It was another action-packed weekend for Gidea Park & Romford Cricket Club, with ten teams representing the club across senior, junior and women’s cricket on 11th, 12th and 13th July.
There were victories for the 1st XI, 4th XI, Under 13s and Under 15s, while the 2nd XI battled to a draw. But the biggest celebration of the weekend belonged to our Women’s Softball team, who secured their first win of the season!

1st XI – Dominant Home Victory
The 1st XI produced a superb all-round performance against Billericay CC, securing an emphatic 83-run Time Win. Batting first, Gidea Park posted 178 all out, with Sami Ullah leading the way with an excellent 69 from 104 balls, including 11 boundaries. The bowlers then completely took control of the game, dismissing Billericay for just 95 in 28.1 overs. Shavawn Cunningham was outstanding, returning brilliant figures of 5-26 from 11 overs, while Will Chuter and Praveen Kumar claimed two wickets each. A commanding performance and a well-earned 25-point victory for the 1st XI.

2nd XI – Runs Flow in Loughton Draw
The 2nd XI put together an impressive batting display away at Loughton, posting 264-9 from their 50 overs. Matthew Tarr produced a superb 83, while Ciaran Fredericks added 58 as the pair built a crucial century partnership. Thomas Stone also contributed a valuable 36 at the top of the order. Loughton reached 197-8 from 45 overs, with the match ending in a draw. Gidea Park collected 11 points from a strong away performance.

3rd XI – Buckhurst Hill Edge High-Scoring Contest
The 3rd XI were involved in an entertaining game against Buckhurst Hill at Gidea Park Sports Ground. Batting first, Gidea Park scored 237 all out, led by David Croker's excellent 53. Mark Hope and Sarosh Elahi both added 25, while Jack Roberts struck a quick 24. Buckhurst Hill chased the target, reaching 239-6 in 42.4 overs to win by four wickets. DJ was the standout bowler with 3-67 from 11.4 overs, including the key wicket of Hossam Uddin for 49.

4th XI – Eight-Wicket Win at Loughton
The 4th XI delivered an excellent chase to defeat Loughton by eight wickets. After restricting the hosts to 182-7 from 40 overs, Paul Rawlings led the bowling attack with 3-25, while Freddie Rawlings and Merul Parmanand took two wickets each. In reply, Shahmeer Azam scored 54, before Glenn Winney smashed an unbeaten 54 from just 38 balls. Chet Chohan provided excellent support with an unbeaten 39 as Gidea Park reached 183-2 in 33.5 overs.

5th XI – Plenty of Runs but Harold Wood Chase It Down
The 5th XI posted an impressive 237-8 from 40 overs against Harold Wood. Shyarn Sher was outstanding with an unbeaten 65, while Riley Brooks struck 40 and Jack Rand added 34. Despite the strong total, Harold Wood produced an aggressive chase, reaching 240-3 in 26 overs to take the victory.

Under 9s – Narrow Defeat at Bentley
Our Under 9 Softball team were involved in an incredibly close contest against Bentley. Gidea Park finished with a net score of 285, just five runs behind Bentley's 290. Oliver Parry scored 20, while George Gunn claimed an excellent three wickets with the ball. A fantastic effort from our young players in a game that went right to the wire.

Under 13s – Five-Wicket Victory Over Upminster
The Under 13s continued their excellent development with a convincing win against Upminster. Gidea Park dismissed the visitors for 113, with Om Narang taking 3 wickets, while Yasir Azizi and Mohib Azam claimed two each. The chase was completed in just 13.1 overs, with captain Sam Ridley unbeaten on 34 and George Rawlings retiring after a rapid 30 from 15 balls. A brilliant six-wicket victory for the U13s.

Under 15s – Another Impressive Junior Victory
The Under 15s produced a strong chase against Shenfield. After Shenfield posted 148-8, Yash Chohan, Sirat Mann and Henry Griffin all claimed two wickets. Gidea Park then raced to 150-3 in 16.3 overs. Riley Brooks retired on 30, captain Shahmeer Azam made 32 and Shyarn Sher also retired after scoring 32. A comprehensive seven-wicket win for the U15s.

Under 16s – Heartbreak in a One-Wicket Thriller
The Under 16s suffered the narrowest of defeats against Oakfield Parkonians. Batting first, Gidea Park posted 201 all out, with Henry Griffin top-scoring with 42 and Shyarn Sher finishing unbeaten on 34. Oakfield Parkonians reached 202-7 in 39.3 overs, edging home in a dramatic finish. Freddie Rawlings and Frank Winney both claimed two wickets as the U16s fought until the end.

HISTORY MADE – WOMEN’S FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON!
A huge congratulations to our Women’s Softball team, who secured their FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON against Hornchurch Athletic! Batting first, Gidea Park posted 154 for 3, giving them a net score of 339. Elizabeth Ridley led the batting with 29, while Ciara Smythsom-Biggs and Natasha McCabe both added 12. The team then produced a fantastic bowling performance to restrict Hornchurch Athletic to a net score of 308, securing a brilliant 31-run net victory. Elenor Rowe led the bowling with two wickets, with Happi Patel, Rebecca Watson, Elizabeth Ridley, Laura Parker-Wall, Kate Rand and Rebbeca Goldsmith all getting amongst the wickets. Congratulations to every player involved – hopefully the first of many!

From senior cricket to our junior teams and a fantastic milestone for our Women's team, it was another weekend showcasing the spirit of Gidea Park & Romford Cricket Club.
An action-packed weekend for Gidea Park – and one we won't forget!