A cricket match turned into brawl when insults and racist taunts turned into punches and blows with cricket bats, a court has heard.

Sharukh Mirza, the son of former mayor Councillor Shiraz Mirza, was charged with his Wimbledon Park team mate Ali Jaffery, from Thornton Heath, for the alleged assault at Manor Park in Old Malden on July 25 last year.

Nicholas Langridge, who admitted throwing the first punch in the fight, suffered a bleeding head, an 8cm wound and bruising to his arms and back after the defendants hit him with a cricket bat, Kingston Crown Court heard at the trial on July 18.

Prosecutor Stephen Apted told the court there was animosity between the players from the outset of the game with Catford Wanderers.

Remi Chea, the Catford Wanderers captain at the time of the incident, told the court the brawl was sparked after racist comments were exchanged between Mr Jaffery and Shavawn Cunningham, a Catford Wanderers player.

The court heard from Mr Langridge that he first punched Mr Jaffery because he said he felt threatened and was defending himself.

Mr Jaffery then struck Mr Langridge on the top of his head with a cricket bat, it was alleged in court.

The victim claimed he was struck with a cricket bat for the second time, this time by Mr Mirza, after he was chased by a number of players from the opposing team.

Mr Langridge said: “Then the captain of the Wimbledon Park team picked up a bat. I realised that he wanted to hit me as well. There was no other reason for him to be carrying a bat.

“I slipped on to the floor then received two blows on my back by the cricket bat then managed to get back up.”

Mr Langridge admitted his recollections of the day’s events were “hazy” and not “100 per cent” after being hit on the head.

Mr Jaffery’s defence lawyer Denis Bradley said: “As a result of this haziness is it possible that the man didn’t have a cricket bat at all and took you to the ground with his hands?”

Mr Langridge said: “I definitely saw a cricket bat.”

Mr Jaffery, 30, of Bensham Lane, Thornton Heath, denied a charge of unlawful and malicious wounding.

Mr Mirza, 29, of Leatherhead Road, Chessington, denied a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he appeared at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday, April 7.

The trial continues.