Roshan Emblagama scored his first Parley century for seven years - James Robinson picture.
It’s crunch time for champions Parley as – weather permitting - the Hampshire League Division 1 title race reaches its business phase.
Two games in the next three weeks - starting at Havant on Saturday and then Sway on August 21 – will decide if they can make the jump into Southern Premier Division 3 cricket in 2022.
With four rounds of matches remaining, its tight at the top, with Sway – despite having won all 11 games – only three points of Havant, with Parley tucked into third place, ten points behind.
But the weather, which has so far claimed 31 postponements in addition to four rain abandonments, is clearly going to play a key role in who goes up – and who doesn’t.
Havant were hit by the rain at the Jubilee, where they looked a good bet to win after bowling Alton seconds out for 107. They were 21-1 when the elements struck.
Rain also interfered with Sway’s home game with relegation threatened Andover seconds – D/L calculations creating a closer game than the New Forest club might have envisaged.
A century partnership between Alex Hall (47) and Will Crossley (63) largely set up Sway’s 212-9 – Hugo Chandler (24) giving things a late biff, 20 of his runs coming in boundaries.
Aiden Jansen took a creditable 5-34 for Andover, whose target was reduced to 155 off 27 overs.
With Huw Bernard and Jon Waller absent, Sway’s attack lacked its usual bite and Andover came within 26 runs of the target, finishing with 128-5.
Ever popular left-hand bat/wicketkeeper Roshan Emblagama celebrated his first HCL century since June 2014 – 103 at Verwood in County 4 South – as Parley racked up 249-5 against visiting Portsmouth II.
He shared a century fifth-wicket stand with Oli Green, whose unbeaten 58 included two sixes and seven fours.
Beaten by 107 runs, Portsmouth II mustered a modest 145, with Green swapping bat for ball and taking 3-20.
Hursley Park reached 87-2 before a 4-17 return by Sat Pal sent them stumbling to 111 all out and an eventual five-wicket defeat at Old Basing.
But the Basingstoke club were indebted to Ben Ungaretti, whose unbeaten 54 steered them through choppy waters created when Hursley’s Tom James took 4-12 to reduce them to 16-4.
St Cross Symondians III, having been 21-6, were dismissed for 90 by Longparish, who won by six wickets with Will de Cani making 38 not out.
Easton & Martyr Worthy are easing their way out of relegation trouble – their 44-run victory planting Burridge firmly in the bottom two.
Will Wickham (70) top scored as they made 210-8 (Alex Spearing 36, Adam Kite 33), while former Gosport Borough cricketer Simon Creal (48) made his mark as Burridge made 166 in reply.
Compton & Chandler’s Ford made round 13’s highest score, 257-6 against Lymington II, who used NINE different bowlers – Simon Naylor being the only out-fielder not to be invited to turn his arm over !
In-form Andy Gorty cashed in with a 13-boundary 94 not out, while Liam McCory (45) was the only Lymington batsman to shine. He’s the wicketkeeper, so also didn’t bowl …
Two games in the next three weeks - starting at Havant on Saturday and then Sway on August 21 – will decide if they can make the jump into Southern Premier Division 3 cricket in 2022.
With four rounds of matches remaining, its tight at the top, with Sway – despite having won all 11 games – only three points of Havant, with Parley tucked into third place, ten points behind.
But the weather, which has so far claimed 31 postponements in addition to four rain abandonments, is clearly going to play a key role in who goes up – and who doesn’t.
Havant were hit by the rain at the Jubilee, where they looked a good bet to win after bowling Alton seconds out for 107. They were 21-1 when the elements struck.
Rain also interfered with Sway’s home game with relegation threatened Andover seconds – D/L calculations creating a closer game than the New Forest club might have envisaged.
A century partnership between Alex Hall (47) and Will Crossley (63) largely set up Sway’s 212-9 – Hugo Chandler (24) giving things a late biff, 20 of his runs coming in boundaries.
Aiden Jansen took a creditable 5-34 for Andover, whose target was reduced to 155 off 27 overs.
With Huw Bernard and Jon Waller absent, Sway’s attack lacked its usual bite and Andover came within 26 runs of the target, finishing with 128-5.
Ever popular left-hand bat/wicketkeeper Roshan Emblagama celebrated his first HCL century since June 2014 – 103 at Verwood in County 4 South – as Parley racked up 249-5 against visiting Portsmouth II.
He shared a century fifth-wicket stand with Oli Green, whose unbeaten 58 included two sixes and seven fours.
Beaten by 107 runs, Portsmouth II mustered a modest 145, with Green swapping bat for ball and taking 3-20.
Hursley Park reached 87-2 before a 4-17 return by Sat Pal sent them stumbling to 111 all out and an eventual five-wicket defeat at Old Basing.
But the Basingstoke club were indebted to Ben Ungaretti, whose unbeaten 54 steered them through choppy waters created when Hursley’s Tom James took 4-12 to reduce them to 16-4.
St Cross Symondians III, having been 21-6, were dismissed for 90 by Longparish, who won by six wickets with Will de Cani making 38 not out.
Easton & Martyr Worthy are easing their way out of relegation trouble – their 44-run victory planting Burridge firmly in the bottom two.
Will Wickham (70) top scored as they made 210-8 (Alex Spearing 36, Adam Kite 33), while former Gosport Borough cricketer Simon Creal (48) made his mark as Burridge made 166 in reply.
Compton & Chandler’s Ford made round 13’s highest score, 257-6 against Lymington II, who used NINE different bowlers – Simon Naylor being the only out-fielder not to be invited to turn his arm over !
In-form Andy Gorty cashed in with a 13-boundary 94 not out, while Liam McCory (45) was the only Lymington batsman to shine. He’s the wicketkeeper, so also didn’t bowl …
