Thanks to Ashley for this latest report from Northwood Cricket Club. Ed
An under-strength eight-man Ventnor III won the toss and elected to bat, but were soon in all sorts of trouble at 9-3 in the third over. Ali Cotton (33) added some middle order resistance, but couldn’t help his side fall to 72-6 before a last-wicket stand of 46 from Arthur Halsey (24) and Marcus Toms (27*) added some respectability to the total, Andy Ball (2-18), Ashley Goldsmith (2-20) and Nathan Goldsmith (2-37) with two wickets each for Northwood, Ventnor III bowled out for 118.
In reply, the Northwood openers rarely looked in trouble and found runs at ease. The only wicket to fall was that of Chris Williams, stumped for 63 off just 39 balls, an innings that included nine fours and two sixes, with Kerry Rice (31*) and Dave Neal (8*) seeing the side home in the 15th over, Cameron Bartlett (1-36) the solitary wicket-taker. Northwood now play Ryde Cavaliers on Saturday with the winners qualifying for the final a week later.
2nd XI draw with Shanklin II
Northwood 2nd XI held on to a losing draw against Shanklin II on Saturday in their final game of the season, mainly thanks to 14-year-old James Whitewood’s innings of 41.
Shanklin II batted first and made 220-5 before the compulsory declaration, Paul Biddlecombe top-scoring with 49*, with support from John Buckman (36) and Carl Prean (29*), Mark Tuckwell (1-20) the pick of the Northwood bowlers.
The Shanklin bowlers quickly reduced Northwood to 25-3, but Whitewood showed great maturity in an 80-ball innings of 41 to help Northwood finish their 38 overs on 117-5 and deny Shanklin victory. Youngsters Benji White (2-21) and Ryan Hall (2-25) took two wickets each for the hosts.
