Didcot won the toss and elected to field first, hoping to exploit the unusual English heatwave. Their bowlers started superbly, delivering a disciplined opening spell and conceding just 39 runs in the first 10 overs. Japji Kaur was particularly outstanding, bowling two consecutive maidens to keep the pressure firmly on the opposition.

Despite the early control, wickets were hard to come by until the 13th over when Hrim finally broke through with the first wicket. This opened the door for further inroads as Jerry New, Benedict Howman Bett, Alex Freeman, and Oscar Cox-Rogers all chipped in with a wicket each while Didcot steadily dismantled the Abingdon Vale innings. Fielding brilliance also played a part, with Samar Wadhwa pulling off two sharp run outs with direct hits.

Didcot’s consistent efforts in the field restricted Abingdon Vale to 114 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs which was a commendable effort in tough conditions.

In reply, Didcot's batters made a confident start. Jovin Nagularapu played some stylish shots and retired unbeaten on 28. Samar Wadhwa continued the momentum with an aggressive yet composed innings of 20 retired not out. The finishing touches were applied by Jerry New and Oscar Cox-Rogers, who guided the team home comfortably. Fittingly, Oscar Cox-Rogers sealed the victory in style with a boundary in the 14th over, capping off a strong all round performance from Didcot.

There was also a noticeable improvement in controlling wides, especially in the first 10 overs, which helped build early pressure. One clear learning point going forward is to continue working on reducing the number of byes to further tighten the fielding performance.

Player of the Match:
A coach’s dream situation, with several players turning in excellent performances and making the selection a tough decision. In the end, Samar Wadhwa was voted Player of the Match for his all round contribution with bat, ball, and in the field.

I Scream Moment:
Samar Wadhwa’s run outs.