Binfield Cricket Club's 6th XI beat Holyport CC by 30 runs in a home friendly at Sol Joel Park on Saturday 11 July, Ralph Weeks's 53 and Jishnu Grandhi's 45 anchoring 199 all out before Oscar Farnden's 4 for 29 - including the last three wickets - bowled Holyport out for 169.

The word 'friendly' rather undersells the contest at Sol Joel Park, where the 6th XI and Holyport CC served up a proper game of cricket with plenty of bite in it. Batting first, Binfield were given a sound start by Charlie Miles's 28 before Ralph Weeks played the innings of the day, a well-made 53, and Jishnu Grandhi's punchy 45 pushed the total towards respectability. Holyport shared their wickets around generously - Paul Jheeta's 2 for 13 and Kester Banks's 2 for 12 the best figures of the eight bowlers used - and 199 all out felt like a score that would ask a question or two.

Charlie Miles · 28

It asked plenty. Aadhav Muthu bowled Bobby Hart for a duck in the early exchanges and kept things wonderfully tight - 6.2 overs, a maiden, 1 for 20 - while Matthew Hart's 34 was ended by a smart piece of glovework, stumped by Ram Devarakonda off Oscar Farnden. Kester Banks then dug in superbly, finishing 56 not out and adding a bowling brace to his batting fifty for a quite outstanding all-round afternoon in a losing cause. But Farnden kept coming: 4 for 29 from 5.5 overs, the last three wickets all his, two of them caught by Ben Whiter, and Holyport were bowled out for 169 in the 33rd over.

Jishnu Grandhi (2 for 36) and Subhan Khawaja (2 for 20) chipped in around him, Finley Beckford's spell of 1 for 29 included two maidens, and the 6th XI had a 30-run win to show for a thoroughly enjoyable day. A most agreeable Saturday's work, and warm thanks to Holyport for making the trip.