AINS RULES OUT PLAY AT ST CROSS
Incessant rain meant that Ventnor’s Southern Electric Premier League clash at St Cross Symondians on Saturday was washed out without a ball being bowled.
BARTLETT AND BALDWIN LEAD VENTNOR TO VICTORY
Ventnor second team’s visit to Andover III survived the wet weather with the Islanders clinching a six wicket win at London Road in Hampshire League Division 3.
Predictably, Mark Woodhouse invited Andover to bat on winning the toss and the Ventnor skipper saw teenagers Henry Bartlett and Arthur Halsey vindicate that decision with fine bowling performances as the home team crashed to 53-9.
A tenth wicket partnership of 38 gave the score a little respectability before another teenager, Gary Cooper, polished off the innings for 91. Bartlett, returning to Hampshire League duties after playing for the Hampshire Academy in the Southern League in recent weeks, finished with 5-26 while Halsey claimed 3-21.
Chasing a rain reduced target of 86 from 34 overs, the Ventnor reply began uncertainly with Ben Woodhouse and Richard Wilson dismissed with only 11 runs on the board. Kyle Sharp with 23 and Alistair Cotton helped steady the ship before Phil Baldwin with a match winning knock of 32 not out, guided his side home with more than 15 overs to spare.
NO PLAY AT STEEPHILL
Ventnor third team’s fixture with Northwood in the Harwoods League Division 1 fell victim to the wet weather.
HAT-TRICK FOR HOLMES AS VENTNOR HIT THE TWENTY20 TRAIL
Ventnor produced a dominant performance to defeat Sarisbury Athletic by 95 runs in the first round of the Southern Electric Twenty20 Cup at Steephill on Sunday.
After Sean Nowak had fallen in the first over, Neil Westhorpe cracked a fine 59 from only 47 balls to get the innings back on track. Ian Hilsum contributed 25 before Ben Woodhouse (38 not out) and Charlie Freeston (23) helped hammer 90 runs from the final seven overs to lift the score to a formidable 198-7.
In reply, the visitors lost an early wicket to quick bowler Sean Nowak but worse was to follow as Mark Holmes took charge. The paceman took three successive wickets in his second over to claim a coveted hat-trick and the orange match ball as a souvenir. Holmes finished with 5-14, Nowak 2-12 and David Beven 3-21 as Sarisbury collapsed from 46-2 to 103 all out.
BANK HOLIDAY VICTORY FOR VENTNOR
Ventnor defeated The Cricket Society by 39 runs in Monday’s friendly.
The Woodhouse brothers, Ben and Mark, impressed with fine knocks of 84 and 66 respectively as Ventnor rattled up 244-9, James Cheek contributing an excellent, unbeaten 55.
Rob Humphries’ splendid innings of 102 led the visitors’ response but David Beven (3-17) and a late blast of 6-10 from Sean Nowak saw the innings subside from 190-3 to 205 all out.
VENTNOR PREPARE FOR ALL DAY FORMAT
Ventnor enter new territory on Saturday when old rivals Lymington visit Newclose for the first of a nine week run of all day matches in the Southern Electric Premier Division.
‘The Premier Division clubs have been playing ‘time’ cricket for ten years now but it will be a totally different ball game for us as we’ve never played it before’ said skipper Charlie Freeston. ‘But it’s all part of a learning curve and one we’re all relishing’, he added.
Matches will comprise a total of 120 overs, starting at 11.30. The side batting first can bat for no more than 64 overs.
On Sunday, the Islanders travel to take on Havant in the second round of the National Club Championship.
Back to Saturday, the second team take their unbeaten record to Hartley Wintney II in the Hampshire League while GKN are the visitors to Steephill in the Harwood’s League.
Sway visit Steephill for a friendly on Sunday, starting at 1pm.
Image: TC7 under CC BY-ND 2.0
