Thanks to Graeme for this report from Ventnor Cricket Club. Ed
Ian Hilsum’s emerging young team produced a superb all round performance to outplay six times champions Havant at Newclose on Saturday to go top of the league for the first time in their history.
The seven wicket hammering of Richard Hindley’s side in the opening round of nine all day format games, coupled with Lymington’s defeat at South Wilts, propelled the Islanders to the summit after a fifth win in the opening six games.
Skipper Hindley elected to bat first on winning the toss but was made to regret that decision as Ventnor’s new ball attack wreaked havoc. The impressive Adam Wilson and Mark Holmes bowled an immaculate line and length and with movement off the pitch and sharp catching assisting them, blitzed the Havant top order. The highly rated visitors crashed to 9-4 and when Rob Snell accounted for Robert Gibson, half the side were back in the pavilion with only 28 runs on the board. By lunch, only Jez Bulled of the recognised batsmen remained as Wilson, who took four wickets in the morning session and Holmes two, had the innings in tatters at 73-8. Bulled (53) and Joe Slade did add 47 for the ninth wicket in the afternoon session before Jamie Miller and Holmes dismissed them to leave Havant 143 all out.
The Ventnor response suffered an early setback with the departure of Ollie Mills before James Cheek and Travis Head took command. The teenage pair added 122 for the second wicket in a terrific partnership to take their side to the brink of victory. Cheek’s disciplined innings of 52 dovetailed perfectly with Head’s 97 ball knock of 77, the Australian hitting 12 boundaries and a six in a brilliant exhibition before Hilsum and Chris Ridley scored the handful of runs needed to complete an emphatic win.
Head hits blistering hundred as Ventnor thrash Hambledon
Travis Head took his considerable batting talents from Newclose to Ventnor on Sunday, hammering one of the fastest centuries ever seen at Steephill to lead the Islanders into the third round of the Southern Electric T20 Cup.
Opponents Hambledon were put to the sword by the 19 year old who survived a dropped catch to take advantage of another of Graham Cotton’s excellent pitches to crash eleven sixes and seven fours from just 54 deliveries in a brilliant innings of 108. One missile like straight six to the sea end of the ground was particularly memorable and with Jake George making a welcome return from injury to play a series of fine shots in a 39 ball 67, the home side totalled an enormous 238-3 from 20 overs, Neil Westhorpe chipping in with an unbeaten 26.
The shell shocked visitors lost three early wickets to the again impressive Mark Holmes and although Joe Collings-Wells hit a splendid 73 from only 36 balls, Jamie Miller’s 3-26 reduced them to 142-8 before Ollie Mills completed the formalities.
Ventnor travel to New Milton for a quarter final tie on Sunday 23 June.
Second team defeated in high scoring affair
Ventnor ‘s second team slipped to a six wicket defeat in their Hampshire League Division 1 clash at Midhurst on Saturday.
Batting first on winning the toss, Ben Woodhouse (31) Billy Clarke (21) Steve Benson (27) and George Hatt (32) made useful contributions to give their side a decent start without going on to make more significant contributions. A century partnership between Martin Blackman, who hit eight fours in a fine unbeaten knock of 73 and skipper Mark Whyte with a run a ball 42, gave the innings the impetus it needed and enabled their side reach a formidable 293-7 from 50 overs.
Barney Tyler made an early breakthrough after tea but with Ventnor missing several frontline bowlers, the Cowdray Park side took charge to successfully chase down the target with three overs remaining. Tom Atkins hit an impressive 128 not out but the visitors will have cursed the 67 extras they contributed to the home team’s tally.
St Cross are the visitors to Steephill on Saturday at 1pm.
Third team lose to St Helens
An understrength Ventnor third team were convincingly beaten by nine wickets in Saturday’s Island League encounter with St Helens at Steephill.
Kevin Cooper hit seven fours and two sixes in a fluent 47, but the only other contributions of note came from Mark Price (25) and skipper Ali Cotton (20) as the hosts were dismissed for 117 (Lee Brown 3-11)
The modest target posed no problems for St Helens who won inside 16 overs, Brown hitting 12 fours and five sixes in an unbeaten 85.
Nine wicket win for under 15s
Ventnor’s under 15 side defeated Northwood by nine wickets in their league fixture at Steephill. Chasing a total of 78, Jaden Buckeridge struck a fluent, unbeaten 52 to lead his side to victory.
Image: Britanglishman under CC BY 2.0
