June 28, 2025 – Home Park Cricket Ground
In a thrilling 45-over contest, Taplow Cricket Club produced a stunning turnaround to defeat Windsor CC by a commanding 153-run margin. The win was headlined by a magnificent century from Zeeshan Sarfaraz Butt, who rescued his team from the brink of collapse with a calm yet authoritative innings.
Batting first, Taplow CC were rocked early by a devastating new-ball spell, crashing to 28 for 5 inside the first few overs. With their top order back in the pavilion, the game looked firmly in Windsor’s grip. However, Zeeshan Sarfaraz Butt had other plans. Showing resilience, temperament, and class, he anchored the innings and launched a counterattack.
Butt found an able partner in Walid Malik, and together, they stitched a crucial 6th-wicket partnership that turned the match on its head. The duo absorbed the pressure initially and then gradually accelerated, frustrating the Windsor bowlers with clean stroke play and smart running between the wickets. Butt reached his century with elegance, scoring 102 before finally falling with the team well past the 200 mark. Malik narrowly missed out on a ton himself, falling for a well-made 94, his best knock of the season so far.
If the Butt-Malik partnership laid the foundation, Rizwan Butt finished the innings with a bang. Coming in during the death overs, he lit up the ground with a breathtaking cameo—30 runs off just 8 deliveries, including four towering sixes that left the opposition shell-shocked and the crowd roaring. Taplow CC closed their innings at 284 for 7 in 45 overs—a total that seemed improbable when they were five down for just 28.
Luke Woolley was the pick of the bowlers for Windsor CC, exploiting early movement and finishing with respectable figures. However, the inability to break the Butt-Malik stand early cost them dearly.
In reply, Windsor CC’s batting lineup struggled under scoreboard pressure. Taplow’s bowlers maintained discipline and applied relentless pressure from both ends. Arslan Butt led the charge with a clinical spell, picking up 3 crucial wickets. Windsor’s innings never gained momentum and eventually folded for just 131 in 34.1 overs.
The 153-run win was one of Taplow CC’s most emphatic performances this season, showcasing not just individual brilliance but also the depth and resilience of the side. From a near-collapse to a dominant victory, this match will be remembered as a testament to grit, recovery, and explosive batting when it mattered most.