London Playing Fields, Boston Manor, Sunday 10 August 2025.

Salmagundi Gardeners 146 all out (35 overs: Graham Bruce 42, Mathan Olaganathan 3-19, Sanj Sharma 3-37) beat St Anne’s Allstars 122 all out (33.2 overs: John Kingston 30, Saurabh Bezalwar 4-14) by 24 runs.

Report by Garreth Duncan – Photos by Anindya Roy, Garreth Duncan and Nathaniel Hill

Salmagundi Gardeners and the Allstars are so close, we are almost as one. The briefest glance at each others’ websites easily reveals how many Gardeners have made guest appearances for the Allstars, and us for them, over the last few years. This fixture was eagerly anticipated all season, and we had a playing 11 in no time who were all keen to get out there and get one over some old team mates once more. And it was a close run thing, as we pushed the Gardeners right to the end before they secured victory in the 34th over.

Boston Manor was a new venue for us – although the ground is easily viewable from the M4 above, actually reaching it proved a challenge to many. Mathan Olaganathan, captaining the Allstars for the first time, won the toss and asked the Gardeners to bat first. Leading by example, Mathan began where he’d left off against Mighty Wanderers with a superlative spell down the slope. Gardeners’ opener Saurabh Bezalwar looked dangerous from the start, but Mathan set him up expertly with two balls in the corridor of uncertainty before firing in a yorker to pin him LBW.

Matt Biss, in a novel opening bowler’s role, began tidily against opponents who know him so well, and Vivek Seth also found a nice length and probing accuracy. But it was Sanj Sharma, tuned up by a net session in midweek, who struck the next blow, sending Gardeners’ skipper Richard Higginbottom on his way with another LBW decision – although Richard seemed to think it pitched outside leg – to leave them 34-2.

Graham Bruce, another Gardener who has featured in Allstars colours, and James Ansell steadied the ship as they put on 53 for the third wicket. Shahed Ahmed, who took up social cricket with the Gardeners before joining the Allstars, also began nicely – but Lady Luck was not on his side as a couple of catches went down. It was the recalled Sanj who broke the stand shortly after the drinks break, with a beauty that took out Ansell’s middle stump, and he followed up by castling Douglas to make it 102-4.

Douglas’ wicket brought about the shootout we were all awaiting, as the young gunslinger Alfie Arrand, who had toured Ibiza with us last year, strode to the wicket and announced his arrival by crunching his first ball through extra cover for a boundary. Mathan reacted straightaway by bringing himself back into the attack, and was rewarded instantly as he knocked back Alfie’s stumps. Shahed finally got his reward as he bowled Jeremy Gostick, before Mathan got a third as Jignesh fell in the same fashion to leave Gardeners 119-7.

As wickets fell at the other end, Graham had remained steadfast, and he began to open his shoulders with only the tail left for support. Joe Silmon, returning to England for a final Allstars appearance, found some turn with his leg-spin, but it was Anindya Roy who finally removed Graham by bowling him for a well-worked 42. In the final over, Roy grabbed a second wicket as John Kingston held a catch at slip, and Gavin Hudson was run out going for an impossible single off the last scheduled delivery. Gardeners’ total of 146 looked within reach – but we knew their bowling attack would make it difficult for us.

Matt and John began steadily, picking the gaps for singles and twos as they saw off opening bowlers Hamzah and Jignesh. Sensing the need to accelerate, Matt charged Hudson and was stumped. John continued on his way, upping the rate as he glanced a couple of boundaries off Alfie – but on a hot day, exhaustion eventually took its toll on him as he was run out for a very well made 30.

It was at this point the game really swung in Gardeners’ direction, as the brilliant Bezalwar took hold with his superb leg-spin. Turning the ball both ways and bowling with unerring accuracy, our middle order had few answers to his craft. Bezalwar began by bowling Lipu Rahman, who had kept wicket superbly – and after Roy had become our second run out of the day going for a crazy second run, Bezalwar struck another critical blow as he bowled Mathan to leave us 78-5.

Joe strode out for his final Allstars innings to join Shahed at the wicket, as we battled to stay alive in a tight contest. Joe’s fighting knock was ended by an unplayable grubber from the handy left-arm spinner Sachin Dispanje, before Sanj Sharma went for a big shot against Bezalwar and was bowled. Shahed continued to keep the flame burning, dispatching Bezalwar for an imperious six – but he eventually went for one reverse sweep too many to become his fourth victim.

With the game still close enough that one big over could turn it, Gardeners kept the pressure on as Alfie and Jignesh were recalled. Undeterred, Vivek came to the crease and kept pushing for runs before unveiling a sparkling cover drive for four. Nathaniel Hill provided handy support before being run out as Vivek tried to keep the strike. Finally, with 25 needed off the last two overs, I went for glory against Jignesh and skied him for a return catch.

So the Gardeners have the bragging rights in this most friendly of contests. But this was a fantastic contest in which everyone played their part, and we all celebrated a great day’s cricket in the Plough. We look forward to seeing the Gardeners next season (and maybe even one or two of them in Croatia…) – but we’re quickly back in action next Sunday, as we take on The Min at Alexandra Park in north London.

King George’s Field, Ham, Saturday 14 June 2025.

St Anne’s Allstars 132-3 (25.2 overs: Lipu Rahman 38) beat Mighty Wanderers 128 all out (23.1 overs: Ewan Coull 38*, Mathan Olaganathan 5-13, Shahed Ahmed 4-15) by 7 wickets.

Report by Garreth Duncan- Photos by Garreth Duncan, James Abrahams, Jimmy Scott and Nathaniel Hill

Ham is such a pretty spot, it’s hard to believe you’re still within Greater London, and it’s been the setting for many exciting Allstars games in the past. A few miles away, at Twickenham, the brilliant Scot Finn Russell exorcised his Calcutta Cup goal-kicking demons as Bath overcame Leicester in a thrilling Rugby Premiership final. And we too had stars of the day, with stand-out bowling performances from Mathan Olaganathan and Shahed Ahmed setting us on the way to victory over a spirited Mighty Wanderers side, to register our first win of the 2025 season and retain the James Abrahams Trophy in fine style – watched by the great man himself and his lovely wife Jo.

With the rugby causing heavy traffic in the area, a late start meant the game was shortened to 30 overs a side. Wanderers skipper James Petersen-Knight won the toss and decided to bat. But we got off to a golden start in the first over as Mathan found his range straight away, drawing a thick outside edge from Daijit for Nathaniel Hill to take a difficult, juggling catch at third man.

It was a fabulous cricketing moment, and it lit the spark for one of the most devastating opening spells in our history. In his second over, Mathan blasted out Petersen-Knight’s off stump. Jai came in and was seemingly set on smashing everything out of the ground – and Sanj Sharma was unlucky not to dismiss him as a couple of catches went down – but Mathan soon got him too as Ben Hampton, whom we were delighted to welcome back after a 9 year absence, showed us how to catch. Leahy followed quickly in Mathan’s next over as he edged to RIchard Slatford behind the stumps, to leave Wanderers at 37-4.

Jimmy Scott had sportingly agreed to turn out for the opposition, and was welcomed to the crease with some friendly banter. But the second great spell of the day was just beginning, as Shahed found some sharp turn and bounce to bowl him off an inside edge. Left-hander Tommy Bell began ominously, greeting Ben’s return to bowling action with two massive leg-side sixes – but Shahed ended his stay with a smart caught and bowled, before bowling Tjasink with his next ball. Rigby kept out the hat-trick ball, but he didn’t last much longer as Ben bowled him next over. Wanderers were now 61-8 and we hadn’t even reached the drinks break.

But in all the years we’ve been playing Wanderers, we know they don’t give up without a fight, and Ewan Coull and Scott McManus led their riposte. Both pushed hard for runs and hit strongly down the ground, and they had more than doubled the score before I recalled Mathan for a final burst. “Michelle” didn’t need to wait too long, as Mathan broke the stand with another cracker to bowl McManus for his fifth wicket. Shahed took a deserved fourth by bowling last man Jono Charlton, and we congratulated them both for some great bowling.

Lipu Rahman had begun his 2025 season in glorious fashion with a maiden Allstars hundred in our opening fixture against Mandarins, and he carried on where he’d left off that day at Dulwich. Wanderers’ opening bowlers Tjasink, so often a thorn in our side in the past, and Charlton were quickly hit out of the attack as Lipu dealt almost exclusively in boundaries. Extras were helping us too, as a lightning fast outfield punished almost every keeping lapse with four byes. With John Kingston settling into a solid anchor role in support, the opening pair had put on 81 by the 12th over before Lipu top-edged to a strangely positioned fine third man.

Sirmad Shafique, playing his first game of the season, joined John at the crease and played some fine shots as the target came within reach. But Wanderers would still not surrender, Bell proving as useful a bowler as he’d shown with the bat as he slowed the scoring rate before bowling Sirmad. Sanj, looking to finish the job quickly before a Saturday night date with the missus, dispatched Rigby for two fours and a six over long leg before being caught with the scores level. But, deservedly, it was John who was rewarded for his graft as the Irishman hit the winning runs through point.

James fittingly presented the trophy which bears his name, and we all gathered in the Fox & Duck pub on a sunny evening to celebrate our victory. Mighty Wanderers are great guys, and we wish them well for the rest of their season. But next up, we’re in Barn Elms as we take on our good friends the Railway Taverners on Sunday 29 June.

Valley End, Sunday 11 May 2025.

Valley End 212-2 dec (38 overs: Josh Cormier 53 ret; Matthew Parfitt 51 ret) beat St Anne’s Allstars 112 all out (28 overs: Pradosh Bose 30; Ian Davison 4-16) by 100 runs.

Allstars Debuts: Akhil Anilkumar, Sanj Sharma.

Report by Garreth Duncan – Photos by Anindya Roy, Garreth Duncan and Nic Knight

It is great to return to Valley End after such a long absence. Despite being a regular fixture on our calendar as far back as 2013, it seemed as though the fates were beginning to conspire against us ever playing them again – since our last fixture in 2019, Covid, three successive washouts, and a mix-up over a ground booking, had led some Allstars to question whether their lovely ground in Surrey was a kind of Brigadoon which only appears magically every 75 years. They were delighted to welcome us again, and as always, looked after us fantastically. With a mighty playing resource at all levels, they were always favourites to win – but only after another battling display in which we gave our all.

We were pleased to welcome two new faces to the Allstars. Sanj Sharma, who found us on Instagram, bravely strapped up his knee injury to pass himself fit to play, and Akhil Anikumar, the latest of our our Banbury contingent – some of whom were playing back to back games that weekend, having featured for Wing CC the previous day.

On a gorgeous sunny day, Valley End skipper Matthew Parfitt won the toss and chose to bat. Allstars skipper Barathwaj Nagarajan immediately showed faith in our two debutants, throwing them in at the deep end by asking them both to open the bowling. Both Akhil and Sanj quickly showed they were up for the challenge, finding a good length and line and giving Valley End openers Austen Reedman and Josh Cormier little to play at. It soon became apparent that the bounce was a little uneven – the ball lifting off a length from one end, and scuttling through at the other – but neither Akhil nor Sanj got the break that their excellent opening spells deserved. Pradosh Bose, returning after an excellent start to Allstars cricket last season, replaced Sanj at the far end, and he soon found the same spot – but still without any reward.

It was to be the spinners who provided the first breakthrough. Our co-captain Vivek Seth, in his 17th season for the Allstars and closing in on a century of caps, is bowling better than ever, and he soon settled onto an immaculate line. Initially missing out as two difficult chances went down – though one would have been the catch of the season had it been held – he finally got the wicket he deserved by bowling Reedman. Seeing that spin was bringing rewards, skipper Barathwaj brought himself on to bowl, and his variations instantly troubled all the batsmen. He struck soon after the drinks break, pinning Bodoano lbw.

There were to be no more wickets – but, despite having only 10 players, we still stuck really well to our task in the field to keep the score down. Anindya Roy, in particular, made some heroic stops on the boundary, and I finished with matching bruises on both ankles from stopping some fierce cover drives close in. But Valley End’s canny mixture of colts and veterans continued on their way, and they eventually declared at 212 for 2 just before the allotted 40 overs were up.

Since Covid, cricket teas have gone out of fashion at some venues – but not this one. Valley End’s tea was worth the wait, a fantastic selection even including a cheese board.

Suitably refreshed, Matt Biss and Nic Knight set out to open the batting for the Allstars. But we got off to a bad start as Matt, on the lookout for a quick single, saw an opportunity as the ball went to the left side of the right-handed Cormier. Unfortunately, as Valley End secretary Ed Walters informed me, he’s their best fielder, and he threw down the stumps direct to send Nic on his way. Nic had to head off early for some family time, and we had some fun winding up Matt by saying he’d stormed off early in a huff – but, ever generous, Matt has assured Nic he owes him a pint. Sanj began his first Allstars innings usefully, but Valley End’s head groundsman Martin Fagent found the shooter spot on the pitch to bowl him – and, just as he was beginning to find some batting rhythm, Matt picked out Cormier at cover again. We were 34 for 3 and victory already looked out of sight – but we still had the draw to play for.

John Kingston, returning to the county where he’d had his first taste of English cricket after arriving from the Emerald Isle, and showed stout resistance, and Roy continued his good day as they began to tick the overs down. But Ian Davison continued to probe with his accurate medium pace, and he bowled both John and Akhil in quick succession. Having crunched Davison for a boundary through midwicket, I then hooked his next delivery down short fine leg’s throat. Soon after, left-armer Charlie Deane disturbed Roy’s stumps, and we were 58 for 7.

Still, Valley End knew their job wasn’t yet done – they kept asking where our “gun” players were hiding down the order. Barathwaj and Pradosh set about the task well, keeping the good balls out and dispatching the bad ones to the fence. Pradosh in particular looked in really good touch – but the pitch still had a few tricks up its sleeve, and his innings was ended as George Champion bowled him with another shooter. Skipper Parfitt then finished the job for his team as he bowled both Vivek and the returning Akhil. Barath was left stranded on 24 not out – but he’d skippered well against tough opposition and did not deserve defeat.

So it was Valley End’s day on the pitch – but it still couldn’t have been a better day. They are a real friendly bunch, and we enjoyed a beer and helped them finish their excellent tea as we chatted over a good day’s cricket. Hopefully we won’t have another 6 year wait before we return – but next up, we defend the James Abrahams Trophy against our old friends Mighty Wanderers at a stunning setting, the grounds of the National Trust property Ham House in Richmond.