Scorecard

Sheen Park v Phoenix Cricket Club Phoenix on Sun 18 May 2025 at 1pm
Phoenix Cricket Club Lost 78 runs

Match report Game 4 v Sheen Park

Coming into Game 4 riding a wave of three wins, Phoenix CC faced a stern test against Sheen Park - and were handed our first defeat of the season, falling short by 78 runs in what turned out to be a high-scoring encounter.

Winning the toss, skipper Mitul Bathia, his first game in charge, backed our proven strength - bowling first - even on a flat batting track. The plan looked solid on paper, but the execution faltered. Sheen Park piled on 304 in their 40 overs, taking full advantage of loose fielding and missed chances.

In the field, we conceded a painful 50 boundaries and sixes, with ground fielding well below our usual standards. Numerous balls slipped through hands for boundaries, adding vital runs to Sheen Park’s total. It wasn’t just the ground fielding - we also dropped two key catches and missed a stumping, both of which came before Sheen Park’s No. 2 and No. 3 batters went on to score centuries. Those missed moments proved costly, as both batters took the game away with clinical strokeplay.

Salman was the clear standout with the ball, returning excellent figures of 8-1-32-2, managing to maintain control while others struggled for consistency. Gurpreet Singh Chandi was sharp in the field, taking two catches, but overall, our fielding effort left much to be desired. In truth, we likely leaked 50 runs too many, with 250 being a par score on this surface.

Despite the daunting target, the batters showed intent. The chase began positively, scoring at 7 runs an over, and at 84-2 after 13 overs, belief was alive. However, a controversial LBW decision against Vishal (on 37) - who had just struck 5 fours and a six in his previous 12 balls - sparked a collapse. We slumped to 86-6 in the 15th over, staring down a potential heavy defeat.

But Salman and Krunal had other plans. They stitched together a spirited 106-run partnership for the 7th wicket in 16 overs. Salman led the charge with a brilliant 79 off 62 balls, peppering the boundary with 12 fours and 3 sixes, before eventually holing out in a brave effort to up the scoring rate. Krunal supported well with a steady 31, and together with extras, helped us push the final total to 226 all out.

Despite the result, the team’s fight and effort were commendable, particularly Salman, who was outstanding with both bat and ball. For his all-round excellence, Sam Sam was rightly named Player of the Match.

Final thoughts:
While the decision to bowl first followed our successful formula from the first three games, the execution in the field let us down. Missed chances and poor ground fielding handed Sheen Park the upper hand, and we paid the price.

That said, there were positives - Salman’s all-round brilliance, Krunal Patel’s support, and the batting intent shown under pressure. Had Vishal continued alongside Salman, there may well have been a dramatic finish on the cards.
It’s a reminder that commitment alone isn’t enough - execution matters. Time for reflection and regrouping before the next clash. Special mention to Aman Bakshi, who made his debut for Phoenix today.

Onward and upward, Phoenix. Let’s bounce back stronger.

The team:
1. Muhammad Chohan
2. Gurpreet Chandi (wk)
3. Vishal-Karna Kumar
4. Salman Merchant
5. Itmadin Vegdani
6. Aman Bakshi
7. Krunal Patel
8. Farhan Imlak
9. Mitul Bathia (c)
10. Sheraz Ahmad
11. Sanjeev Kumar

*** Statistically the leading players are as follow ***

* Runs *
125 – Salman
110 – Choham
104 – Rajkaran

* Wickets *
8 – Mitul
7 – Sanjeev
5 – Salman

* Fielding Dismissals *
5 – Chandi (4 catches, 1 stumping)
3 - Chohan (2 catches), Khizar (3 catches), Vishal (1 catch, 2 runouts)
2 - Mitul (2 catches), Rajkaran (1 catch, 1 runout)

Sheen Park Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 5 wickets
0
304 (40.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Phoenix Cricket Club Phoenix Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Mitulkumar Bathia8.006500.008.13
Salman Merchant8.0132216.004.00
Farhan Imllak Mayo4.003400.008.50
Vishal-Karna Kumar7.005800.008.29
Sanjeev Kumar8.006100.007.62
Sheraz Ahmad5.005100.0010.20

Phoenix Cricket Club Phoenix Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 9 wickets
0
229		        
Gurpreet 'Guri' Chandi Caught  14 18 3 77.78 2
Muhammad Chohan Caught  17 17 4 100 1
Vishal-Karna Kumar Lbw  37 29 5 1 127.59
Salman Merchant Caught  79 62 12 3 127.42
Itmadin Vegdani Bowled  0 3 0
Aman Bakshi Caught  1 5 20.0
Farhan Imllak Mayo Caught  0 1 0
Krunal Patel Caught  31 63 4 49.21
Mitulkumar Bathia Caught  16 28 2 57.14
Sheraz Ahmad Not Out  1 3 33.33
Sanjeev Kumar Not Out  0 2 0

Sheen Park Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.
 
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