Going into the match needing four points to guarantee another season of top level club cricket, the Islanders lost by eighteen runs but the ten points they gleaned saw them finish above the Hampshire Academy and bottom club Bournemouth.
It’s a case of a job well done for Ian Hilsum’s side whose fine late season revival saw them climb off the basement with crucial victories over fellow strugglers Lymington, Bournemouth and the Academy, preceded by a winning draw over Havant.
At the Linden Oval on Saturday, Charlie Freeston and Adam Hose made two early breakthroughs for the Islanders, the second courtesy of a brilliant slip catch by Jake George to dismiss Tom Beresford.
Ventnor clinched the bonus points
From there however, Totton & Eling captain Dave Taylor took centre stage with a fine innings of 82 and with support from Eysele (52) and Mohod (40) the home side totalled a formidable 265 from their 50 overs. Crucially though, with Freeston taking 4-36, Hose 3-53 and Hilsum 2-32, Ventnor clinched the bonus points they needed to secure their Premier Division place, making the updates from the Alton and Bournemouth game irrelevant. Rarely can an interval cup of tea have tasted so sweet!
Openers Jake George (21) and Ollie Mills (22) gave the visitors a decent 50 run base in pursuit of their target before Taylor dismissed them both in quick succession. At 125-5 and then 160-7, hopes of putting the home team under pressure looked slim but a splendid innings of 64 from Jamie Miller and a maiden Southern League half century from the impressive Hugh Calloway set up an exciting climax. In failing light, the partnership was finally broken and despite Calloway and Mark Holmes adding further runs for the tenth wicket, the run chase finally closed on 247-9.
After the disappointment of relegation in 2010, maintaining their hard won Premier Division status was always the first team’s priority and the performances in the second half of the season gives Ian Hilsum plenty to build on next season.
Image: Britanglishman under CC BY 2.0
