Scorecard

OAs v St Albans Cricket Club Sunday 2nd XI on Sun 18 May 2025 at 2pm
St Albans Cricket Club Won

Match report The Sunday 2XI found themselves this week with their first and only away match of the season, gracing OAs with their presence. The team was a strong one and our beloved Saints saw themselves bat first.

Skipper Nauman ‘Manny’ Nisar and Andy Wright opened our attack, with Wright bludgeoning two 4s from the off and departing not long after. Manny, in his more circumspect fashion, played a lengthy innings, respecting the good balls and dispatching the bad ones with something approaching contempt. He would find himself joined by Ethan ‘Best Witty in the Club’ Witty, who played a number of lovely shots which went largely unrewarded. He would eventually see himself caught and bowled for 4, from a questionable delivery that everyone deemed a no ball due to its height, aside from the umpires themselves. But hey, it’s Sunday friendly cricket, let’s move on.

Andy ‘Best Bum in the Club’ Melling then approached, blocking the first couple and then went searching for big shots. He struck a sensational 4, then found himself bowled by a peach of a delivery. Debutant Abid then made his way to the crease, showcasing promising aggression in his debut, hitting a number of big shots to the rope before being dismissed on 26.

By this point, Manny had graciously retired on 50*, allowing for the newer players to try their hand and make some runs. Ben ‘Biceps Like Texas’ Hingston made a serious mark, his trademark aggression sending the ball to the boundary a number of times, amassing a regal score in little to no time. Our remaining batters rotated around his innings, with cameos from Suleiman ‘Suli’ Nisar (2) and Mostafa (17). Biceps eventually found himself on a troubling 49, while his partner Mostafa farmed the strike with only several balls remaining in the innings. Mostafa eventually relented, allowing Biceps to face the final ball of the innings to (hopefully) reach his 50. The ball is bowled, Biceps slaps it, and - caught not too far from the boundary. Unlucky Biceps, you were robbed but it was a bloody good 49!

The mighty Saints ended their innings with a respectable 176 to defend. Given that today’s match was a reduced 35 overs a side and the bowling in our locker, not a bad total by any stretch of the imagination.

Our bowling attack was opened up with the combined might of Samad and Altaf, the former finding immediate reward, his first over being a wicket maiden. Altaf, clearly keen to defend his title as ‘Sunday Gun’, bowled a maiden to begin with and went on to claim two wickets of his own, with Samad claiming another in his reintroduced spell. The pair bowled tight, unforgiving lines and retired to make way for Suli and prodigal son Dulon Ahmed.

Both Dulon and Suli bowled religiously tight spells, giving the batters virtually nothing to work with, runs only being found via somewhat loose fielding. Both lads ended their spells wicketless, but most certainly did a fine job of restricting the run rate.

Mostafa and Ethan ended the innings, each claiming a wicket before the game came to a close in favour of the Saints by a mere 4 runs. A tight victory, but a victory nonetheless! OAs were a lovely host, with great banter both on and off the pitch. Our youth contingent played a blinder, as did our newer players: both groups made a definite impact on the game all around, and we look mightily forward to seeing them continue to do so with SACC!

Fineable Moments:

Manny for chasing down a potential catch, only to stop and watch it hit the deck a mere two feet in front of him.

Biceps for using the drinks break to neck a Cruzcampo and a cigarette (you may not like it and it may not be the media’s image, but THAT is what an athlete looks like).

Ciarán Walsh for claiming he only came along to watch for a bit, but deciding to stay for the whole bloody match and single-handedly fund the bar staff’s wages for the month.

Match report by Ciarán Walsh

St Albans Cricket Club Sunday 2nd XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
3w 1lb 
for 6 wickets
4
176		        
Nauman Nisar Retired Not Out  50
Andy Wright Bowled  8
Ethan Witty Caught  4
Andrew Melling Bowled  7
A.N. Other Caught  26
Ben Hingston Caught  49
Sulaiman Nisar Caught  2
Mostufa Fazle Alahi Not Out  17
Dulon Ahmed Not Out  0
Md Altaf Husain  
A.N. Other  

OAs Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

OAs Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 4w 8b  
for 7 wickets
14
172 (35.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

St Albans Cricket Club Sunday 2nd XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
A.N. Other7.0126213.003.71
Md Altaf Husain7.011929.502.71
Dulon Ahmed7.002800.004.00
Sulaiman Nisar7.003400.004.86
Mostufa Fazle Alahi4.0023123.005.75
Ethan Witty3.0021121.007.00