Thanks to Graeme for this latest report from Ventnor Cricket Club. Ed
After being asked to bat first, Mark Holmes’s side lost the early wickets of Ollie Mills, Ben Duggan and Jake George before a determined 90 run partnership between Tom Friend (58) and Marc-Antony Eysele took the score to 110-3. Both were shortly before lunch, however, to leave their side struggling on 118-5.
Much depended on the experience of Ian Hilsum and Neil Westhorpe and the pair rescued the Ventnor innings with a vital stand of 87, Hilsum making 48. Left-hander Westhorpe went onto hit a timely, unbeaten 59, as the Islanders closed on a competitive 231-7 from 64 overs.
The visitors then excelled with the ball, making regular in-roads into the Bashley batting line up after Tom Friend dismissed Thurgood and Aussie Jared Morgan at the top of the order. Richard Morris steadied the ship with 47 but when Adam Wilson castled the Bashley skipper, Ventnor took charge again and at 164-9, a victory looked assured. However, a partnership of 48 between Lilley and Grierson gave the New Forest side hope before Wilson returned to the attack to dismiss Lilley for 17 and win a fluctuating the match for the Islanders by 19 runs in a tight finish.
Friend with 3-49, Wilson 3-46 and Eysele 2-55 were the outstanding bowlers in a match in which the Ridley brothers came face to face in opposition. It was Ventnor’s Chris who won the day, successfully negotiating a spell of pace bowling from Simon before catching his brother behind the stumps later in the day.
Totton & Eling are the visitors to Newclose on Saturday at 11.30am.
Rain halts match
A torrential mid afternoon downpour put paid to Ventnor second team’s Hampshire League Division 1 encounter at Steephill on Saturday.
George Hatt (54) and Pierre Kriel (35) led the home team to 165-3 from 27 overs before the monsoon like conditions prevented any further play.
The side make the long journey to Wiltshire based Shrewton on Saturday.
Tribute matches
On Sunday, a Ventnor President’s XI take on a Ventnor side in a match to remember Les Fleming and Ruth Woodward, two loyal members of the club who have passed away in recent years. Les was also a respected umpire who officiated in many Ventnor and Shanklin matches down the years.
In the draw for the second round of the T20 Cup, Ventnor will travel to Paultons on Sunday 29 June.
Image: samhames under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license
