Werrington have hit the top as we hit the Christmas and New Year break after an eventful last weekend of cricket in 2025. Werrington have never ever won the Hunts Indoor League but are in pole position after a dramatic day of action. The day started with 4 teams tied at the top with 12 points (4 wins from 5 matches) but the fixture co-ordinator, ironically, had them all playing against each other last weekend. Defending champions AK11 started the day top and remained there for 2 hours with a narrow 11 run victory against Pak Azad. Pak Azad had started the season badly with a knockout 153 run defeat to Ufford Park but had won the last 3 matches moving into Sunday’s contest. Pak Azad won the toss and decided to bowl first with AK scoring 137-4 from their 10 overs with consistent batting from their top order men with Abrar Ahmed (31) again leading from the front supported by teammates Sudheer Jafeer (unbeaten with 29), Zeeshan Ul-Haq Makhdoom (26 not out) and 23 from Zaheer Abbas. Mohammed Danyaal (2-35) was the best wicket taker for Pak Azad. In reply, Pak Azad were always slightly behind the rate and fell short despite the best efforts of Muhammad Ayub Khattak (39) and 36 from Sam Tyler.
Ak and the large watching crowd waited to see if Ufford would beat Werrington to keep AK top. However, a good bowling display from Ufford was followed by a poor batting display to see Werrington win by 37 runs. Things looked good for Ufford at half time as Werrington were bowled out for 117 from 9.2 overs. Werrington Captain Muhammad Toseeq with 32 and Naveed Ahmed with 20 were key contributors from Werrington, while former Werrington player Muhammad Rizwan was the pick of the Ufford bowlers with two in swinging yorker’s that sent the stumps cartwheeling to end with 2-13.
The two previous weekends the Ufford’s batting had been indifferent, and they can be suspectable to England style batting collapses and the same happened again to collapse to 16-3 from 3 overs. Muhammad Raheel dug in with a defiant 20 and a quickfire unbeaten 38 from Saj Ali made the score respectable but Werrington went top with their Captain Toseeq taking the man of the match honours after top scoring for them and then taking 2-22 and an outstanding one hand catch. After starting the season well with 3 straight wins, Ufford have now lost two on the bounce. Werrington go top above AK11 after beating AK earlier in the season and if Werrington win their two remaining matches there is nothing the chasing pack can do.
Hampton have moved up to 5th with a convincing 68 run win against Wansford. Bilal Mushtaq (in his first match of the season) played exquisitely for 52 supported by quick fire scoring from Ali Ghazanfar (36) and Jawad Ali (31) in seeing Hampton up to 173-4. The Wansford bowlers had indifferent performances with 35 runs coming from the last over and also bowling 15 wides and 13 no balls!. Tight bowling from all the Hampton bowlers prevented Wansford from getting close despite talented teenager Rudra Valambhia and Kester Sainsbury both retiring with 25.
10 times Hunts Indoor winners Bretton had started the season badly with 3 straight defeats, but they have now won two on the bounce with a comprehensive 84 run win against Burghley Park. This last match of cricket in the local area in 2025 saw opening batsman Neil Buckingham retired twice and ended unbeaten on 53 with immaculate cover drives and pulls as well as smashing five sixes and a four. He received best support from Ethan Bennett (40), Mark Drake (27) and Andy Bennett (unbeaten with 25). Buckingham was in the thick of the action in the field bowling a wicket maiden (which is incredibly rare in indoor cricket) while Ethan Bennett and Mark Drake performed amazing direct hit run outs with the latter back in the action for the first time this season due to injury. Yet again Matt Davies (33 not out) and James Biggs (27 not out) were the best batsman for Burghley.
Week 5 Results – Sunday 14th December 2025
1st match – AK11 beat Pak Azad by 11 runs.
AK11 137-4 from 10 overs. Abrar Ahmed 31 (1x6 and 2x4), Sudheer Jafeer 29 (1x6 and 2x4), Zeeshan Ul-Haq Makhdoom 26 not out (2x6), Zaheer Abbas 23 (3x6). Mohammed Danyaal 2-35.
Pak Azad 126 all out from 9.5 overs. Muhammad Ayub Khattak 39 (3x6 and 2x4), Sam Tyler 36 (2x6 and 1x4).
2nd match – Hampton beat Wansford by 68 runs.
Hampton 173-4 from 10 overs. Bilal Mushtaq 52 not out (3x6 and 3x4), Ali Ghazanfar 36 not out (1x6 and 4x4), Jawad Ali 31 (1x4)
Wansford 105-1 from 10 overs. Kester Sainsbury 26 – Retired, Rudra Valambhia 25 – Retired (1x4), Anish Raju 15 not out (1x6 and 1x4)
3rd match – Werrington beat Ufford Park by 37 runs.
Werrington 117 all out from 9.2 overs. Muhammad Toseeq 32 (1x6 and 3x4), Naveed Ahmed 20, Saad Ashraf 16 (1x6). Muhammad Rizwan 2-13.
Ufford Park 80-5 from 10 overs. Saj Ali 38 not out (1x6 and 4x4), Muhammad Raheel 20 (1x4). Muhammad Toseeq 2-22.
4th match – Bretton beat Burghley Park by 84 runs.
Bretton 178-3 from 10 overs. Neil Buckingham 53 not out (5x6 and 1x4), Ethan Bennett 40 not out (3x6 and 1x4), Mark Drake 27 (2x6 and 3x4), Andy Bennett 25 not out (1x6 and 1x4).
Burghley Park 94-4 from 10 overs. Matt Davies 33 not out (1x6 and 2x4), James Biggs 27 not out (1x6 and 1x4)
FIXTURES WEEK 6 – SUNDAY 11TH JANUARY 2026:
- 2.30pm – Wansford v Ufford Park
- 3.30pm – Werrington v Hampton
- 4.30pm - Burghley Park v Pak Azad
- 5.30pm - Bretton v AK11
The league table can be found on Play Cricket here
NOTE:
- 3 points for a win.
- If points are level, finishing positions are decided by head-to-head wins. If positions are still level, then league positions are decided by the number of oppositions wickets taken during the season.
- Werrington ahead of AK11 on head-to-head win earlier in the season.
- Ufford Park ahead of Pak Azad on head-to-head win earlier in the season.
- Hampton ahead of Bretton on head-to-head win earlier in the season.
- Wansford ahead of Burghley Park on head-to-head win earlier in the season.
