Over the long UK Bank Holiday weekend (24-26 May), touring Captain Henry Colburn once again led the cricketers around the county of Kent on their annual tour. Though shorthanded, they ended up with two wins and a loss. (Losing against Shepway Stragglers, but winning against Band of Brothers and Chestfield.
Saturday, 24th May 2025
Match report: Shepway Stragglers CC v. SACC
Format: Time
To kick start the 2025 tour of Kent, Standard Athletic visited the Belmont House estate looking to go one better than last year’s ‘invincible’ tour having won two and drawn one match across the three games. After losing the toss and being asked to field, SAC’s captain Henry rallied his troops to restrict the Stragglers line up to 256 runs all-out off 40 overs. Facing an uphill task in reply, Standard managed to make 187 all-out which was not a bad effort considering the strength of team put out by the opposition. This coming after having lost last year’s match, was no great surprise, but plaudits must go out to Nisseem Burkule and Dilip Raghupathi whose scores of 28 and 45 runs apiece, established a middle-order partnership which momentarily threatened to build towards an unlikely victory.
The result: a 69-run victory for Shepway Stragglers CC
Sunday, 25th May 2025
Match report: Band of Brothers v. SACC
Format: Time
After defeat in the opening game, Standard Athletic’s players arrived at Torry Hill Farm with reason to be optimistic given their 2024 performance which had resulted in a draw. After having lost the toss and being put in to bat, the team mustered 264 for 6 with Indian overseas sensation Prinann Dutta scoring the bulk of the runs with an explosive 185. Supported by a very watchful 18 not out from the skipper as well as a solid 41 from Nisseem, Band of Brothers were facing an uphill task to save the game. The home team started positively, however, before losing their first wicket with the score on 50. After that, wickets fell at regular intervals thanks to some high-quality pace bowling from Rachit Garg and Nisseem and it was to be the former who would take the final wicket to leave the opposition 71 runs adrift. Plaudits must go out to wicket-keeper Saharsh, whose tidy glove work backed up an impressive fielding display all round. The first ever victory against BOB would cap a memorable day for SAC’s players and in particular, Rachit, who secured an outstanding 5-wicket haul.
The result: a 71-run victory for Standard Athletic CC
Monday 26th May 2025
Match report: Chestfield CC vs. SACC
Format: 35 overs
For the past 3 years, Monday’s game against Chestfield has always been a fruitful one for both teams and this year’s proved to be no different. After losing the toss, Standard were put in the field and did not show any after effects from the previous day’s exertions by taking wickets at regular intervals throughout the opposition’s inning. Rachit, Nisseem, skipper Henry and Praveen weighed in with 2 wickets a piece and in the end, 118 was all that the Chestfield batters could muster, from 30 overs. In reply, SAC’s innings made a stuttering start by losing their first 3 wickets for 14 runs and before they knew it the team were staring down the barrel with the score at a precarious 56 for 6. Fortunately for Standard, middle-order batter Nisseem had other ideas and, with the support of Nikhil, he managed to shepherd the innings to its conclusion against a spirited and youthful attack. In the end, SAC ran out winners in the 31st over to win by 3 wickets and signed off this year’s 2025 Kent tour with 2 victories and 1 defeat.
The result: a 3-wicket victory for Standard Athletic CC
Visit the Standard Athletic Club CC website for the scorecards (Matches, Fixtures & Results, All Results, May)
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