Corporate & Private Tournaments
Essex Farms beat Northern Railways Cricket Academy to take 1-0 series lead
Aditya Kumar, Jivesh Gill and Yati Sharma starred with the bat as Essex Farms defeated Northern Railway Cricket Academy by 46 runs at Chhawla. Youngsters Kartik Saroj and Pratyaksh Yadav impressed for NRCA with all-round and fielding performances respectively
TDJ News Service
24 May, 2026
New Delhi: A fine all-round performance helped Essex Farms Cricket Club register a 46-run victory over Northern Railway Cricket Academy (NRCA) in the opening match of their five-match league series played at Chhawla, the home ground of Essex Farms Cricket Club. With the win, Essex Farms took a 1-0 lead in the series.
After winning the toss, Essex Farms elected to bat first and posted a formidable 341 before being bowled out in 45.2 overs. Aditya Kumar top-scored with 79 runs, while Jivesh Gill contributed 71 and Yati Sharma added 62. Karvik Singh chipped in with a useful 32.
For NRCA, Kartik Saroj impressed with the ball, claiming 3 wickets for 43 runs. Naksh picked up 2 for 37, while Manan Balguher took 2 for 52. Romy also chipped in with a wicket.
In reply, Northern Railway Cricket Academy were bowled out for 295 in 39.5 overs despite some spirited batting performances. Nine-year-old left-handed opener and right-arm medium pacer Kartik Saroj played a remarkable knock of 56, while Puneet Jaiswal scored 48. Manan Balghuar continued his impressive all-round display with 47 runs, while Pulkit added 46. Naman remained unbeaten on 23, but the target proved beyond reach.
Ashutosh starred with the ball for Essex Farms, returning figures of 3 for 55. Karvik Singh, Lakshay Dabas and Yashasvi Dhiman picked up two wickets each to ensure Essex Farms sealed the contest comfortably.
A special highlight of the match was the brilliant fielding effort by six-year-old Pratyaksh Yadav of Northern Railway Cricket Academy. The Class III student impressed everyone with his fearless fielding skills and sharp presence on the field, earning praise from players and spectators alike. He was adjudged the Best Fielder of the match.
Manan Balguher was another standout performer for NRCA, shining as an all-rounder with 47 runs and two wickets.
Following the match, NRCA coach Neeraj Sharma felicitated the players, while Essex Farms coach Arif Khan encouraged both teams for their performances in the series opener.
Tags : Cricket, Northern Railways, Chhawla, Academy, coach
