MAX GODDARD is hopeful his Waterlooville side have learned a valuable lesson after their remarkable tie last week.
The Southern Electric Premier Division 3 leaders appeared to be cruising towards another easy win when they dismissed Alton II for just 150. But Ville then took their run-chase too lightly and lost their last four wickets for just 12 runs as the teams ended up on the same total, writes Steve Wilson of the News, Portsmouth.
While the skipper chose not to be too harsh on his side after just one league defeat all season, he knows it was a lost opportunity as they host Basingstoke & North Hants II tomorrow.
Goddard said: ‘We threw it away really. It was a really disappointing batting display.
‘We bowled well so 150 should have been easy to chase. But we didn’t apply ourselves properly and that’s the first time this year that has happened.
‘It might have been just because it was only 150 and people didn’t value their wickets enough. We’ve gone beyond 300 lots of times this year already so it was a mental thing when you are chasing a small target.
‘It felt like a defeat but I kept reminding everyone that we hadn’t lost and we’d only dropped a few points. It wasn’t all negative stuff so I was trying to gee them up a bit. Sometimes you need those kicks up the backside. Now we just want to keep reminding everyone to treat each game as a cup final. It’s about starting again every, single week.’
Elsewhere in SPL3, fourth-placed Havant II could do Ville a favour if they can beat second-placed Trojans at Rowlands Avenue. South Wilts II host Lymington II, while Gosport Borough will attempt to build on last week’s big win over Havant II as they travel to St Cross Symondians II.
The Southern Electric Premier Division 3 leaders appeared to be cruising towards another easy win when they dismissed Alton II for just 150. But Ville then took their run-chase too lightly and lost their last four wickets for just 12 runs as the teams ended up on the same total, writes Steve Wilson of the News, Portsmouth.
While the skipper chose not to be too harsh on his side after just one league defeat all season, he knows it was a lost opportunity as they host Basingstoke & North Hants II tomorrow.
Goddard said: ‘We threw it away really. It was a really disappointing batting display.
‘We bowled well so 150 should have been easy to chase. But we didn’t apply ourselves properly and that’s the first time this year that has happened.
‘It might have been just because it was only 150 and people didn’t value their wickets enough. We’ve gone beyond 300 lots of times this year already so it was a mental thing when you are chasing a small target.
‘It felt like a defeat but I kept reminding everyone that we hadn’t lost and we’d only dropped a few points. It wasn’t all negative stuff so I was trying to gee them up a bit. Sometimes you need those kicks up the backside. Now we just want to keep reminding everyone to treat each game as a cup final. It’s about starting again every, single week.’
Elsewhere in SPL3, fourth-placed Havant II could do Ville a favour if they can beat second-placed Trojans at Rowlands Avenue. South Wilts II host Lymington II, while Gosport Borough will attempt to build on last week’s big win over Havant II as they travel to St Cross Symondians II.