Saturday 1st XI Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 6w 5b 8lb 
for 10 wickets
21
229 (39.4 overs)		     
Yusuf Waqar ct  P Kumar b I Ahmed 64
Shaun Plunkett b  D Fisher 13
Raz Khan ct  M Fazle Alahi b N Arif 37
Bilal Mohammed ct  M Fazle Alahi b A Molvik 11
Adeel Usman ct  I Ahmed b J Lancaster 33
Arnav Rawat b  J Lancaster 30
Khalid Mehmood ct  N Arif b J Lancaster 0
Luke Parry Not Out  9
Asim Butt ct  I Ahmed b Unsure 5
Manan Ishfaq b  Unsure 6
Bilal Z Hassan b  Unsure 0

St Albans Cricket Club 5XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Dexter Fisher5.0022122.004.40
Neel Aswani4.003600.009.00
Imran Ahmed8.0223123.002.88
Nadeem Arif8.0049149.006.12
Alexander Molvik3.0019119.006.33
James Lancaster3.002438.008.00
Kara Vijender1.001000.0010.00

St Albans Cricket Club 5XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
5nb 9w 6b 7lb 
for 10 wickets
27
204		        
Abdul Alim lbw  M Ishfaq 0
Praveen Kumar ct  L Parry b A Usman 49 1
Imran Ahmed ct  B Mohammed b A Butt 8 2
Kara Vijender b  M Ishfaq 4
Mostufa Fazle Alahi ct  Unsure b A Usman 52 2
Nadeem Arif Not Out  52 1
Alexander Molvik ct  Unsure b K Mehmood 6
run out  (K Mehmood) 5
Neel Aswani b  K Mehmood 0
James Lancaster ct  K Mehmood b K Mehmood 1
Dexter Fisher ct  K Mehmood b K Mehmood 0

Batchworth CC Saturday 1st XI Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Manan Ishfaq8.0224212.003.00
Asim Butt8.0039139.004.88
Bilal Z Hassan6.003100.005.17
Adeel Usman8.0037218.504.62
Yusuf Waqar5.004700.009.40
Khalid Mehmood3.002045.006.67