VICE-CAPTAIN Waqas Ali has heaped praise on his Redditch Entaco team-mate Rizwan Choudry who became the club’s first player to score a double hundred in Saturday League cricket.
Choudry, 27, smashed a staggering 231 off just 110 balls – including 11 fours and 24 sixes – to set the Kingfishers on their way to a huge score of 393 and subsequent 201-run triumph at Bromyard on Saturday which opened a 50-point lead at the top of Worcestershire League Division Two.
Choudry’s magnificent innings betters Redditch’s previous highest league score of 180 which was made by Dan Protherough against Worcester in May 2005 and also shatters the previous Division Two record score of 220 not out made by Jon Hancock of Worcester Dominies & Guild against Romsley & Hunnington in July 2012.
Choudry shared in an opening partnership of 243 with Jack Roberson (70) and Ali and everyone else at Bromyard’s Flaggoners Green’s ground was left purring at the record-breaking knock.
“Rizwan had been threatening to deliver a significant score for a few weeks and, when he finally delivered, he did so in thunderous fashion,” said Ali.
“It was a blistering display of batting, the kind that would make even the likes of AB de Villiers do a double-take.
“The mayhem began right from the first over as Rizwan deposited only his third ball straight over the long-on boundary and never looked back.
“It was a brutal exhibition of power batting including an array of straight and leg-side shots that had the spectators running for cover.
“Rizwan powered his way to his hundred off only 55 balls and then exploded to score his next hundred off only 45 balls.
“Jack Roberson’s excellent knock of 70 understandably became a footnote, but he played an important part in the opening stand.”
The thumping at the hands of Choudry left Bromyard flustered and in their reply to a mammoth target they crumpled to the pace of stand-in captain Ali who took three wickets in as many overs to leave Bromyard reeling at 4-3.
With rain clouds hovering over Flaggoners Green, Ali turned to his spinners in a bid to rush through the overs and ensure Redditch gained the maximum 20 points to extend their lead over second placed Chaddesley Corbett.
However, an unbroken partnership of 188 between Edd Oliver (88no) and Rob Willis (80no) restored some pride as Bromyard finished on 192-3.
Redditch travel to mid-table Evesham on Saturday hoping to further strengthen their grip on the division as what seems like an inevitable title triumph beckons.
THE 2NDS continued their excellent form Division One 2nd XI form with victory over a tough Belbroughton side at Bromsgrove Road.
The visitors posted a challenging 259-7 off 50 overs as Phil Boardman (86) and Nick Greatbatch (74) led the way. Nick Fowkes took 3-20.
In reply Redditch lost Fowkes early on but a quickfire 21 from Olly Mason, Naseek Hussain’s 50 and excellent knocks from Asif Mukhtar (61) and Sam Egan (75no) saw the Kingfishers home with three overs to spare.
Redditch, who moved up to fourth, entertain Evesham on Saturday.
THE 3RDS’ miserable Division Five form continued at Old Elizabethans as they could only muster 135 in which Liam Clarke top scored with 30 and Faizan Ahmed made 25.
In reply Old Elizabethans reached their target with ease for the loss of just three wickets as Dave Donaldson hit 56 not out. Zaheer Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers with 2-47 off ten overs.
On Saturday the 3rds are at home to Old Hill and the 4ths travel in the opposite direction.
