Cooke Collegians relegated after difficult Section One campaign

Cooke Collegians endured a deeply disappointing 2026 season, finishing bottom of NCU Section One and suffering relegation after a campaign in which they were rarely able to build any sustained momentum.

The problems were most obvious with the bat, where the absence of a dominant run-scorer left them struggling to post competitive totals often enough.

Prince Sharma finished as their leading scorer with 346 runs at an average of 26.62, including two half-centuries and a highest score of 68 not out. Vinoth Srinivasan was close behind with 337 runs, while John Gibbons contributed 282.

There were occasional useful innings from Haider Haider, Ashish Pandita and Bibin Babu, but no player reached 400 runs and only Sharma averaged above 25 among the regulars. That lack of substantial scores placed too much pressure on the bowlers and made recovery difficult whenever early wickets fell.

The bowling returns were more respectable.

Ashish Pandita led the way with 25 wickets at 25.12, including the side’s only five-wicket haul, while Vinoth Srinivasan took 22 at 22.64.

Chander Shekhar and Abin John both collected 17 wickets, with Waqas Muhammad taking 13 and Prince Sharma 12. There was therefore enough effort and some reasonable individual returns in the attack, but the unit was too often defending modest totals and unable to force matches decisively in Cooke Collegians’ favour.

Their season became a frustrating cycle: batting collapses left little margin for error, while the bowlers were asked repeatedly to rescue situations that were already slipping away. The final position was difficult to argue with. Cooke Collegians simply did not win enough key moments across the season and were punished in a competitive division where inconsistency quickly becomes costly.

Relegation will hurt, but it also offers an opportunity to reset. There is still a core of players capable of making an impact, particularly Sharma, Srinivasan and Pandita, but greater batting depth and more reliable contributions throughout the order will be essential if they are to bounce back quickly.

There was also sad news at the end of the season with the death of club member Bryan Milford, who contributed so much not just to Cooke Collegians, but also to the NCU as an astute and respected administrator.

For 2027, the challenge is straightforward: regroup, rediscover confidence and ensure their stay outside Section One is as brief as possible.

COOKE COLLEGIANS – TOP 10 BATTERS

1. Prince Sharma – 346 runs, average 26.62, HS 68*, 2 fifties  
2. Vinoth Srinivasan – 337 runs, average 17.74, HS 83*, 2 fifties  
3. John Gibbons – 282 runs, average 14.84, HS 59, 1 fifty  
4. Haider Haider – 252 runs, average 11.45, HS 55, 1 fifty  
5. Ashish Pandita – 246 runs, average 13.67, HS 52, 1 fifty  
6. Bibin Babu – 195 runs, average 15.00, HS 56, 1 fifty  
7. Chander Shekhar – 161 runs, average 8.47, HS 32  
8. Manoj Khatri – 154 runs, average 8.56, HS 31  
9. Jasmeet Singh – 96 runs, average 13.71, HS 31*  
10. Billy Foster – 94 runs, average 10.44, HS 33  

COOKE COLLEGIANS – TOP 10 BOWLERS

1. Ashish Pandita – 25 wickets, average 25.12, BBI 5-26  
2. Vinoth Srinivasan – 22 wickets, average 22.64, BBI 4-22  
3. Chander Shekhar – 17 wickets, average 21.76, BBI 3-31  
4. Abin John – 17 wickets, average 26.41, BBI 3-25  
5. Waqas Muhammad – 13 wickets, average 23.46, BBI 4-39  
6. Prince Sharma – 12 wickets, average 31.58, BBI 3-44  
7. Bibin Babu – 8 wickets, average 22.50, BBI 2-18  
8. Andrew Kerr – 7 wickets, average 24.71, BBI 3-22  
9. Billy Foster – 6 wickets, average 37.17, BBI 3-13  
10. Reneesh Hassanar – 4 wickets, average 42.75, BBI 2-27