Ashford Cricket Club – 2nd XI Match

Fixture: Ashford 2nd XI vs Woking & Horsell 2nd XI

Date: 26 April 2025

Venue: Short Lane

Result: Ashford won by 42 runs

Ashford 2nd XI hosted Woking & Horsell (W&H) for their second preseason game of the 2025 season at a sun-drenched Short Lane. With momentum on their side after a successful opening match, Ashford looked to maintain their winning form—and did so with a composed all-round performance.

Toss and Decision
Captain Mansoor won the toss and elected to bat first, taking advantage of excellent batting conditions on a well-prepared pitch under clear skies.

Innings Summary – Ashford Batting
Ashford's innings started on a shaky note, with opener Arshad Vohra dismissed for a duck with the score still on zero. However, the experienced Waseem Ahmed (33) and young Eman Butt (50) steadied the innings with a 52-run stand.
* Eman Butt played fluently, reaching his half-century off just 52 balls before edging behind while attempting a drive.
* Imran then took centre stage with a commanding innings of 91 from 86 balls, featuring 12 boundaries.
* Mahtab Rasheed provided valuable support, and together they guided Ashford past the 200-run mark.
Ashford closed their innings on 235 for 8 from 45 overs, setting a challenging target for the visitors.

Innings Summary – Woking & Horsell Batting
Ashford made early inroads into the W&H batting lineup, with the evergreen Ali Syed striking with his very first ball of the season. Regular breakthroughs followed, with the bowling unit keeping things tight throughout.
* Ibrahim Masood was the standout bowler, claiming figures of 9-1-27-4, showing maturity and control beyond his years.
* W&H’s Elliott McPherson provided resistance with a composed 52 from 64 balls, but lacked support at the other end.
Woking & Horsell were eventually bowled out for 193 in 44.5 overs, falling 42 runs short of the target.

Key Performances
Player Performance
Imran 91 (86 balls, 12x4s)
Eman Butt 50 (52 balls)
Waseem Ahmed 33 runs
Ibrahim Masood 9-1-27-4
Ali Syed 1 wicket with his first ball

Result
Ashford 2nd XI won by 42 runs.
This victory marks Ashford’s second consecutive win of the season and reflects the team’s growing confidence and strong early-season form