Thanks to Graeme for the latest news from Ventnor Cricket Club. In his own words. Ed
After winning promotion the previous week, Ventnor’s second team clinched the Hampshire League Division 2 title with a six wicket win over Sarisbury Athletic II at Steephill on Saturday.
This latest title success continues the team’s rapid climb through the Hampshire League pyramid which has seen them win five championships since entering the league 2007. Rob Snell’s all conquering side will compete in Division 1 next season with the aim of achieving promotion to the restructured Southern League by 2014.
An eleventh win in eleven games came courtesy of another dominant display against Sarisbury. On an excellent pitch with pace and bounce, the visitors elected to bat first but never really looked liked posting a challenging total once Kevin Cooper and skipper Snell had taken early wickets. Andy Whyte (3-24) inflicted further damage before Snell returned to finish with 3-20 as the innings subsided to 147 all out.
A half century opening partnership between Billy Clarke (38) and Ben Woodhouse (33) got Ventnor on their way before George Hatt (30) and Mark Fletcher (29 not out) polished off target inside 28 overs.
A fine campaign closes at New Milton II on Saturday.
Defeat at St Cross a setback for first team
Ventnor’s recent Southern Electric Premier Division revival suffered a jolt on Saturday when they lost to St Cross Symondians by seven wickets at the Royal Green Jackets Ground.
The Ventnor top order was undone by former Hampshire and Nottinghamshire paceman Richard Logan who in an impressive new ball spell accounted for in-form Ollie Mills and fellow opener Jake George before trapping Chris Ridley leg before.
From the depths of 28-3, the experienced pair of Ian Hilsum and Neil Westhorpe repaired the damage in a fine partnership of 98 before the Ventnor captain was adjudged run out for a hard fought 38. The dismissal of Westhorpe two runs later for a battling 47 triggered a collapse which saw the innings slip from 128-5 to a disappointing 172 all out, St Cross skipper Matt Perry-Lewis taking 3-33.
The Winchester side lost an early wicket to Adam Wilson but went on to win convincingly inside 33 overs, aided by a fourth wicket partnership of 66 between Hampshire’s Adam Rouse (37 not out) and brother Darren (40 not out).
With two rounds of games remaining, there are conceivably six teams still in the relegation mix.
Bournemouth’s narrow defeat at home to Bashley means they are still propping up the table but Alton, Totton & Eling and fast falling Lymington are anything but safe.
Ventnor’s defeat saw them drop a place to second from bottom, but with only one side demoted, the Island side’s clash with fellow strugglers Hampshire Academy at Newclose on Saturday at 1pm has the look of a potentially decisive encounter.
Elsewhere, this weekend sees Bournemouth travel to champions elect South Wilts while Alton and Lymington face each other at the Jubilee Ground and Totton & Eling take on second placed Havant.
Third team end campaign with defeat at Shanklin
Alistair Cotton’s third team closed their Harwood’s League campaign with a heavy defeat against Shanklin’s first eleven at Westhill on Saturday.
Batting first, Shanklin rattled up 310-7 with Steve Fisher 68 and Andy White top scoring, Tom Groves and Ross Whyte taking two wickets each for Ventnor.
The mainly youthful visitors made a decent fist of their response but were never able to threaten the home side’s total, closing on 209-7 with Mark Price (41), 13 year old Marcus Horton (36) and skipper Cotton (35) top scoring.
Image: goldberg under CC BY-SA 2.0
