Minster Lovell 7 September 2025

Manager AJ Smith

Captain Craig Foster

Won by 70 Runs

SOA 208 for 6 dec (Patrick Knightley 105*, Trevon Burgess 33, Hamza  20)

Minster Lovell 138 all out (Patrick Knightley 6-1-6-4, Craig Foster 6-2-12-4)

An overcast day at Minster Lovell and with the SOA having a strong side, it was agreed that we would bat first. Patrick Knightley opened but soon lost Matt Lake and J Lovell. Trevon Burgess played well before being bowled for 33. The only other support came from Hamza with a solid 20.

It was a 35-over game, but the skipper decided to declare after 31 overs with 208 on the board. Knightley scored just over half of those with 105 not out - his first century for 23 years!

SOA opened the bowling with Hamza and Dave Ferris, with only one wicket falling in the first 12 overs. Lovell and A Ferris were brought on and bowled well with no luck. 

With opening batter Ollie Mersh going well and only two wickets down (it was a limited-overs game but we had to bowl them out to get a result), Knightley and Foster were brought into the attack. The wickets started to fall and with Foster getting Mersh out for 82, victory was in sight and Minster were bowled out eventually for 138, the last seven wickets falling for two runs. Knightley - he did not have a bad game - finished with figures of 4-6 and Foster with 4-12. In the end a very comprehensive victory for SOA.