Thanks to Graeme from Ventnor Cricket Club for this latest update. Ed
Ventnor followed up their encouraging ‘winning draw’ performance against Havant with a fine win over Lymington in the Southern Electric Premier Division on Saturday.
This six wicket victory, only their second of the season, has narrowed the gap between the Islanders and second from bottom Bournemouth and gives a real edge to Saturday’s clash with the Dorset side at Newclose.
Defeated their old rivals
Ian Hilsum’s side produced an impressive all-round performance to convincingly defeat their old rivals in Saturday’s New Forest encounter. Fielding first after Lymington skipper Darren Cowley won the toss, Elliot Wilson made an early breakthrough, wicket-keeper Chris Ridley snaffling Ali Jaffer with only 5 runs on the board. From that point, Adam Hose (3-22) Wilson (3-43) Mark Holmes (2-39) and leg spinner Jamie Miller
(2-24), backed up by sharp fielding, made life difficult for the home team who were unable to build any meaningful partnerships, their eventual total of 183 all out owing much to a patient knock of 43 from Cameron Grierson.
Ventnor’s response suffered an early set back with Jake George trapped leg before for 15, but a grafting knock of 46 from Ollie Mills and 25 from Hose laid firm foundations before Hilsum took charge. The Ventnor skipper batted superbly, his unbeaten 59 with support from Ridley (15) and Miller (12 not out) taking his side from 72-2 to a match winning 185-4 and a healthy 25 point haul.
With four matches remaining, Ventnor will go into Saturday’s 50 overs a side contest with Bournemouth full of confidence and looking for another victory in their bid for Premier Division survival. The match starts at 1pm.
Clarke leads Ventnor closure to title
A fine, unbeaten innings of 74 from Billy Clarke was the highlight of an emphatic Ventnor victory over struggling Mudeford at Steephill on Saturday.
With three games remaining, Rob Snell’s talented second team, who have won every one of their nine games, need only a handful of points to clinch the Hampshire League division 2 championship.
In an impressive all round display, it was never-the-less the performance of teenager Clarke which stood out. The highly promising opening batsman struck 13 fours in his knock of 74, made from just 44 deliveries, to lead his side to an eight wicket win inside 12 overs. Hugh Calloway contributed 24 in a partnership of 90 for the second wicket with Clarke.
Earlier, the Dorset visitors’ decent start was derailed by Andy Whyte, who produced a typically mean spell of seam bowling to return figures of nine overs, six maidens, one wicket for just four runs. With skipper Snell and Hugh Calloway also bowling economically, Mudeford succumbed to the leg spin of David Beven, collapsing from 52-2 to 109 all out, the Ventnor tweaker finishing with 4-28.
Ventnor travel to Hayling Island on Saturday.
Tyler efforts in vain
A first half century of the season from Barney Tyler was not enough to prevent Ventnor’s youthful third team falling to a 106 run defeat against GKN in the Harwoods League on Saturday.
Chasing a GKN total of 225-7, (Ben Wadmore 50, Liam Ringer 49 not out), only Michael Compton with 20 supported Tyler (56) at the top of the order as Ventnor slipped to 119 all out, Wadmore taking 5-24.
Image: Britanglishman under CC BY 2.0
