Newdigate CC Sunday 1st XI hosted Abinger CC Sunday Friendly XI at North Holmwood Sports Ground on 28th July 2024 to play a timed friendly match.
The toss was won by the visitors who decided to bat first on a green wicket. A two and a half an hours first innings to be followed by a second innings with one hour plus 20 overs was the format agreed by the skippers.
Newdigate bowlers started with a flurry of friendly full-toes balls that gave Abinger a healthy start and Newdigate had to make change early to yield the first wicket which fell when the visitors were on 38. A fall of wicket did not stop the run scoring rate for Abinger as the second wicket fell with a score 114 runs on board as Ewan French (45 with 5 boundaries) departed. Stuart Evans (19) supported Sam Solt (101 runs retired, with 1 six and 15 boundaries) very well. Sam’s century came off only 69 balls who demonstrated a great display of stroke-making, favouring particularly the leg side. As Sam retired when the visitors were marching on 196 runs, Newdigate was able to gain some control over the match by grabbing 3 quick wickets. Abinger’s innings timed out on the 39th over with a very healthy score of 208 runs losing 5 wickets. The NH ground being quite big, a successful chase was very unlikely.
Shahariar Sami bowled well for Newdigate who took 2 wickets conceding 41 runs off his 9 overs, well supported by Safwan Ahmed who grabbed one wicket off his 6 overs conceding 29 runs. Monjur Elahi and Shohag Miya shared the other two wickets.
In response, Newdigate lost two early wickets with the score at 15 and then 32; Abinger figured out the advantage of the big ground and making the most out of the well spread field. Accurate bowling from Abinger bowlers also choked Newdigate and another wicket went down as Naveen perished trying to hit big, leaving the team score 59/3 on the 17th over. Monjur Elahi supported Tom Harper who started to exploit the gaps in the field, hitting crisply and keeping Newdigate on course. Tom’s fighting innings (44 with 5 boundaries) ended in the 26th over with Newdigate score was on 90. A successful chase with a required run rate over 10 was not an option anymore; salvaging a draw was a challenge with a brittle Newdigate late order. Newdigate lost 3 more wickets in next 12 overs and was at danger of getting all out giving away a win to Abinger. Monjur Elahi kept the Abinger attack at bay by playing a patient innings scoring 12 runs off 63 balls (not out) to full-fill the overs quota and in the process salvage a draw out of the day.

Away at Forest Green, Newdigate Sunday 2nd XI took on Forest Green CC Sunday on 35 overs friendly match on a relatively small ground. The match featured a lots of boundaries and sixes and provided great fun.
Forest Green won the toss and decided to bat first. Newdigate started well by taking first 4 wickets within 15 overs. A power-hitting innings from Kiran Kumar (46 runs, 4 boundaries, 3 sixes) took the advantage away from Newdigate. With contributions from Ahsan Hussain (26), Naveed Khan (15) and Bilal Khan (17), Forest Green posted a challenging total of 179/8 off 35 overs. Elliot Spiers and Mark Treliving claimed 2 wickets each. Aiden Jones, Marcus Glen, Dencil Antony and Arthur Carrington took one wicket each.
Newdigate started well in response, with Elliot Spiers scoring 20 off 9 balls hitting 3 boundaries and 1 six, well supported by David Callcut (19). Regular fall of wicket halted the proceedings for the visitors. Simon Carrington (17), Dencil Antony (12) and a last wicket surge from Jon Pritchard (17 off 17 balls, 1 boundary and 1 six) brought good excitement but not enough to threaten the target at Newdigate innings folded up with 134 off 33.1 overs.