The Isle of Wight Over-50s in their new sponsored kit.

​A village cricketer has spoken of the “surreal shock” of dismissing the great Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara in Division Three of the Dorset County League last weekend.
Sangakkara has moved to Dorset because his children attend Bryanston School and turned out for Shillingstone CC on Saturday, because his long-time agent Charlie Austin plays for the club. They came up against Kingston Lacy at Pamphill Green in Wimborne Minster.
In a 76-run victory, Sangakkara, batting at No 5, made 68 from 50 balls (including a partnership of 63 with first-drop Austin) before being bowled by medium pacer John Burns, who could not quite believe what had happened.
“He made batting look so effortless and we were all awestruck watching him,” said Burns. “He had hit me for six a few overs before but he was coming down the wicket every few balls. I held back my length and he missed it and the ball hit the leg stump.
“I didn’t really celebrate because I couldn’t believe it – I was in shock. I expected the ball to sail back over my head and if he had connected I think they would still be looking for the ball today!  The whole experience was surreal and it was a privilege to meet and play against him.
“I was starstruck afterwards but he was very nice taking photos and signing things afterwards. “He even came to the local pub and bought us all a round of drinks.”
Sangakkara had promised Shillingstone that he would turn out for them this season, having taken part in a charity Q & A  - in aid of the Somerset & Dorset Air Ambulance - for them earlier this year.  
“There was a massive buzz in the changing room, which is a mix of ages young and old, and everyone was excited to have him in there,” said Sangakkara’s new team-mate Nick Marshall.
“One of our players lent Kumar some whites to wear. We were all getting out cheaply and he came in and took his time not playing any risky shots, before starting to go a bit harder. “He spoke to us about how to approach batting on different wickets.”
Sangakkara, 46, scored more than 28,000 runs for Sri Lanka across formats, including 12,400 in Test cricket at an extraordinary average of 57. That places him sixth on the all-time Test run-scoring list.
He retired professionally at the end of 2017 and now divides his time between media work, often with Sky, and as director of cricket for Indian Premier League team Rajasthan Royals.
Since moving to Dorset he has been helping to train the county’s unbeaten over-50s team. 

​Kingston Lacy's village cricketers were in for a shock when opponents Shillingstone pitched up at their Pamphill Green ground on the outskirts of Wimborne Minster  for a Dorset League County Division 3 match this weekend.
Turning out for Shillingstone was former Sri Lanka left-hander Kumar Sangakarra, who moved to live in the area last year and promised to play a few games for the club when his busy international  cricket schedule allowed.
Sangakarra, 46, scored close on 28,000 runs, including 63 hundreds, in an illustrious career for Sri Lanka. 
Added to that can now be 68 Dorset League runs - and one wicket, that of Kingston Lacy tailender but, ironically, top scorer Les Small, who made 30 of his side's 101 all out.
Sangakarra, who retired from Test cricket in 2015, batted number five for Shillingstone and shared a fruitful half-century partnership with his agent, Charlie Austin (40). He top scored with 68 in his side's 177 all out.
He hit five fours and four sixes before being bowled by Lacy's John Burns (2-17), who celebrated the most famous wicket of his career.
The 76-run victory was Shillingstone's second in four league outings. 

Left out of the Southern Premier League side beaten at OTs & Romsey, Ben Attrill hammered a career-best best 153 not out for Ventnor II against HCL Division 3 South rivals Southampton Community at Steephill.
But his unbeaten knock wasn't quite enough to get Ventnor across the line as they fell two runs short of matching the visitors 258-9.

Jim Ryall struck an impressive century to guide Dorset to 248-4 - just enough to earn a tight 13-run win over the Channel Islands in he ECB 50-plus County Championship in Jersey.
He hit104 and shared a huge second-wicket stand with Martin Miller (55) after Gary French (23) had helped provide a solid base.
Ryall then bagged three victims behind the stumps as the Channel Islands replied with a creditable 235-7 (Jefferies 87), Nick Marsh taking 3-53 and Sean Wallbridge 2-72.
Dorset entertain Wiltshire at Blandford on Wednesday.

​Sean Wallbridge, who took over 230 Minor Counties wickets for Dorset in a ten year span, showed he had lost none of his old touch by bowling the county Over-50s side to a six-wicket ECB Championship win over Hampshire at Blandford.
The left-arm orthodox left-arm spinner took 5-23 to initiate a Hampshire collapse from 57 without loss to 125-9 - a target Dorset polished off with some comfort.
Hampshire's batsmen found it hard going after Dorset had won the toss, but totally lost their way after a promising start by Darren McBride (27) and Gary Clapham (25).
Wallbridge, who plys his trade for Bere Regis these days, snapped up five of the next six Hampshire wickets to fall - Brendan Fourie, who played provincial cricket in South Africa in his prime, keeping his side afloat with an unbeaten 45.
Dorset lost Jim Ryall and Martin Miller cheaply, but Gary French (47) and Errol Anderson (40) took control to steer their side to a six-wicket win with 14 balls to spare.

​Ferndown Wayfarers thrashed Ventnor by four wickets with 25 balls to spare to reach next month's ECB national indoor cricket championship regional semi-finals at Taunton.
They pegged the islanders to 60-4 and polished off the target in less than eight overs, Alex Sansom hitting 25 before retiring.  
Ventnor were indebted to 17 extras for their meagre total, James Raftery taking 2-9.  Freddie Pittway (19) completed the formalities after George Watts (2-15) had taken the only two Ferndown wickets.

​Ferndown Wayfarers became Dorset indoor six-a-side cricket 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) ralled before the Lions were dismissed for 114.
Ferndown, who cross to the Isle of Wight to play in the ECB national championships on Sunday, finished ahead of Parley, who trimmed Bournemouth University by 41 runs after Tom Jacques had made 66 and Michael Porter 33. 
Wayfarers' were outdoor Hampshire League champions last summer.

Dorset are set to play at least five of their National Championship white and red ball matches at Wimborne's Leaze ground this summer
They will set the ball rolling by hosting attractive T20 double headers against Wiltshire and Devon, respectively, on Sundays 28 April and bank holiday Monday 6 May 2024.
Wales NC come to Wimborne for a 50-over match on Sunday 9 June.
Wiltshire revisit in the National Championship for a three-day match on 26 July, with Herefordshire visiting in mid-August.

Only six clubs, playing each other three times over an 18-week summer season, will play in  a revamped and recently ECB accrediated Dorset League League in 2024.
Dorset’s top tier has been split into Premier One and Two divisions, with champions Wimborne defending their 2023 crown against Bere Regis, Broadstone, Dorchester, Poole Town and Sherborne
Premier Two: comprises Blandford, Chalke Valley, relegated Christchurch, Hamworthy Recreation, Martinstown, and Swanage.
Clubs must meet certain criteria in important areas including, but not limited to, ground grading and youth systems, affecting their ranking in the league system.
There is an interesting turnaround for Hamworthy Recreation and Swanage, both of whom were in line for relegation from Division One after finishing in the bottom two last season.
The pair have instead effectively been given a promotion to Premier Two.
Compton House and Marnhull are also big winners, jumping one tier to County Division One despite finishing fourth and fifth respectively in Division Two last season.
Elsewhere, Parley Seconds have taken a big drop of four divisions from County Division Two to Division Six East.
There is an increase in the number of teams, with 81 competing in 2024 compared to the 75 that finished the 2023 season.