Thanks to Graeme for sharing details of the weekend’s matches at Ventnor Cricket Club. Ed
Ventnor kept in touch with ECB Southern Electric Premier Division leaders South Wilts after number ten Rob Snell hit a four off the last ball of a high scoring game to earn his side a winning draw and 15 points at St Cross on Saturday.
The left hander arrived at the crease to face the final delivery of the match with the home side’s Jordan Finney on a hat trick and four runs needed to reach a winning draw target of 283. With the field deep set, Snell proceeded to slam the off-spinner to the long on boundary to bring to a climax an entertaining match which produced a total of 606 runs.
The match saw Ventnor’s Ollie Mills underline his growing reputation as one of the league’s leading young batsmen with his second big hundred in three games. The opener struck 22 boundaries and a six in a magnificent innings of 140, taking his run tally for the season past 500 and the former Winchester College captain to the top of the division’s list of run getters. Travis Head is also nearing the 500 mark after another splendid knock in a partnership of 167 for the second wicket with Mills. The South Australian and under 19 international colleague of new Aussie hero Ashton Agar hammered 12 fours in a fine display, his innings of 82 coming from only 65 balls as Ventnor set about chasing the home side’s formidable total of 323-5 from 64 overs.
Sustaining such a run chase was never going to be easy in stifling heat on the Royal Green Jackets Ground and once Mills’ fine innings ended at 265-5, the Islanders were grateful to Snell for his last ball heroics to clinch their winning draw as the innings closed on 283-8.
Earlier in the day, the St Cross openers had dominated the Ventnor attack in a partnership of 202, George Adair cracking a fine 104 and Charlie Esson an impressive 92 before Hampshire’s Adam Rouse struck a quickfire 65 not out. Mark Holmes took 2-49 from 13 overs.
Old rivals Lymington are the visitors to Newclose on Saturday, 11.30 start.
Second team undone by Waterlooville
Hampshire League Division 1 league leaders Waterlooville produced an efficient all-round display to defeat Ventnor’s second team by 85 runs at Steephill on Saturday.
The afternoon started well enough for the home team with Kevin Cooper dismissing South African run machine Byron Haycock and Alex Lamont cheaply. Sheppard (47) and Howe (61) led a recovery but their eventual total of 218-7 from 50 overs looked gettable for Mark Whyte’s side.
The Islanders needed a decent start but were undone by an impressive Waterlooville attack, crashing to 66-6 with Sam Hillman taking 3-22. Cooper with 28 not out and Barney Tyler (22 not out) added 50 for the ninth wicket but Ventnor ended a well beaten side as their innings closed on 133-8.
The side travel to Lymington II on Saturday.
Fine win for under 15s in Sussex
Ventnor’s under 15 side produced an excellent performance to defeat Sussex club Chippingdale by six wickets in the National Club Championship first round on Friday. Chasing a total of 108-6 (George Willis 3-32), Jadon Buckeridge was the star of the show, thumping seven fours in a 28 ball innings of 41 as Ventnor romped home inside 13 overs. James Attrill made 17 in an opening partnership of 61 with Buckeridge.
Home tie for Ventnor in next round
Ventnor’s reward for their victory over Chippingdale is a second round home tie against Hertfordshire side Knebworth Park.
The Twenty/20 clash takes place at Steephill this Sunday morning at 10.30 with the winners progressing to the group finals between 29 July and 1 August. The national finals will take place at Shrewsbury School, Shropshire on Monday 12 August.
Aussies in town
Ventnor play host to the Cricketers Club of New South Wales at Steephill on Sunday at 2pm.
Image: Britanglishman under CC BY 2.0
