Thanks to Graeme for the report from last weekend’s cricket matches. Ed
Ventnor’s Billy Clarke had a Southern Electric Premier League debut to remember in his side’s 57 run win over New Milton at Newclose on Saturday.
Opening the innings for the Division 2 Champions, the talented 16 year old cracked seven fours in a terrific innings of 75 and with Cole McConchie striking a splendid 84, the partnership was worth 172 before the New Zealand all-rounder departed.
The efforts of McConchie and Clarke, who this time last year was playing for the club’s third team, enabled Ventnor to reach 255-6 from 50 overs.
The New Forest side made a decent enough start in reply, but once Joshua Hill was dismissed by Ian Hilsum for 42, the home side took control. Skipper Hilsum (2-40) and Adam Wilson (2-63) did most of the damage before another teenage debutant, Arthur Halsey, claimed 2-20 as the innings closed on 198-9.
Ventnor bring a memorable League season to a close with a trip to Hook & Newnham Basics on Saturday.
Second team crash to defeat
A disappointing display by Ventnor’s second team at Bramshaw has left their hopes of promotion to Hampshire League Division 1 hanging by a thread.
A side strengthened by the inclusion of Adam Hose and James Cheek was put to the sword by the home team’s Tom Arnold whose fine knock of 110, backed up by Andy Hart’s 69 helped Bramshaw total a formidable 260-9 from 45 overs. Rob Snell (3-34) and Charlie Calloway (2-32) did their best to stem the flow of runs for the visitors.
The Islanders were given a positive start by Hose (46) and Ben Woodhouse (21) before a middle order collapse left them in real trouble on 102-5. Useful contributions from Cheek (27) Snell (35) Mark Woodhouse (24) Charlie Calloway (33) and Scot Wheeler kept their hopes alive but the dismissal of Tom Groves with two overs remaining ended the innings fourteen runs short of their target.
Ventnor need to aim for a maximum points haul from their final Division 2 game against Mudeford at Steephill on Saturday and then hope that a fourth placed finish might be enough to clinch promotion if results (and possibly weather!) elsewhere go their way.
Image: TC7 under CC BY-ND 2.0
