Dulwich Sports Ground, Sunday 13 April 2025.

St Anne’s Allstars 213-7 dec (37.4 overs: Lipu Rahman 113, Sanjay Dindyal 50*, Dan Forman 3-21) drew with Mandarins 184-7 (34 overs: Chris Healey 70 ret ht, Vivek Seth 2-18, Sanjay Dindyal 2-31, Shahed Ahmed 2-45).

Report by Garreth Duncan – Photos by Anindya Roy, Garreth Duncan, Sanjay Dindyal and Vivek Seth

There is nothing quite like April to announce the new season. Cricket is with us again, and the County Championship is already in full swing. Across the Atlantic, one of the greatest ever final days to a Masters was beginning to unfold at Augusta, as Rory McIlroy’s titanic struggle between his own genius and fallibility ended with him clinching the career Grand Slam as he finally overcame Justin Rose at the first extra hole. And, in south London, the drama was just as tense as we fought an equally fluctuating contest with Mandarins, which both sides had chances to win but ended with them clinging on for a draw.

The announcement of the fixtures for our 25th season brought a wave of enthusiasm unrivalled in our history – with an amazing 17 players signing up for the opening game, we had to take the unprecedented step of asking players to stand down. Before we began, we formally welcomed our new intake of the past 18 months, with Nathaniel Hill, Anindya Roy and Mathan Olaganathan being presented with their Allstars caps. The south London Allstars connection remains strong, with Martyn Langridge, holder of our all-time record bowling figures, popping along to say hello to us all again.

With skipper Vivek Seth amongst several caught in traffic, I won the toss and decided to bat. Jimmy Scott and Lipu Rahman began well against a testing opening attack of Wahaj Siddique and Harry Forman Wilshaw, with Jimmy defending well while Lipu struck some early blows to get us going. They had just about seen them off when Jimmy was given out lbw on the front foot. Sam MacDonald, returning to his old stamping ground after some time up in his native Norfolk, started slowly but then began to unfurl his shots, hitting spinner Ramani for a sparkling drive over mid-off. With Lipu also finding his range, the score had quickly advanced to 72 before Sam was also given lbw.

Mandarins skipper Dan Forman brought himself on to bowl, triggering a mid-innings wobble – Shahed Ahmed being the third lbw victim of the day, Nathaniel blocked his first two but was undone by a good one, and Mathan crunched a boundary before he too had his stumps knocked back. After a promising start, we were 95-5 with plenty overs still left to face.

Lipu was continuing to look in imperious touch, and Sanjay Dindyal helped him to stop the rot before upping the tempo against the change bowlers. After three weeks of glorious sunshine, the rain just had to arrive as a squally shower prompted a scramble to get all of the kit away in the scorebox. But nothing disturbed Lipu and Sanj as they moved through the gears, with Lipu completing a glorious hundred as the pair put on 105 for the sixth wicket before he finally holed out at long-off.

Siddique returned to have Iain Wilson caught behind, bringing me to the wicket. With the weather closing in, I wore one on the glove from an accidental beamer – but there was still time for Sanj to complete his first Allstars fifty (the Mandarins scorer recording his 50th as a leg bye, but Sanj assures us he hit it!) before we all dashed for cover and the tea break.

Dulwich’s tea was well worth their considerable match fee, and suitably refreshed and with the rain relenting, we began again. Mathan, watched by wife Priya, began with an excellent spell, beating both openers but without any luck. It was skipper Vivek who provided a double breakthrough, an unplayable shooter pinning Sam Brand lbw, before Sanj made a stinging catch at cover look easy to dismiss Wilmot and leave Mandarins 13-2.

The Forman family were enjoying a good day, father Dan watching from square leg umpire – and his son Harry looked in ominous touch. He greeted Shahed’s arrival with a monster six over mid-wicket – but Shahed provided the perfect response with the very next delivery, a quicker ball which he inside edged onto his stumps. This brought left-hander Healey to the crease, and he instantly went to work. Immensely strong square of the wicket on both sides, he mixed deft cuts with dismissive pulls – and with opener Baxter also set, the scoreboard moved on quickly as the last 20 overs began. It needed something special to break the stand – and Sanj provided it again, continuing his fine all-round day with a direct hit to run out Baxter.

Stan Forman proved just as handy a batsman as his brother, and with Healey passing fifty we seemed unable to stop the flow of runs. Sanj continued to charge in, and got the next as he bowled Stan Forman. But with the last 10 overs to go, and Mandarins only needing a run a ball, they looked like cantering to victory – and we were fortunate when Healey retired hurt with an elbow injury. With the danger man gone, we sparked into life once again. Sanj grabbed a second as he trapped Siddique lbw, and Shahed returned to take his second by bowling Ramani.

With 3 overs still to go, and Healey seemingly unlikely to return, Mandarins were 178-7 and with no choice but to shut up shop and play for the draw. Skipper Vivek closed in the field – only for a pure Allstars moment to save Mandarins. The ball lobbed high in the air off Hawkins’ bat – several shouting “mine!” but none actually going for the catch – and he survived. Jimmy came on to bowl the final over, and teased both with his off-spin – but Hawkins and Gidwani closed it out.

A draw was a fair result in the end, and a good way to start the season after an excellent and friendly contest as we enjoyed a drink in the bar. We wish Mandarins the best for their season ahead – but next, we’re back north of the river as we take on Edgware at Mill Hill in 2 weeks’ time.