Thanks to Graeme for sending through the latest report from the Ventnor Cricket Club. Ed
Fletcher and Blackman lead Ventnor recovery
Ventnor put the disappointment of the previous weekend’s defeat behind them to clinch a 35 run over Rowledge in the Southern Electric Premier League on Saturday.
The division two clash in north Hampshire turned on a tremendous sixth wicket stand of 128 between Mark Fletcher and Martin Blackman.
Coming together after their side had crashed from 44-1 to 62-5, the experienced pair led an impressive recovery which enabled the visitors to reach 229-9 from 50 overs, Fletcher hitting 62 and Blackman 59.
The home side’s run chase was checked by Roger Miller who took 2-32 in another decisive opening spell, before Kiwi Cole McConchie, Adam Hose (2-27) and Southern League debutant Charlie Calloway (2-26) made middle order in-roads. At 145-8, the game seemed all but over but a ninth wicket partnership of 49 between Martin (32) and Wheatley (21 not out) gave Rowledge hope before off-spinner McConchie polished off the innings to finish with 4-25.
Second placed Ventnor travel to Burridge on Saturday who will include former Hampshire batsman Derek Kenway in their side.
Second team ease to four wicket win
Ventnor’s second team defeated in East Tytherley by four wickets at Steephill on Saturday to record their third Hampshire League division 2 victory of the season.
Adam Wilson produced an impressive spell with the new ball before the introduction of Hugh Calloway gave Ventnor the upper hand. The medium pacer took 4-17 in an excellent ten over stint to help restrict the visitors to
172-8 from 45 overs, a total boosted by a tally of 27 wides.
The home side were given a promising start by in-form Billy Clarke with
36 before a middle order wobble saw them slip to 106-5. The recovery was led by Calloway whose responsible knock of 22, together with Arshad Ashraf’s unbeaten 39, enabled Ventnor to reach their target with eight overs remaining.
Mark Woodhouse’s team take on second placed New Milton II at Steephill on Saturday.
With a total of 14 players unavailable, Ventnor regrettably had to concede their first round Fred Winter Memorial Cup tie to Northwood II.
Brilliant Snell hundred leads Ventnor to Conference win
Steve Snell made a welcome return to Steephill on Sunday, playing a lead role in Ventnor’s fine 70 run win over Malden Wanderers in the second round of the Club Cricket Conference Cup.
The former Gloucestershire wicket-keeper blasted 11 fours and four sixes in a brilliant innings of 133 and shared in century stands with talented teenagers James Cheek (46) and Jacob George (36) before Neil Westhorpe (31), the in-form Mark Fletcher (34) and Martin Blackman (16) took the score to a formidable 322-9 from 45 overs.
The shell shocked Surrey Championship side made a rapid start in pursuit of the massive target before Adam Hose (2-42) broke through to leave them on 61-2. Any hopes the visitors had of overhauling the Ventnor total disappeared with the introduction of Hugh Calloway who took 4-38 in an impressive nine over spell, and although the eighth wicket pair added 73 the Wanderers were eventually dismissed for 252.
Double header at Steephill
Ventnor will play two competitive matches at Steephill on Sunday.
At 11.30am, they take on Portsmouth in the first round of the Southern Electric Twenty20 competition before facing Shanklin in the Senior Cup.
Image: TC7 under CC BY-ND 2.0
