Pangbourne College 2 July 2025

Manager Tom Scrase

Match Drawn

SOA 264 for 2 dec (Ayyaz Mallick 100*,  Shiraz Husain 40*, Junaid  Aziz 40)

Pangbourne College 185 for 6 (Hamidullah 3 for 11 )

A 'negotiated' toss saw SOA bat first against a Pangbourne XI weakened by Duke of Edinburgh commitments, Henley regatta and one detention! Ayyaz and debutant Alex McGrady tucked into some friendly bowling on a well prepared batting track a sun scorched outfield, putting on 111 for the 1st wicket inside 17 overs. Alex played some delightful drives and racy hook shorts. On the fall of the first wicket, Junaid came to the wicket and wasted no time flicking his first ball up an over down to the third man boundary and continued in the same vein with an assortment of wristily placed cuts and dabs interspersed with occasional full blooded drives. Meanwhile, one could tell that from the beginning, Ayyaz was in the mood to get a ton batting with intensity and purpose. He finished instyle moving from 94 to three figures smashing a six down  to the wide mid on boundary near the pavilion whereupon he retired, Again, his was an innings of trademark cuts and pulls saving the drives until later in his innings.

The batting styles changed with Shiraz and Bharat at the crease but the run rate was maintained as SOA raced to 264 in 36 overs to declare for the loss of just two wickets. Most notable were Shiraz’ carefully placed off drives and straight drives beating the despairing dives of the long on and long off fielders. 

Charlie Pearson , fresh from GCSEs, opened up for the SOA after tea. Conditions were unforgiving for any bowling that strayed in line or length so desite some good balls, it was not to be his day. Hamidullah in contrast was able to use the new ball to great effect, removing the top three batters, including 2 in 2 to remove the Pangbourne skipper for a golden duck.

Craig sportingly rested Hamidullah which allowed the Pangbourne number 4 George Millbank to punish our change bowlers. Ben Jefferis bowled Pangbourne’s no 5 batter who contributed 9 runs to a fourth wicket partnership of 55. Milbank carried on his merry way racing to 100 in the 23rd over having come to the wicket in the 4th over. Andrew Moss , our scorer, wrote in the scorebook, ' outstanding schoolboy innings, full of crisp drives and pulls with 16 4s and  4 6s'- it is hard to disagree! Millbank holed out in the next over caught by Shiraz on the long on boundary bowled by Craig Foster. 

Thereafter , Pangbourne shut up shop, playing out the remaining 11 overs for the addition of just 17 runs and the loss of one more wicket. The Pangbourne number 6 defended resolutely for 21 overs for just 14 runs and hopefully this innings will give him the confidence to play more aggressively as he develops. This was a reflection of the school side not being at their full strength and not feeling able to maintain the run chase which might have given the SOA more opportunity to buy wickets. 

It was a most enjoyable game, played in good spirit and we thank Pangbourne College for their hospitaility, the umpires and the scorers especially our own Bob Belcher and Andrew Moss who make playing possible. The post match drink was enjoyed at the Bell in Aldworth , which for those who could not make it, is a fabulous pub.