Varsity 2025: Warwick men’s cricket secure a drastic victory

After a particularly sorry Varsity 2025 showing, Coventry went into the men’s cricket hoping to reinstall some level of pride. The day’s final fixture would be a chaotic indoor version of the Gentleman’s Game. To summarise, you hit a side wall; one run, run between the wickets; two runs, you bowl a wide; three runs, the ball hits the back wall off the floor; four runs, the ball hits the back wall with no bounce; six runs. Most certainly a batter’s game then, and it was Warwick who were up first with the trusty willow in hand. Two ten-over innings per side. One Varsity victor.  

Opener Jacob McGloughlin took a couple of deliveries to suss the opposition out, but his partner in crime Harris Azram really got the ball rolling with a thumping four in the first over. Warwick only grew in confidence from here, providing draining work for the visiting fielders. A crucial chance for Coventry to strike the first real blow came when Azram was nearly caught and bowled by Rossouw in what was an admittedly tough chance. This seemed to slightly unsettle the formidable batting pair, with McGloughlin nearly chopping a delivery onto his stumps, before another caught and bowled opportunity went down – again Azram the batter, Rossouw the bowler. The latter had little option but to laugh it off and keep pushing for that illusive wicket.

Warwick seized these reprieves, with Azram striking the game’s first six before retiring shortly after McGloughlin to bring wicket keeper Jack Feather and Ayaan Desai to the crease. Feather delivered the innings’ second six, blocking the next delivery to keep a level head, but it was Desai who really took the game by the scruff of the neck, hitting back-to-back sixes on his way to retiring on a six-ball 26. He was there and gone before any of us in the crowd really knew what had hit us. Shrenik Chouta was next in, but struggled. He hit one shot into the ceiling, before the ball bounced down conveniently and the visitors were able to run out a stranded Feather for a quickfire 17.

It was Chouta who stole the show, bowling Roussow on his way to figures of 3 for 10

Finally, Coventry had a wicket, albeit in unconventional circumstances. They found another as Chouta fell on 8 to a spectacular flying catch from Rossouw, who finally atoned for his earlier fielding mishaps. McGloughlin returned, but was soon dismissed after a poor leg side shot went straight to the fielder. His total score of 29 certainly proved valuable though. Azram (39 not out) then returned to face the electric pace of bowler Stiles, but together with Butt (25 not out) helped Warwick to a huge total of 150/3, the innings finishing with a flourishing Butt six.  

Azram made a bright start with the ball, and soon got the wicket he deserved. Butt dropped a caught and bowled chance, but seeing as the ball was rapidly flying towards his face, he can probably be forgiven. It was Chouta who stole the show, bowling Rossouw on his way to figures of 3 for 10. He more than made up for showing with the bat. Quick work from Feather behind the stumps saw star batter Wells depart. Coventry found themselves in dire straits as Malik fell to a rebound catch off the side wall. As skinhead French walked on, the rowdy Warwick fans chanted “the convict is in!”, and indeed there would be no escape to victory as French was bowled first ball. A Desai catch to dismiss Khavatkar compounded a miserable innings as Coventry were all out for 64, giving Warwick a first innings lead of 86. Coventry now had several mountains to climb.  

McGloughlin played a steady hand alongside the lively Azram, knowing that there was no need to push too hard with bat. In a shock turn of events however, Azram was bowled by Rossouw, falling for just 8. Feather joined McGloughlin in his wise caution and the pair ran well between the wickets. Warwick were all but safe when McGloughlin retired, but Feather fell for 21 to a horribly miscued straight drive, and was visibly disgusted with himself afterwards. There were friendly boos as Chouta showed off his blocking skills, but he played a very good hand opposite the imperious Desai.

As Coventry continued to crumble, it was fitting that it should be Desai to finish it off, bowling French to receive a standing ovation from the home crowd

There were leg-side sixes aplenty before Chouta retired for 26. Butt made an immediate impact with the shot of the match, a straight drive six. Desai fell for 24 through a stroke of misfortune, the ball deflected off the side wall, then the back wall, before finally landing in the grateful hands of the Cov fielder. McGloughlin (32 not out) came back in and, alongside Butt (15 not out), fired Warwick to 143/3. This left Coventry with a virtually unassailable 230 to win off their 10.  

Warwick knew that they could just have fun in a completely trivial innings. The highlight was undoubtedly Butt actually getting a ball to properly spin, no mean feat on the Sports Hub rubber, as he picked up a wicket. Chouta was stellar in the field and reaped the rewards when he bowled Wells. As Coventry continued to crumble, it was fitting that it should be Desai to finish it off, bowling French to receive a standing ovation from the home crowd. The away side had been toppled for 47, losing by a mammoth 183 runs to cap off their devastating Varsity. But with heroic players like Warwick’s, England’s white ball future can only get brighter.