National quarter-finalists last year, Hook & Newnham Basics must start from scratch in this summer's Village Cup.
They are among six Hampshire sides forced to play a preliminary round match and, provided their King George V ground is playable, will host Locks Heath on April 14. Twice Lord's finalists recently, Calmore Sports go to the former IBM Hursley hq to play South Winchester, while Sparsholt host Hambldon, both in the first round. Preliminary round (April 14) Bramshaw v Paultons, Hook & Newnham Basics v Locks Heath, Oakley v Cadnam. Round 1 (April 28) Bramshaw/Paultons v Overton, Hook & Newnham Basics/Locks Heath v Tichborne Park, Oakley/Cadnam v Sway, Sparsholt v Hambledon, Amport v Ventnor, Liphook & Ripsley v Emsworth, Easton & Martyr Worthy v Sarisbury Athletic, South Winchester v Calmore Sports, Odiham & Greywell v Hursley Park, Parley v Goatacre, Colehill v Catistock, Shrewton v Compton Down. Fareham teenager Francis Moore is hoping that the experience he has gained from spending a winter in Australia will enable him to play a prominent role in Burridge's ECB Southern Premier League championship defence this summer.
The 19-year old all-rounder is with the renowned Darren Lehmann Academy and playing at weekends for Adelaide, alongside in-bound Lymington left-armer seamer Liam Thompson. "It's pretty strenuous stuff, loads of training and technical advice, four days of which is spent at the DLA, where I'm one of 20 or so UK scholars," explained Moore, who was among Mark Garaway's graduates at Millfield up until last summer. "In addition to the DLA we spend concentrated sessions at Adelaide's own training sessions, so there's not too much downtime, save one day's beach day recovery, which is always welcome." Injury has forced Moore out of Adelaide's current SACA Premier Division 2 match against Northern Districts - one he won't worry about too much as his team-mates chased 400-8 in the field ! Moore's Aussie summer began well enough with a five-wicket Fourth Grade return, since when he's made a Second Grade fifty. But most of the time he's been playing First Grade, where "I feel like I’ve been able to compete each weekend with the bat and ball and hold my own." Double winning Burridge skipper Joe Collings-Wells is looking forward to having Moore back in the Burridge ranks for the opening title defence at Havant on May 4, pointing out : "Francis was very important in our T20 last year. "We certainly wouldn’t have won it without him. He turned the game against Sarisbury Athletic with a fast spell getting two of their key players out, and then got an important 30-odd in a low scoring game at Havant Park. "He saw us over the line to prevent a potentially nervy finish against South Wilts with a couple of big hits. He had a few injury issues in the second half of the season so didn’t bowl much but finished batting at six. "I'm sure he will have kept improving over the winter and looking forward to him having a good season with us." Ferndown Wayfarers have added the Dorset indoor six-a-side cricket league crown to the Hampshire League title they won outdoors last summer.
They became Dorset champions after beating Bournemouth by 11 runs at Hurn. Opener Eric Linge (30) and Freddie Pittaway (33) top scored as Ferndown posted 125, a target Bournemouth were always pressed to reach after slipping to 35-3. Oli Breckon (30), Ashley Smith (27) and Robbie Pack (19) rallied before the Lions were dismissed for 114. Ferndown, who cross to the Isle of Wight to play Ventnor in the ECB national championships at Sandown Bay on Sunday, finished ahead of Parley, who trimmed Bournemouth University by 41 runs after Tom Jacques had made 66 and Michael Porter 33. The Hampshire indoor championships take place at the Utilia Bowl on Saturday, with Old Tauntonians & Romsey facing Thruxton (noon) and Oakley taking on near neighbours Basingstoke & North Hants, at 1.15pm. Hambledon will play the winners of the OTs & Romsey game, with defending champions Sparsholt facing either Oakley or Basingstoke & North Hants. BBC Radio Test Match Special commentator Simon Mann is the guest speaker at the Hampshire Cricket Society at the Romsey Golf Club on Wednesday, 2pm.
Double winners Burridge will begin their defence of the Southern Premier League T20 Cup with an intriguing derby against near neighbours Sarisbury Athletic at Botley Road on Sunday June 2.
Ironically, the sides also met in the first round of last year's t20 - Burridge winning by 33 runs on their way to beating Alton in the final to celebrate a league and cup double. Notable absentees from this summer's competition are the Hampshire Academy. Draw: May 19 2024: Portsmouth & Southsea v Hook & Newnham Basics, Fawley v Andover, Langley Manor v Trojans, Fareham & Crofton v Bournemouth, Liphook & Ripsley v Hursley Park, Parley v New Milton, Fair Oak v Havant, Sparsholt v Alton, St Cross Symondians v OT's & Romsey, Gosport Borough v South Wilts. June 2 2024: Portsmouth v Totton & Eling, Burridge v Sarisbury Athletic, Basingstoke & North Hants or Rowledge v Bashley (Rydal), Paultons v Waterlooville, Sway v Ventnor, Lymington v Calmore Sports. Sports clubs in the Portsmouth and South East Hants area will be saddened to learn of the death of Kevin Ricketts, who covered grassroots sport for The News for many years, after losing a courageous battle with cancer. He was 73. Kevin first started working for The News in the 1990s, mainly covering Havant & Waterlooville FC. He was also the main reporter on other non-league football and rugby union, while he also covered Southern Premier and Hampshire League cricket in the summer, somehow crafting stories galore without ever going to matches ! He retired from his writing career after the first Covid lockdown in 2020. In a previous work life, Kevin was a history teacher at Priory School. Born and bred in South Wales, he was a top class rugby referee for several years in the 1990s, during which he refereed many of the top clubs in England including Wasps, Bristol, Bath, Harlequins, Gloucester, Leicester and London Welsh. He also officiated the Middlesex Sevens and Under-21 international rugby. Former News (and Daily Echo) sports editor Dave King recalled: "Kevin will be remembered as an excellent writer, a wonderful man with a warm heart who people liked, and respected. For more than 20 years, he represented the heart and soul of grass roots sport in Portsmouth.” “His dedication to covering non-league football, rugby and cricket made him a valuable and trusted member of our sport team for so many years, while his sense of humour, infectious personality and kind demeanour made him a joy to work with. His funeral will take place at 1145 on Tuesday, February 20 at Christ Church, Portsdown Hill, London Road, PO6 3NB, with the wake at Havant RFC from 1pm. Hampshire starlet Toby Albert smashed an unbeaten 170 as Joondalup, his adopted Western Australia Premier Grade club, went on a massive 388-3 run spree against Gosnells. Launching six maximums and 23 fours, Albert, whose career best is 231* against Kent II, shared a triple-century partnership with opener Garrick Morgan, who made 190. Gosnells closed 105-6 facing an outright defeat in day two next weekend. Albert, who made 70-plus scores in his previous two WACA matches, has been practicing 'power hitting' with Tom Scollay, the former Middlesex batsman, who played for Melville. Hampshire teammate Fletcha Middleton, with whom Albert opened in several late season County Championship matches, was ruled out of Fitzroy Doncaster's Victoria Premier League match at Greenavale Kangaroos, having suffered concussion in last weekend's win over table topping Carlton. Without him, FD are 68-6 chasing 173. Sam Ball, the St Cross Symondians opening bowler for the past two seasons, took 4-70 despite Carlton making 303-7. Sarisbury Athletic sighing Kaiden Cookson made 70 to underpin Fremantle's modest 150 (Fraser Hay 4-38), but Melville are 33-6 in reply. Winchester-based George O'Connor played an important role as Southern Districts fought a rearguard action against Northern Districts. Southern were dismissed for 158, but then O'Connor battled through blistering 37 cel Adelaide heat to take 5-65 in a marathon 27-over stint before as Northern reached 159-8 before declaring one-run ahead. SD then slumped to 59-5 before O'Connor hit an unbeaten 29 to deny the opposition more bonus points. Penzance-bound Josh Croom went wicketless in Glenelg's massive 178-run win over Joe Eckland's Port Adelaide, but did display his batting prowess on day one with 55 of his side's 337 all out. Bashley (Rydal) all-rounder George Wilson played a starring role as South Tamworth won the floodlit Tamworth CA T20 final against Bective East. He made a useful 30 not out as ST posted 152-6 and then ripped out with Bective East middle-order with a spell of 4-17. Bournemouth Lions youngsters Connor Smith (left above) and Ben Rogers (right) produced impressive performances for their adopted Australian sides in the latest round of games
Connor Smith followed up his quick fire 35 with an impressive display of left-arm spin bowling, taking 4-56 from 18 overs as his Melbourne based Altona North side secured a 24 run victory over Seddon in their 2-day Isaacs Howarth Shield game Wicketkeeper Ben Rogers hit an almost run a ball 90 in Albion Park Eagles heavy 9 wicket defeat to Bay and Basin Dolphins in New South Wales. The Eagles managed what appeared to be a competitive total of 197 all out but with three top order batsmen making half-centuries, the Dolphins won with almost 20 overs to spare Sarisbury Athletic have signed young Australian left-arm all-rounder Kaiden Cookson to boost their Southern Premier Division 1 challenge this summer.
The opening batsman and handy left-arm spin bowler plays for the powerful Fremantle district club in the West Australia Premier League and struck a maiden first grade century against Subiaco Floreat before Christmas. Recommended to Sarisbury Athletic by former South Wilts left-arm pace bowler Ryan Duffield, Cookson will join a prominent three-pronged spin attack at Allotmrnt Road, alongside Rob Franklin and fellow left-armer Sam Hill, who is wintering at nearby Gosnells. Fremantle is the home of the Marsh family. Capped 50 times by Australia as an opening batsman, Geoff is the father of current Test all-rounder Mitch Marsh and prominent ODI opener Shaun. Numerous other Australian Test cricketers have played for Fremantle, whose excellent clubhouse at Stevens Reserve is a Who's Who of replica shirts! Hampshire opener Fletcha Middleton retired hurt after being struck on the back on the head while batting for his adopted Melbourne club Fitzroy Doncaster in the Victoria Premier League. The 22-year old looked in superb form as he struck ten boundaries in an unbeaten 74 off 100 balls against table topping Carlton, but his prospects of a second hundred on Australian soil this winter were dashed as he pointed Fitzroy Doncaster to an eventual four-wicket victory chasing 248. "Fletch was batting beautifully, punching some glorious back-foot shots through cover, but was hit an had to come off," praised Carlton manager Mick Connop, who spent two seasons with Waterlooville back in the Seventies. "You could see why he's Hampshire's first choice opener. It was such a shame he was concussed. But I don't think he was badly hurt. He'll have a few headaches this week, but I'll be surprised if he's not fit enough to play again at the weekend." Middleton's county team-mate Ian Holland shone with the ball as Ringwood beat fellow VPL side Essendon. He removed three open order batsmen, finishing with 4-25 off 15 overs. Hampshire Academy pace bowler Eddie Jack, pictured, was named 'man of the match' after England Young Lions beat their South African compatriots by 36 runs to earn their second ICC Under-19 World Cup victory and a place in the next phase of the competition. The Canford prospect took 3-28 as South Africa were dismissed for 230. England were ahead of the required rate at 137-2 when rain ended affairs in the 29th over. Having already beaten Scotland, England are top of the four-team group and will remain so if they beat the West Indies in their final last match. Under Hampshire's Tom Prest, England were beaten finalists in the 2022 U19 CWC. Hampshire's Toby Albert made his second consecutive 70-plus score as Joondalup, his adopted West Australian Premier League club, batted themselves into a strong position against Subiaco Floreat. Albert, who made an unbeaten 71 in the one-run win over Bayswater Morley in his WACA Grade return, made 74 of Joodalp's 344. Fraser Hay's Melville, coached by retired Hampshire opener Paul Terry, found themselves up against Australia's Cameron Bancroft at Willetton - but he made only 13 before being caught. Willetton closed 58-3 after dismissing Melville for 149, Wimborne teenage gloveman Joseph Kelly top scoring with 46. In the South Australia West End Grades, one-time South Wits opener Jake Winter cracked 95 for Glenelg, whose 278-9 (Scott Currie 3-31) came close to an innings victory over Adelaide University in Park 12. Middlesex seamer Ethan Bamber made 35* of the University's 153 (Josh Croom 2-29) and was not out a second time as AU played out time at 127-6. Bournemouth teenager Connor Smith went on the rampage, hitting five sixes and four boundaries in a blistering 71 nout out for Altona North in the Victoria Turf League. Experienced Adelaide left-arm seam bowler Liam Thompson has been unveiled as Lymington's overseas player for the 2024 ECB Southern Premier League season and will share the new ball with former county cricketer Gareth Berg.
Previously with Glenelg, the 27-year old has been Adelaide's leading wicket taker in recent seasons and will arrive in early April and train with Hampshire. Winchester College pace bowler Sebastian Morgan and Hampshire Academy all-rounder Dom Kelly took a wicket each as England Young Lions launched their ICC Under-19 World Cup bid with a convincing seven-wicket win over group outsiders Scotland.
Sixteen-years old Morgan took 1-42 with his victim caught behind, while Kelly (1-20) took the last Scotland wicket to fall at 174 with a return catch. England polished off the target with ease. Next up are South Africa - a match being broadcast on Sky Sports on Tuesday from 8am. The Hampshire Rose Bowl, the south coast's premier international and county cricket venue, is now the Utilita Bowl, with Chandler's Ford based Utilita Energy, the UK’s ninth-largest energy supplier, having taken over as naming rights partner with immediate effect.
Bill Athey, the former England, Yorkshire, Sussex and Somerset cricketer, is due to address the Dorset Cricket Society at Hurn Bridge, Christchurch, on Thursday afternoon 18 January 2024.
He spoke at the Hampshire Cricket Society last winter and provided a highly entertaining afternoon as he reflected on his times at Middlesbrough soccer, his county and international career, and more recently years as a coach on the English public schools circuit. Why not put the winter blues to one side and pop along ? Hampshire Cricket have announced their Academy intake for the 2024 season, with 11 players included on the programme for 2024.
Five new players have joined the Academy ahead of the 2024 ECB Southern Premier League season, which will begin on May 4 with a home match against Lymington on the Ageas Bowl Nursery Ground. The five newcomers are Dorset pair Zack Basey and Finn Gordon, Hook & Newnham Basics all-rounder Manny Lumsden, batsman/wicketkeeper Andrew MacEwan (Bradfield College) and King Edward VI sporting talent Ben Mayes, who also plays junior hockey for England. Hard hitting Andover opener Sam Ashman, leg spinner Ethan Baker, Hambledon seamer Oli Cordery, England Under-19 pair Eddie Jack and Dom Kelly, and Bashley (Rydal) based spinner Louis Prichard have all been retained following their involvement last year. Charlie Freeston, Hampshire's Head of Player Development, said: "It's great to welcome five new players to the Hampshire Academy 2024, who have all earned a place for their first year after excellent performances last summer. "Congratulations also to the six players who have been retained from last year’s programme. "Our Player Pathway and Academy continues to produce high quality cricketers that have regularly gone on to represent England Under-19s and make appearances for Hampshire first XI. "We are hopeful that many of our current group can go on to match the accomplishments of players such as Joseph Eckland, Tom Prest, Fletcha Middleton, Toby Albert and John Turner in recent years." The England & Wales Cricket Board have thrown the freezing local recreational cricket scene a shaft of summer sunshine by announcing the draw for the opening rounds of this season's national club championship. But with the first round scheduled in three month's time on Sunday April 14, volunteer groundstaff will be concerned about getting pitches playable in time. Old Tauntonians & Romsey and Gosport Borough, runners-up in Southern Premier Division 2 and 3 respectively last season, are due to go head-to-head at the Romsey Sports Centre, while competition debutants Fareham & Crofton head deep into Wiltshire for a visit to West of England Premier Division 2 outfit Royal Wootton Bassett. Premier Division 2 winners Waterlooville face a stiff task at Slough-based Stoke Green, who won the 2023 Thames Valley League title and will play in the Home Counties Premier League this year. Calmore beat Stoke Green on their way to winning the Village Cup in 2022. If Hampshire League winners Ferndown Wayfarers repeat last year's shock - they dumped out WEPL outfit Warminster - they will visit St Cross Symondians in round two. A host of Premier Division clubs enter at the second round phase, with Bashley (Rydal) going to West of England Premier Division new boys Burbage & Easton Royal, Portsmouth hosting Middleton and Havant probably entertaining Uxbridge. Southern Premier League champions Burridge and 2023 runners-up South Wilts get byes into round three. First round (April 14): Ferndown Wayfarers v Corsham, Odiham & Greywell v Berkhampstead, Old Tauntonians & Romsey v Gosport Borough, Royal Wootton Bassett v Fareham & Crofton, Stoke Green v Waterlooville. Second round (April 28): Basingstoke & North Hants v Royal Wootton Bassett or Fareham & Crofton, Burbage & Easton Royal v Bashley (Rydal), Havant v Shinfield or Uxbridge, Lansdown v Old Tauntonians & Romsey or Gosport Borough, Normandy v Stoke Green or Waterlooville, Portsmouth v Middleton, St Cross Symondians v Ferndown Wayfarers or Corsham. Byes: Burridge and South Wilts. England's Young Lions were beaten by 67 runs by Afghanistan in their opening Under-19 World Cup warm up match at the Dlamini Oval in Johannesburg.
Put in to bat first, Afghanistan were reduced to 82/4, but recovered to post 238, with Winchester College's Sebastian Morgan and Dom Kelly taking a couple of wickets each. Skipper Ben McKinney started well for England, but Afghanistan’s trump card, 16-year-old Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, who has been likened to Mujeeb ur Rahman, sent back three of the top four batters to dent England. Kelly launched a fightback from No.7, with Eddie Jack making a useful 36, including three sixes, from No.10, but Ghazanfar took his wicket as England were bowled out for 171. Hampshire prospect Toby Albert has made a positive start to his delayed return to Joondalup in the Western Australian Premier League in Perth. He purposely held onto his return ticket so he could recover fully from minor knee surgery, but announced his comeback wth a sizzling 71 not out off 58 balls, including five sixes, as Joondalup posted 268-9 - to win by one run against Bayswater Morley ! Portsmouth's Fraser Hay continued his excellent form by scoring 95 in Melville's tied match with Subiaco Floreat, each side scoring 219-9. Hampshire's Ian Holland was unquestionably Ringwood's MVP against Geelong, but finished on the losing side. He took three wickets with the new ball and finished with 4-25 before top scoring with 44. Ringwood lost by 46 runs. County team-mate Fletcha Middleton made 44 of Fitzroy Doncaster's 237-6, but after rain had intervened, hosts Footscray got home by seven wickets on DLS. Fresh from his successful audition for a role in this summer's Pirates of Penzance production in Cornwall, South Wilts raised Josh Croom took two Adelaide University wickets as Glenelg eased themselves into a strong position in the South Australia Premier League. The students made 153 and Glenelg closed day one 107-2, with Jake Winter 39 not out. Scott Currie has taken 2-13. Play resumes on Saturday. Alton's Zac Gadsby ran amok with a 6-32 return for Melbourne University in the Victoria Premier Third Grade win against Northcote. They defended 142 to bowl Northcote out for 105. South Wilts raised Luke Evans cashed in when he was given the rare opportunity of opening the batting for St Patrick's in the Cricket Albury Wodonga competition on the Victoria/NSW border. Overall confidence on a high after a personal best 7-23 return with the ball in his last game, Evans smacked a run-a-ball 64, including ten fours and a six, as St Patrick's powered to 236-8 against Wodonga. A maien century was on the cards until he was caught on the boundary. St Patrick's won by 130 runs after bowling Wodonga out for 106. Spin all-rounder Dan Cox has left Lymington to rejoin his original island side Ventnor after spending the past six seasons with the New Forest based ECB Southern Premier League club.
He has regularly been Lymington's top wicket taker in recent seasons, with three seperate five-fers among his 95 Premier Division scalps, with a personal best 6-15 against the Hampshire Academy. He enjoyed his best spell in 2021 and 2022, taking 65 wickets in those two seasons, 36 of them coming the sun kissed season before last. His 805-run tally included a half-century against Alton. Cox, who played his formative cricket at Steephill, is currently experiencing a second winter with Middle Park in Melbourne's Southern Bayside League and took 5-54 in a marathon 28-over spell before last weekend's match against Bentleigh was washed out. He will make his competitive Ventnor comeback against Waterlooville, last season's Division 2 champions, at Steephill on May 4 The Hampshire Cricket Society has cancelled today's (Wednesday) monthly meeting as the scheduled speaker, James Taylor, the retired England, and Nottinghamshire batsman, now Leicestershire coach, is unwell following a brush with Covid. The February meeting - on Valentine's Day - features BBC Test Match Special commentator Simon Mann, who will speak at Romsey Golf Club on Wednesday 14. Bill Athey, the former England, Yorkshire, Sussex and Somerset cricketer, will address the Dorset Cricket Society at Hurn Bridge, Christchurch, on Thursday week, 18 January 2024. The two Societies are keen to welcome new members, so why not pop along ? They are hugely enjoyable social occasions. South Wilts raised left-arm quick Josh Croom is set to play in the Cornwall Premier League for Penzance this summer - a cool 203 miles from his Salisbury home by road or 6 hours 37 minutes by rail, assuming the train drivers are not on strike !
Croom, the Southern Premier League's Young Cricketer of the Year in 2022, played for Berkswell in the Birmingham League last summer while trialing with Warwickshire. He is currently in Adelaide with Glenelg. Ferndown Wayfarers, who won the Hampshire Cricket League championship at the first attempt this past summer, have failed to win a place in the Southern Premier League next year.
Promoted as Division 2 runners-up behind East Woodhay in 2022, they won 12 of their 14 completed fixtures and finished top, comfortably ahead of runners-up Hursley Park in the title chase. But, whilst their ground boasts a double-lane practice nets and double sightscreens, neither the overall pitch marks for Dolmans Farm nor the existing changing and shower facilities in the pavilion have met the required SPL accreditation criteria to enable the Dorset club to go up. Leading run scorer Alex Sansom, whose 635 runs haul included centuries against East Woodhay, Purbrook and Easton & Martyr Worthy, and 27-wicket James Raftery are among the Ferndown players disappointed they won't be playing at a higher level in 2024. Hursley Park have been promoted after a seven-year exile in the HCL, but with their ECB ClubMark having lapsed some while ago, third placed Odiham & Greywell were not eligible to go up either. Odiham field four Saturday teams in the Hampshire League alongside running a successful women's team and numerous mixed junior sides. All clubs participating in the Southern Premier League are required to have ClubMark - a rule strictly enforced and in place since the competition began in 2000. It means a reprieve for Trojans, who will remain in Division 3 despite finishing second to bottom this past season. They looked down and out when Fareham & Crofton beat them in the final round of this season's matches, but now they've survived the drop. The Stoneham club has, however, been asked how it plans to improve dressing room security and enhance facilities for match day scorers. The Trojans Club has been granted planning permission for six padel tennis courts, but it is unclear when and where they will be laid out and what impact, if any, they will have on the cricket outfield. Bowling all-rounder Dave Steadman is to skipper newly promoted Sway in Southern Premier Division 2 next season.
The Ballard School sports teacher, who has taken over 60 SPL wickets in the past two years, takes over the captain's armband from opening batsman Tim Noble who had led the progressive New Forest village club for the past six years. Noble, who now has a young family, steered Sway to two promotions in three seasons, initially out of the Hampshire League as runners-up to Havant in 2021 then, after finishing third the following year, to this past season's Division 3 championship. He will still be available to open the batting next season. Sway open their SPL2 challenge at Liphook & Ripsley on May 4 before facing neighbours New Milton at Station Road. |
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