Pierre Kriel, Ventnor (County Press)
Champions elect Alton II and Purbrook were set to put the finishing touches to their County Division 1 promotion campaigns this Saturday afternoon.
Alton needed one point from Ellingham’s visit to the Jubilee Ground, while Purbrook required four bonus points from their final game with Hook & Newnham Basics II to be assured of finishing runners-up.
With no accreditation issues, the pair will replace Ryde and either Hursley Park or Lymington II in Southern Premier League Division 3 next summer.
Heavy overnight rain and a soggy Bath Lane pitch denied Alton the chance to tie things up at Fareham & Crofton’s expense, but Purbrook cashed in with a whopping 313–run win over Burridge II.
Brad Mengham (93) and Alan Lee (63) set the tone for Purbrook with a 184-run start, which John Moller (86) and Sean Figgins (52) improved.
Having been hot for 381-7 (Nick Creal 4-79), Burridge’s day didn’t get any better – Kiwi Ben Michel taking 5-15 as they were bowled out for 68.
Ed Stennett was the unexpected hero of Ropley’s three-wicket win at OTs & Romsey, whose 249 owed much to Iain Woodall (68) and Shane Vider, who smashed a lively 52.
At 155-6, Ropley’s long unbeaten run was in peril, but Stennett’s unbeaten half-century steered the visitors home.
Fourth placed Portsmouth & Southsea, having missed the promotion bus, powered to a ten-wicket win over weakened St Cross Symondians (174), with the evergreen Steve Clements hitting 80 not out.
South African Pierre Kriel hit 120 and Martin Blackman 61 as Ventnor piled up 294 to beat New Milton by 49 runs.
Josh Arnold hit 90 and Dale Wakefield an unbeaten 49, but by the time they came together at 114-4 the game had all but passed them by.
Despite ending a calamitous losing run with a 90-run victory over basement team Totton and Eling II at Picket Post, Ellingham are still almost certain of relegation – even if, by a miracle, they beat the champions designate Alton II at the Jubilee Ground today.
For that to happen, Ellingham would have to win at Alton and hope Sarisbury Athletic lost heavily at Shrewton.
Chris Batten (55) prospered in a half-century start for Ellingham, which the returning Aaron Barker (34) improved, but it was many lusty blows from Jim Edwards that helped them reach 267.
Edwards, who made 83, hit five sixes, bringing up his half-century off 39 deliveries.
Never in contention, Totton replied with 177-8.
Itchen College’s Josh Stewart-Hall, with a 5-22 return and 45, was the hero of Sarisbury Athletic’s nail biting one-wicket win over United Services – a victory that should keep them up.
US posted 201, but after a handy knock by Dan Clouting (26), SA still needed 36 when last pair Dan Oliver and Tom Kitcher came together.
But they stayed in to secure a victory – and probably Sarisbury Athletic’s immediate CD1 future.
Alton needed one point from Ellingham’s visit to the Jubilee Ground, while Purbrook required four bonus points from their final game with Hook & Newnham Basics II to be assured of finishing runners-up.
With no accreditation issues, the pair will replace Ryde and either Hursley Park or Lymington II in Southern Premier League Division 3 next summer.
Heavy overnight rain and a soggy Bath Lane pitch denied Alton the chance to tie things up at Fareham & Crofton’s expense, but Purbrook cashed in with a whopping 313–run win over Burridge II.
Brad Mengham (93) and Alan Lee (63) set the tone for Purbrook with a 184-run start, which John Moller (86) and Sean Figgins (52) improved.
Having been hot for 381-7 (Nick Creal 4-79), Burridge’s day didn’t get any better – Kiwi Ben Michel taking 5-15 as they were bowled out for 68.
Ed Stennett was the unexpected hero of Ropley’s three-wicket win at OTs & Romsey, whose 249 owed much to Iain Woodall (68) and Shane Vider, who smashed a lively 52.
At 155-6, Ropley’s long unbeaten run was in peril, but Stennett’s unbeaten half-century steered the visitors home.
Fourth placed Portsmouth & Southsea, having missed the promotion bus, powered to a ten-wicket win over weakened St Cross Symondians (174), with the evergreen Steve Clements hitting 80 not out.
South African Pierre Kriel hit 120 and Martin Blackman 61 as Ventnor piled up 294 to beat New Milton by 49 runs.
Josh Arnold hit 90 and Dale Wakefield an unbeaten 49, but by the time they came together at 114-4 the game had all but passed them by.
Despite ending a calamitous losing run with a 90-run victory over basement team Totton and Eling II at Picket Post, Ellingham are still almost certain of relegation – even if, by a miracle, they beat the champions designate Alton II at the Jubilee Ground today.
For that to happen, Ellingham would have to win at Alton and hope Sarisbury Athletic lost heavily at Shrewton.
Chris Batten (55) prospered in a half-century start for Ellingham, which the returning Aaron Barker (34) improved, but it was many lusty blows from Jim Edwards that helped them reach 267.
Edwards, who made 83, hit five sixes, bringing up his half-century off 39 deliveries.
Never in contention, Totton replied with 177-8.
Itchen College’s Josh Stewart-Hall, with a 5-22 return and 45, was the hero of Sarisbury Athletic’s nail biting one-wicket win over United Services – a victory that should keep them up.
US posted 201, but after a handy knock by Dan Clouting (26), SA still needed 36 when last pair Dan Oliver and Tom Kitcher came together.
But they stayed in to secure a victory – and probably Sarisbury Athletic’s immediate CD1 future.
