FINANCIAL pressure placed on Shanklin because of the coronavirus pandemic has been eased, thanks to the award of £13,000 in grant funding.
The Westhill club, who were due to play in Hampshire League Division 2 this season, have balanced the books this summer — despite the worry lockdown would have on it — thanks to a £10,000 government payment and a further £3,000 from Sport England.
The money will ensure one of the Isle of Wight’s top cricket venues continues to be well maintained in readiness for a resumption of cricket action this weekend, when Shanklin host St Helen’s (Saturday) and Island Bakeries (Sunday).
Club official, Guy de Belder, said: “These grants will help the club to meet its financial obligations during the pandemic.  We recently paid for new scarifier blades, which will improve the quality of the pitches.
“Our fundraising effort has also been very successful and we have been able to meet all of the expenses associated with our ongoing refurbishment project without dipping into the club reserves.  This has been a wonderful effort by so many people."

Compton & Chandler’s Ford’s ‘dawn till dusk’ Longest Day fund raising project was an overwhelming success with the cricketers raising £4,360 – a total they hope to increase to £6,000 in the next few weeks.
The money raised will go towards refurbishing the practice nets at the Memorial Ground in  Shepherd’s Lane, smartening up the clubhouse – and keeping the club’s head above water financially during a summer in which cricket remains in lockdown due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“We normally field four Saturday teams in the Hampshire League each week throughout the season. With no cricket, we have no money at all coming in - but still have bills to pay,” pointed out club member Martin Halfacre, who helped organise the Longest Day project.
“One of our fund raising initiatives was a sponsored walk of the cricket boundary – the idea being for our members, friends and supporters to do 554 cumulative laps and walk the distance from Compton (where we are based) to Lord’s and back.
                                                                                     Anticipation
"Because of the fantastic take up we had on the day, we smashed that target and accumulated 1200 laps, which we reckon gets us to Durham’s county ground at Chester Le Street and perhaps a bit beyond !”
Compton’s members were at the ground from 5 o’clock in the morning till 9pm, with the cricketers themselves enjoying such much needed practice in the nets – in anticipation of playing some friendly matches later in the season.
Youngsters also got the opportunity to have some coaching throughout the day.
Compton & Chandler’s Ford are keen to push their fund raising efforts on to the £6,000 mark and donations can be made via www.crowdfunder.co.uk/compton-chandlers-ford-cricket-club-funding
“We are very much a community club, fielding junior teams at four separate age groups from Under-9s upwards, but it costs a lot of money to run, hence our need to stage fund raising activities like this,” Mr Halfacre added.

As yet we have no start date for the 2020 season from the ECB and as clubs know there will be no chance of any cricket until 1st July.  The situation should be clarified by the Prime Minister in his Press Conference this Sunday.
Due to the decision by the Southern Premier League to stop promotions etc from 4th June, the Hampshire League has had to change its stance.  
If there is a start to recreational cricket by Saturday 4th July, the HCL will continue with the League fixtures until the end of August and the winners will win the trophy for their League.
However, there will be no promotion and relegation from each League.  The start will depend on Government and ECB advice. If cricket can only start with certain restrictions then the HCL will probably resort to friendly matches using the 2020 fixtures predominantly. 
                                                                                      Cricket balls
September would not be an option for League cricket as many clubs would not have access to the ground as football takes over. We could not have some clubs available and others not.
The HCL has all the League balls for 2020 season in storage with Dukes, the manufacturers, and if they are not required for 2020 season they will be kept until 2021 season.  If clubs do manage to get some cricket in, the HCL can arrange with the manufacturers to supply them.
If there is no cricket this season, then the entry fee may rolled over to 2021 season, as will be the Handbooks although we have promised that all Clubs will be given 12 handbooks free.  There will be no handbooks for 2020 (the HCL will post part of the handbook on the website) if there is no cricket and all the statistics etc will be in the 2021 issue. 
 

Damerham captain Henry Gilbert was Regional Division 1 North West batsman of the year for 2019.
The hard hitting opener topped the divisional batting charts with 678 runs, having enjoyed a phenomenal run last July.
Twice he missed out in the nervous nineties, with 96 against South Wilts IV and 94 off the Godshill attack.
But, after hitting an unbeaten 58 in the win over Paultons, Gilbert struck the magical century with 113 not out against Amport II.  In all, he made 361 runs in four innings in July.
Gilbert, a HCL award winner for the first time, also hit half-centuries against Winterbourne, Amesbury and Andover.
Bramshaw's Bailey Loveless was lead Regional 1 North West bowler with 26 victims.

Stuart Gurney's 660-run tally played a significant part in Ryde II's promotion triumph and earned the Island cricketer the County Division 4 South batting prize.
Gurney had 275 of this runs on the board by 1 June, his May tally including a career-best 161 in the Hardings Shute victory over Railway Triangle. His knock that day included eight sixes and 19 fours, Ryde posting a towering 319-4 off 45 overs.
He maintained his amazing form throughout the summer, making 71* (Fair Oak III), 75 (Hambledon), 50 (Ryde Cavaliers), before scoring 67 against Bedhampton Mariners and an unbeaten 93 off the Colden Common attack. His lowest score was 28 v Purbrook and he ended a ten-innings season with a staggering average of 110. 
Leading CD4 South run scorers: Stuart Gurney (Ryde II) 660, Dominic Carson (Waterlooville II) 525, Andy Louden (Ryde Cavaliers) 518, Kieran Hall (Mansbridge) 492, Steve Clements (Portsmouth & Southsea II) 470.   Highest score: Stuart Gurney (Ryde II) 161 v Railway Triangle.

Gregor McKenzie doesn't tend to hang about when he's at the crease. The bad ball invariably gets hit for six - on 36 separate occasions, in fact, for Twyford last season, when his 729-run tally (which also contained 79 boundaries) won the County Division 4 North batting award.
The tall left-hand opening batsman got closer to a magical century as the summer wore on.  After making 61 against Old Basing, he hit 74 at Chawton, 83 v Longparish, and then just missed out on a ton with 98 off the Basingstoke & North Hants IVs attack.
But the Oxford Brookes university student (schooled locally at King Edward VI) wasn't to be denied and hit an unbeaten 105 in August against Rowledge. He also chipped in with 23 wickets, including a 6-25 return against Hursley Park II.
To keep things in the family, Gregor's sibling brother Monty hit 448 runs, in addition to spinning out 20 victims.
Leading CD4 North run scorers: Gregor McKenzie (Twyford) 729, Jonty Cooke (Stockbridge) 578, Ben Trepass (Medstead) 575, Matt Cutts (Wherwell) 559, Olie Emslie (Wherwell) 531. Highest score: Matt Cutts (Wherwell) 126 v Ashford Hill.

Scoring runs was all part of the Line of Duty for village bobby Sam Godfrey, who topped the County Division 3 batting charts with 772 runs for Cadnam.
His three centuries against New Milton II (107*), Follands (117*) and Ventnor II (132) came in a magical five-match sequence between June 1 and July 13, when he also made 70-plus scores against Langley Manor II and United Services.
Godfrey, who began his Cadnam career as a colt, also weighed with with an unbeaten 93 against Verwood, 84 v Mudeford and 62 against Locksheath.
United Services' John Brasier and Locks Heath all-rounder Jack Paskins were the only other players to make over 500 runs.
Ironically, the highest individual score in CD3S was made against Cadnam by Harry Dye, who made an undefeated 157 against the New Forest club.  Dye normally plays cricket on the Isle of Wight ...
Leading CD3S run scorers: Sam Godfrey (Cadnam) 772, John Brasier (US Portsmouth) 648, Jack Paskins (Locks Heath) 527, Joe Baker (Locks Heath) 473, Luke Hancock (Verwood) 498, James  Adams (New Milton II) 493.  Highest score: Harry Dye (Mudeford) 157* v Cadnam.

Twenty-one year old Providence Cowdrill had County Division 3 North opponents in a spin, turning in a 32-wicket haul which not only won the Hampshire Women's leggie the divisional bowling award but played a significant part in IBM Hursley's championship success.
Her 7-31 return against Amport (who collapsed from 51-0 to 105 all out when she came on to bowl) was among the top individual bowling figures in the entire Hampshire League in 2019.  Tossing up her leg breaks and googlies, she took 5-17 against neighbours Hursley Park II and 4-28 v Liphook & Ripsley.
Providence also made her mark for Hampshire, taking 12 wickets, including 4-19 against Warwickshire, in the side's debut season in the first division of the County Championship.  She also took three Lancashire scalps in another match.
Leading CD3 North bowlers: Providence Cowdrill (IBM Hursley) 32, I Khan (RAM) 31, Dan Sumner (Oakley) 31, Nick Tomlin (Overton) 28, Matt Birch (Michelmersh & Timsbury) 28, Josh Williams (Sparsholt) 28, Dan Rides (IBM Hursley) 28. Best bowling: Providence Cowdrill (IBM Hursley) 7-31 v Amport.

​Elliott Hennessey’s 801-run tally for Oakley last season earned him the County Division 3 North batting prize, making centuries against Overton and Bishop’s Waltham, alongside four 80-plus scores. 
​Sparsholt’s Jamie Skeoch (741), Overton Aussie Sam Miller (627) and Ramsdell’s Jonny Bradley, with 536, were also prominent, while Tom Foster’s 494-run haul for Sparsholt II included the division’s top individual score of 163 against OTs & Romsey.

Henry Smith underlined his hidden talents when he finished top of the County Division 2 bowling charts – after all, he’d previously hardly had much chance to show what he could do with the ball in a South Wilts 3rd XI well stocked with seam options .. until last season !
Ever since he joined the Bemerton club as a ten-year old, Henry fancied himself as a bowler, but apart from the occasional over or two, he had to be content with his role as a stoic, hard to dislodge opening batsman. But things changed dramatically in 2019 when SW III skipper Jody Everett tossed the Fovant teenager the ball – and he weighed in with a season’s haul of 33 wickets !
“He bowls decent lines and swings it, but surpassed all our expectations with his 33 wickets, a reward for the hard work and effort he put in all summer,” Everett said.
Smith, who spent the 2018/19 winter sheep farming in New South Wales in readiness for his current agriculture and crop science course at Nottingham University, celebrated five separate four-wicket returns against Emsworth, Ferndown Wayfarers, East Woodhay, Fair Oak and Bournemouth, and three-wicket hauls on two other occasions. 
Leading wicket takers: Henry Smith (South Wilts) 33, Miles Kingston (Bramshaw) 28, Mike Offord (Emsworth) 27, * Andy Scher (Odiham & Greywell) 27, Ant Norris (Emsworth) 27, Paul Hungerford (Portsmouth) 26, Mark Scorey (Compton & Chandler’s Ford) 26. Best bowling: Matt Mixer (Bournemouth) 8-15 v Rowledge II.

Eric Linge began his career at Poole Grammar School and New Milton as a promising, pacey opening bowler, albeit with an action which drew the occasional second glance. In the past two seasons, since joining Ferndown Wayfarers, he’s developed into a handy opening batsman, making his maiden HCL century in 2018 and making 811 to win the County Division 2 batting prize last season.
Linge [left] really went to town in the second half of the 2019 season, a ‘near-miss’ 98 against South Wilts III preceding centuries against Basingstoke & North Hants III (128*), Sarisbury Athletic (129) and East Woodhay (113). Against Sarisbury Athletic, he shared a club record 343-run opening partnership with Chris Armstrong, who went on to make 179* out of Ferndown’s 384-1. 
​Leading CD2 batsmen: Eric Linge (Ferndown Wayfarers 811), * Jack Riding (Compton & Chandler's Ford), * Andy Scher (Odiham & Greywell) 799, Tom Arnold (Bramshaw) 760, Jamie Mitchell (Portsmouth II) 703.   Highest score: Chris Armstrong (Ferndown Wayfarers) 179* v Sarisbury Athletic II. 

Burridge all-rounder Suji Wickramasinghe carried off the principal individual batting award in Hampshire League County Division 1 last season.
Playing every since game (a rare event in itself these days), Wickramasinghe scored 629 runs, in addition to taking 28 wickets.
Wickramasinghe was seldom out of the action in any of Burridge’s matches, his 113 spearheading a thrilling run chase against OTs & Romsey, while more runs followed against Old Basing, Alton, runners-up Hook & Newnham Basics II and Easton & Martyr Worthy. He regularly chipped in with wickets and a fine economy rate to boot. 
Leading run scorers: Suji Wickramasinghe (Burridge) 629, Nick Willcock (Old Basing) 588, Dan Bailey (Sway) 575, Jacob Harris (Gosport Borough) 564, Paul Longland (OTs & Romsey) 534, * Brad Easton (Ropley) 519, Matt Branford (Hursley Park) 512, Sam Collins (Parley) 499, Tom Flynn (Hursley Park) 493, Advait Manur (St Cross Symondians) 487, Tim Noble (Sway) 464. Highest score: Matt Swann (St Cross Symondians) 161 v Ryde.

Ollie Green celebrated a significant treble at the Hampshire League County Division awards dinner. 
His 36 victims (one more than 2018) was the highest in the entire HL, won him the CD1 bowling prize for the second consecutive season and played a significant part in Parley’s championship triumph.
With over 80 wickets to his name in the past three seasons alone, Ollie Green has been one of the main players in Parley’s rapid climb through the County Divisions.
​His 36 scalps last summer included a 5-17 return against Sway, four-wicket hauls v Easton & Martyr Worthy and Old Basing, and three other four three-wicket returns.  He’s no mean performer with the bat either, as his May bank holiday century against Ryde confirmed.
Bowling: Ollie Green (Parley) 36, Andy Nichols (Bedhampton) 32, Jacob Harris (Gosport Borough) 32, Ben Stanbrook (Easton & MW) 31, Suji Wickramasinghe (Burridge) 28, Kevin Light (Hook & Newnham Basics) 27, Xavier Bochereau (Alton) 27, Nick Cooper (Old Basing) 25, Josh Balcombe (Hook & Newnham Basics) 24.  Best bowling: Oli Creal (Gosport Borough) 6-22 v Ryde.

Burley all-rounder James Brown was the highest run scorer in Hampshire League cricket last summer.
His 833-run aggregate for the New Forest village club was the highest individual tally in all 17 divisions.
The 26-year old got into run scoring mode from the off, hitting 104 in the opening County Division 4 West match of the season against Breamore.
He struck a career-best 139 against Sway in July and an unbeaten 132 in the final match of the season when Brown and Kieron Hudson (68) shared a double-century opening partnership as Burley chased down Bournemouth’s 215-7 without loss.
                                      Back injury
Brown also struck five 50-plus scores, including 81 (Steeple Langford), 79 (Pylewell Park), 76 (Fawley) and 69 against Shrewton.
Fully recovered from a back injury, Brown has also taken over 50 wickets for Burley in the past two seasons.
Brown was among four Hampshire League cricketers to make over 800 in 2019, Dinton’s Ben Coombes scoring 852, Ferndown Wayfarers ace Eric Linge making 811 in County 2, and Elliott Hennessey 801 for Oakley in County 3 North.


THE DIVISIONAL BATTING & BOWLING AWARD WINNERS FROM THE 2019 HAMPSHIRE LEAGUE SEASON WILL BE FEATURED ON THIS WEBSITE, SO STAY TUNED ...

The Hampshire Cricket League Management Committee has met via a video conference to discuss the 2020 cricket season.  
The ECB statement regarding the 2020 season suspended all cricket for the foreseeable future.  We have decided that if restrictions are lifted and sport is given the go ahead to resume by the end of June, then the HCL will complete the rest of the 2020 League season with promotion and relegation being administered.  
Division 1 promotion to Southern Premier League would have to depend on the SPCL 2020 arrangements.
Clarification: If the restrictions are lifted after the 30th June there would be no competitive League matches with no promotions and relegations and the 2020 format would go to the 2021 season.
We would then recommend and ask clubs to play their remaining fixtures as friendlies and bring some normality back to a devastating period.
We propose to store the match balls that you have ordered securely, and details of how these will be distributed will follow.  The handbook is ready to go to print, but we will delay the printing of it until we know more.
I wish all players and officials, and their families keep safe and well during these next few uncertain months and hopefully get back to cricket before too long.
Denis Emery, Chairman

The Hampshire Cricket League is starting a migration to Play-Cricket for season 2020 (Divisions 1 and 2 and all Women's Divisions).
Hampshire Cricket Board also plans to use Play-Cricket to collect and use Play-Cricket to collect club information in our 2020 affiliation process
The Play-Cricket Team from England and Wales Cricket Board will be delivering two identical workshops on Play-Cricket Administration and Play-Cricket Scorer (NB a separate event is planned for the laptop based Play Cricket Scorer Pro)
This is the booking link - hhtp://forms.ghttpsle/pyvz3x9VAxB2jnW1A - each club should aim to send a representative. 
The Play-Cricket team will cover result entry, live scoring and entering club contact information as part of the drive to reduce paperwork and keystrokes and save time for club volunteers
Dates and Venues:

Tuesday 24th March (6.30pm for 7-9 pm): Crown Plaza Basingstoke, Old Common Rd, Black Dam, Basingstoke, RG21 3PR

Wednesday 25th March (6.30pm for 7-9 pm):  Robin Smith Suite, The Ageas Bowl, Botley Road, 
West End, SO30 3XH.

Please do not hesitate to contact Simon Jones simon.jones@ageasbowl.com 023 8047 5653 / 07920 452537 or Will George will.george@hantscl.com in the event of any query, attendees will further information in advance of the event

Lymington are believed to be on the brink of signing Dylan Slater, an Australian opening batsman and wicketkeeper, from the Victorian Premier Grade club Geelong.
Slater joined the VPL club at the start of the current Australian season from City United, who play in the Colac District League, where teenage Gosport Borough all-rounder Jacob Harris is currently plying his trade.
Last season he shared the Bill Johnston Medal as the Colac district league’s best-and-fairest player and recently notched a maiden Geelong century against Frankston-Peninsular, smashing 104 off 99 balls, including a six and 15 boundaries.
The 20-year old is averaging over 53 this season, having also chalked up three fifty-plus scores.
Geelong co-coach Matt Gunther says Slater is on the right path to playing top-flight Victorian Premier Cricket with the club and handling the rigours that go with it.
“We’ve been rapt with what Dylan’s done so far for us this summer,” he said. “Any opportunity he’s been given, he’s taken it and is in our squad for the Super Slam Twenty20 competition.”

The Hampshire Cricket League Management Committee has met via a video conference to discuss the 2020 cricket season.  
The ECB statement regarding the 2020 season suspended all cricket for the foreseeable future.  We have decided that if restrictions are lifted and sport is given the go ahead to resume by the end of June, then the HCL will complete the rest of the 2020 League season with promotion and relegation being administered.  
Division 1 promotion to Southern Premier League would have to depend on the SPCL 2020 arrangements.
If the restrictions are lifted after the 30th June, there will be no competitive League matches and the same format would go to 2021 season, with no promotions or relegations.  
We would then recommend and ask clubs to play their remaining fixtures as friendlies and bring some normality back to a devastating period.
We propose to store the match balls that you have ordered securely, and details of how these will be distributed will follow.  The handbook is ready to go to print, but we will delay the printing of it until we know more.
I wish all players and officials, and their families keep safe and well during these next few uncertain months and hopefully get back to cricket before too long.
​Denis Emery, Chairman.

The Hampshire Cricket League collected a staggering £4,685 in fines last summer - over 100 teams being hit in the pocket, mainly due to poor administration.
Three teams were deducted points, while -
£3,865 was collected as fines for no ground reports alone 
£355 was collected because results were not submitted or submitted late  
A total of £465 was collected for non attendance at the AGM, failure to collect balls and handbooks at Distribution Day, or for a failure to submit averages.

Gosport Borough teenager Jacob Harris made up for lost time with a decisive bowling performance as his adopted Australian club, Warrion celebrated their first win of the season in Victoria's Colac & District Cricket League.
The 18-year old all-rounder took three top order wickets as opponents Irrewarra crashed to 31-5 as Warrion played their first match after four washed out Saturdays.
He took 3-32 in ten overs before Irrewarra recovered to post 134-9 - a target Warrion polished off for the loss of five wickets, Harris making a handy 22 batting three.