Two easy wins and a maximum 44 points in the bag. It adds up to a perfect start for South Wilts as they chase what would be amazing fifth successive ECB Southern Premier League championship title.
But those wins came against Ventnor and the Hampshire Academy – the two sides currently bottom of the pile and generally expected to be the teams fighting for survival at the end – and skipper James Hayward is under no illusions about the far tougher task that lie ahead.
“Our season starts on Saturday when St Cross Symondians come to Bemerton, after which we play Lymington and Havant,” he warned. “That’s crunch time – and when we’ll need to stand up and be counted.”
But South Wilts can only beat what’s put in front of them and the Academy win was effectively in the bag once the Ageas Bowl teens had been reduced to 86-6, Army all-rounder Stephen Booth taking 3-21.
Joe Weatherley (24), Ben Duggan (20) and KES student Patrick Holly (22) all made starts for the Academy, whose fortunes improved when Hampton School all-rounder Chris Searle (44) and Harry Gadd (32) almost doubled the score.
James Hibberd (3-20) returned to tidy up the tail and leave the Academy 186 all out.
South Wilts saw William Wade yorked by Josh McCoy, but South Australia Under-19 captain Jake Winter hit 46 (38 in boundaries) out of the champions’ 63-2.
Jack Mynott (66), pictured, and James Hayward (48) took South Wilts home on the back of an unbroken 125-run third-wicket partnership.
Black Caps ODI all-rounder George Worker hit an undefeated 95 to steer St Cross Symondians to a five-wicket win over Ventnor and a second consecutive ECB Southern Premier League victory.
The Central Districts left-hander had played a pivotal role with three wickets in the opening day win at New Milton and, although he bowled his left-arm spin without success at the Green Jackets Ground, he certainly made up for it with the bat.
His 95, which contained two sixes and 12 fours, piloted St Cross past Ventnor’s 250 with seven overs to spare.
Openers Dan Young (38) and Matt Stokes (27), followed by Louis Kimber (32), had earlier set the path for Worker to make his decisive knock.
New South Wales Under-19 quick Alex Glendenning (3-35) made several inroads, but his bowling was never likely to affect the outcome.
Ventnor’s 250 was built around a sound start – but Tabs Farooq (3-34), bowling off a one-step ‘run-up’ reduced them from 101-2 (Rob Snell 42) to 110-4, it needed Tom Friend’s calming influence to get the visitors a competitive total.
Friend made 78 and, with Glendenning (31) and Alex Horton (37) in support, took Ventnor to 250 (Stokes 3-42).
Losing wickets off consecutive balls when they were in a potentially challenging position at 166-3 effectively ended any prospect of Bashley (Rydal) chasing down a formidable Havant total of 281-5.
With skipper Michael Porter (63) and Gavin Bailiff (36) picking up the thread from 77-3 and Havant’s spin attack beginning to crack, Bashley were in with a shout.
Another 115 needed, it remained a big ask, but it was one Porter fancied Bashley could manage.
“Gavin and I had enjoyed a big partnership against Lymington last week and were going well again, running hard, hitting the bad balls and pressurising the fielders,” he reflected.
“But after we’d put on almost 90, Gavin was caught and the very next ball, Simon Watkins was given run out with outfacing – the bowler deflecting my straight drive on to the stumps.
“That made it 166-5, but then I got out (at 180-6) when perhaps I ought to have gone on and won the match for us, so it wasn’t to be.”
Prior to that, Bashley had begun positively through Tom Gates (25) and Tom Jacques (31), but in the end they fell away from 180-5 and were 70 runs light, all out for 211.
Porter admitted that Bashley had to change their game plan directly Havant openers Ben Walker (64) and Pete Hopson (63) shared a 131-run start.
Walker survived a confident stumping appeal by Chris Ridley at the mid-point of his innings – one of several umpiring decisions Bashley felt went against them during the match.
“Our game plan was to take early wickets, but once they’d got over 100 it was clear we’d have to do a containment job and try and restrict them as best we could,” Porter continued.
Stuart Ransley (46), Andy Gorvin (44) and Chris Stone (25) all scored freely as Havant went on to reach 281-5.
“We could have been chasing 300 or more, so were relatively pleased to keep Havant down to that sort of total. I rate them as the best team in the Premier League,” he added.
But those wins came against Ventnor and the Hampshire Academy – the two sides currently bottom of the pile and generally expected to be the teams fighting for survival at the end – and skipper James Hayward is under no illusions about the far tougher task that lie ahead.
“Our season starts on Saturday when St Cross Symondians come to Bemerton, after which we play Lymington and Havant,” he warned. “That’s crunch time – and when we’ll need to stand up and be counted.”
But South Wilts can only beat what’s put in front of them and the Academy win was effectively in the bag once the Ageas Bowl teens had been reduced to 86-6, Army all-rounder Stephen Booth taking 3-21.
Joe Weatherley (24), Ben Duggan (20) and KES student Patrick Holly (22) all made starts for the Academy, whose fortunes improved when Hampton School all-rounder Chris Searle (44) and Harry Gadd (32) almost doubled the score.
James Hibberd (3-20) returned to tidy up the tail and leave the Academy 186 all out.
South Wilts saw William Wade yorked by Josh McCoy, but South Australia Under-19 captain Jake Winter hit 46 (38 in boundaries) out of the champions’ 63-2.
Jack Mynott (66), pictured, and James Hayward (48) took South Wilts home on the back of an unbroken 125-run third-wicket partnership.
Black Caps ODI all-rounder George Worker hit an undefeated 95 to steer St Cross Symondians to a five-wicket win over Ventnor and a second consecutive ECB Southern Premier League victory.
The Central Districts left-hander had played a pivotal role with three wickets in the opening day win at New Milton and, although he bowled his left-arm spin without success at the Green Jackets Ground, he certainly made up for it with the bat.
His 95, which contained two sixes and 12 fours, piloted St Cross past Ventnor’s 250 with seven overs to spare.
Openers Dan Young (38) and Matt Stokes (27), followed by Louis Kimber (32), had earlier set the path for Worker to make his decisive knock.
New South Wales Under-19 quick Alex Glendenning (3-35) made several inroads, but his bowling was never likely to affect the outcome.
Ventnor’s 250 was built around a sound start – but Tabs Farooq (3-34), bowling off a one-step ‘run-up’ reduced them from 101-2 (Rob Snell 42) to 110-4, it needed Tom Friend’s calming influence to get the visitors a competitive total.
Friend made 78 and, with Glendenning (31) and Alex Horton (37) in support, took Ventnor to 250 (Stokes 3-42).
Losing wickets off consecutive balls when they were in a potentially challenging position at 166-3 effectively ended any prospect of Bashley (Rydal) chasing down a formidable Havant total of 281-5.
With skipper Michael Porter (63) and Gavin Bailiff (36) picking up the thread from 77-3 and Havant’s spin attack beginning to crack, Bashley were in with a shout.
Another 115 needed, it remained a big ask, but it was one Porter fancied Bashley could manage.
“Gavin and I had enjoyed a big partnership against Lymington last week and were going well again, running hard, hitting the bad balls and pressurising the fielders,” he reflected.
“But after we’d put on almost 90, Gavin was caught and the very next ball, Simon Watkins was given run out with outfacing – the bowler deflecting my straight drive on to the stumps.
“That made it 166-5, but then I got out (at 180-6) when perhaps I ought to have gone on and won the match for us, so it wasn’t to be.”
Prior to that, Bashley had begun positively through Tom Gates (25) and Tom Jacques (31), but in the end they fell away from 180-5 and were 70 runs light, all out for 211.
Porter admitted that Bashley had to change their game plan directly Havant openers Ben Walker (64) and Pete Hopson (63) shared a 131-run start.
Walker survived a confident stumping appeal by Chris Ridley at the mid-point of his innings – one of several umpiring decisions Bashley felt went against them during the match.
“Our game plan was to take early wickets, but once they’d got over 100 it was clear we’d have to do a containment job and try and restrict them as best we could,” Porter continued.
Stuart Ransley (46), Andy Gorvin (44) and Chris Stone (25) all scored freely as Havant went on to reach 281-5.
“We could have been chasing 300 or more, so were relatively pleased to keep Havant down to that sort of total. I rate them as the best team in the Premier League,” he added.