Alexandra Park won the toss and chose to bat first, and Wembley began with the dream start: Junayd Azar removed Bashir Safi with the very first ball. Spirits were high, energy was good, and for a brief moment everyone thought, “This could be our day.” Unfortunately, that moment lasted roughly one delivery.

Findlay Farrell and Suraj Chandrashaker then proceeded to bat as if they were late for a dinner reservation, racing to 64 inside nine overs. Suraj’s 35 from 29 balls included several shots that suggested he had absolutely no respect for Wembley’s bowling plans. Smit Mehta eventually removed both set batters, but not before the scoreboard had developed a personality disorder.

The middle overs featured Yasin Hawa playing the role of “the experienced Chacha” with a composed 66 from 68 balls. Wembley did take wickets - Smit, Saikat and Atharva all chipped in - but five dropped catches ensured Alexandra Park never felt too threatened. Some were tough, some were simple, and one was so gentle it could have been caught with a shopping bag.

Just when Wembley thought they had dragged the innings back at 166 for 6, Alexandra Park’s lower order decided to audition for The Hundred. Ellis Strand smashed 28 from 21 balls, and then James Liddiard and Ewan Whorton added 50 for the last wicket, batting with the freedom of men who knew Wembley had already used up their catch quota for the day. Alexandra Park finished on 257 for 9.

Somewhere in the middle of all this, the umpires repeatedly insisted that Smit had bowled his full nine overs. Wembley accepted this, rotated the bowlers, and carried on. Only after the innings ended did anyone realise Smit had bowled eight. The umpires were adamant, the scorebook was correct, and Smit was left wondering how he had managed to bowl an imaginary over without remembering it.

Wembley’s chase began with the subtlety of a car alarm. Atharva fell in the first over, Mayank followed shortly after, and Saikat joined them moments later. At 8 for 3, the innings was less “run chase” and more “crime scene.”

A brief rebuild came through Smit and Nick, but when Smit fell at 34 for 4, the innings was already wobbling like a shopping trolley with a broken wheel. Nick, however, played a superb lone hand, smashing 54 from 69 balls with six fours and three sixes. He looked in complete control — right up until he was run out in one of the most confusing moments of the day.

Sahil Dhawan drilled the ball straight back down the pitch, the bowler may or may not have touched it, the umpire definitely didn’t know, paused dramatically like he was waiting for VAR, and then gave Nick run out anyway.

The lower order fought hard — Chirag, Junayd and Sahil all hung around — but Alexandra Park’s bowlers kept things tight. Wembley were eventually bowled out for 135 in the 36th over, completing a 122‑run defeat that felt like it had been building since the second over of the day.

In summary, Wembley’s afternoon was defined by Alexandra Park’s late‑innings hitting, Wembley’s early‑innings collapse, five dropped catches, an umpire who invented an extra over for Smit, and a run‑out decision that was controversial. There were bright spots — Smit’s bowling and Nick’s batting — but overall the day belonged firmly in the category of “character building.” Onto week 2 for a better effort.