Successful season capped off with 3s promotion

The team photo for our 2025 Brentham First XI

The 2025 season proved the old adage that tough times don’t last, tough people do!

A campaign that was beset by injuries and bad fortune, which robbed the 1s of captain, opening batsman, opening bowler, and overseas, ends with our top three sides at the combined highest level we’ve been as a club since 2012.

The 1s rain-abandoned game in week 17, coupled with an early defeat for Harrow Town, was enough to ensure Division Two survival with a week to spare.

That meant little rode on the final day visit to Winchmore Hill which ended in a comprehensive victory for the home side.

16-year-old Deen Hoque (3-67) was the pick of the Brentham bowlers as the hosts racked up 288 off their 45 overs.

With the bat, it was another of our hugely promising juniors who top-scored; 18-year-old Lucas Smith hitting 43 of our 108 off 28.5 overs.

Lucas ended the season our leading run scorer with 482 runs at 34, including his maiden century against Ealing Trailfinders, while Atif Shah ended as leading wicket take with 15.

The emergence of the likes of Deen and Lucas, as part of 5 juniors to play in our 1s this summer, coupled with a winter now for senior players to return to fitness, means we head into the 2026 season full of optimism for the campaign.

Saad Rehman’s 2s signed off with an excellent victory at home to North London, chasing the 178 required four down and with 68 balls to spare.

Like the 1s, the 2s survival in Division One had been confirmed ahead of the final weekend and that allowed them to go out and play with freedom.

Atif Shah (4-23) was the pick of the bowlers as, at one stage, the away side found themselves 41-7 at Meadvale Road.

With the bat the top four all then passed 25 in the comfortable chase. Henaksh Surve (57) top scored, sharing a 101 run partnership with Meet Goswami (33) for the third wicket, after a 58 run first wicket partnership between Unmesh Wagh (33) and Thirath Goane (25).

The 10 points moved the 2s up to 6^th in the final table, with three wins from their final five matches.

Meet finished as the 2s top run scorer with 222 in 6 innings, while Faizullah Khan was the leading wicket taker with 14.

The only jeopardy heading into the final day was whether the 3s could make it three promotions in four seasons and get back to Division One.

Already-relegated MTSSC were the opposition but they didn’t stand much of a chance against a clinical James Hitchcock side.

Bowling first, Ciaran Brett (4-3) blasted through the top order to reduce the hosts to 14-5 at one stage.

A pair of dogged partnerships held up the promotion charge for a while but the introduction of spin in the form of Siddhant Kothari (2-4) and Jayraj Jadeja (2-6) saw the final four wickets fall for 9 runs leaving a target of exactly 100 required.

On a very difficult batting pitch, Matt Plews (45) and Paul Whelan (22) formed the perfect opening stand. Circumspect to start, they then began to open up as the ball got older.

Paul fell with the score on 60 before Matt departed with 5 required to win, leaving it up to Jon Mays (13*) and Jaz Rehal (3*) to finish the job.

A third promotion in the bag, the celebrations could begin!

Matt ended the season as the top run scorer with 321 at 35.67, including two 50s, while Ciaran’s 25 wickets at 8.12 saw him return as the leading wicket taker.

Krushna Kerai’s 4s ended a very promising season on a high note with a 135-run win over Twickenham.

As across all our sides this year, the youngsters came to the fore.

14-year-old Dhruvin Patel notched his maiden senior half-century with a 60-ball 52 ably supported by Pratyesh Desai (46). Those were the main contributions in a total of 212-8 that was always too much.

16-year-old Will Pye (2-12) did early damage allowing Richard Taper (3-21) and Yogesh Solanki (4-14) to work their way through the rest of the order!

Vinay Khetia (1-27) took the final wicket as the away side were skittled for just 77.

The victory, our eighth of the campaign, ensured a fourth-placed finish in Division Five B.

Richard Taper ended the season with 26 wickets at 13 while Rajesh Kerai was the leading run scorer with 177.

The 5s finished their maiden league season under Bhavin Raniga with a five-wicket defeat to Wycombe House.

Marcus Bethel (49) and Kashif Riaz (47) were the main contributors to a total of 171 all out at Perivale Park.

In Wycombe House’s reply, Simon Price (2-46) and Kashif (2-13) reduced the away side to 74-4.

However, a 94-run partnership for the fifth wicket proved decisive as the away side got home with 12 overs to spare.

The 5s ended the season completing 14 of their 18 fixtures, a great effort in their debut season.

Simon Price (142 runs at 24) ended the leading run scorer while captain Bhavin was the top wicket-taker with 11.