CRICKET chiefs have awarded the Wessex Internet Dorset League brand-new ECB Premier League status from the 2024 season onwards.
Next summer will see a restructuring of the Dorset League (DCL) following its acceptance as the 32nd ECB Premier League in the country.
Currently, the Dorset League contains eight tiers from the Premier League to County Division Seven.   The structure of Dorset’s new ECB Premier League is yet to be finalised.
Clubs must attain certain levels in a range of criteria focussed on ground facilities and future sustainability in order for their first team to compete in the top divisions.
All clubs will continue to be accommodated in an ‘all-through’ league where teams can gain promotion based on performance, although facilities will once again be taken into account the higher a team progresses.
The new structure will initially see a reduction in the number of teams in the top two divisions because of the criteria set.   It is hoped a return towards ten-team divisions will begin in 2026, when clubs have had more time to attain the necessary standards.
                                                                                                Exciting
The move is aimed at halting the talent drain of Dorset’s best cricketers towards the Hampshire and Southern Leagues, the latter of which is already an approved ECB Premier League.
In the long-term, league chiefs are targeting a greater number of players in the county team to have been picked from the Dorset League.
Cricket Dorset managing director, Ben Skipworth, said: “This is a massively exciting development in the grassroots game and should provide a highly competitive environment for our best club players to thrive.
“It is a testament to the efforts of the committee, especially Alan Graham, to finally realise this level of league being in place in the county.”
DCL chairman, Peter Constable, added: “I’m really pleased that Dorset has finally been accredited with being an ECB Premier League after many years of hard work, not just by members of the management committee but also member clubs in raising the standard of facilities, grounds and playing strength to get to the level required by the ECB.
“We understand there will be some upheaval initially but hope this will soon be behind us as the whole league structure settles down in future seasons.
“It is vital that we don’t forget the smaller clubs with teams in the lower divisions, as they are pivotal to the survival of cricket in the county and gives all players, whatever their age or ability a place to play.”

Chawton will play Hook & Newnham Basics B in the Cyril Thompson T20 Cup final at May's Bounty, Basingstoke, on Monday morning, 11am.
In the semi-finals, Jacob Channon was the star man as Chawton beat Stratfield Turgis by 84 runs, while Charlie Neville starred with bat and ball as Hook defeated Yateley by 96 runs.
Scores -
Chawton 179-5 {Jacob Channon 89, Callum Bachelor 30*, Jana 2-31, Gary Cockcroft 2-28] Stratfield Turgis 95-8 [Chris Butcher 31, Jacob Channon 4-15, Max Williams 3-8]. Chawton won by 84 runs.
​
Hook & Newnham Basics “B” 164-3 [Charlie Neville 63*, Tom Dyer 47, James Harvey 2-16] Yateley 68 [Josh George 17, Luke Burgess 4-10, Ollie May 2-11, Charlie Neville 2-6]. HNBCC “B” won by 96 runs.

​The semi-finals of the Cyril Thompson Cup will be played at May's Bounty next week, with Hook & Newnham Basics B facing Yateley on Monday evening and Chawton squaring up against Statfield Turgis on Tuesday.
Stratfield clinched their semi-final place with a six wicket win over Overton. Scores:  
Overton 140-7 [Charlie Bowden 45, Andy Galvin 27, Grant Jones 2-28, Shashani Argawal 2-19] Stratfield Turgis & HW 141-4 [Gary Cockcroft 49, Raj Das 35*, Andy Galvin 2-21].

​Twyford won the Winchester & District CA Tichborne Trophy for the first time with a dramatic last ball T20 cup final victory over Hursley Park at The Quarters.
Chasing Hursley's 131-4, Twyford required six runs to win off the last over, but with victory within their grasp, Cam Park was run out - both batsmen were stranded at the same end - but with the scores tied, Matt Paine skewed a thick edge to third man for the winning run.
The knocks by Park and previously Max Watson (49) were crucial for Twyford, who benefitted from some profligate Hursley Park bowling, the Hampshire League leaders conceding 36 extras, 33 of them wides.
Earlier, Tom Flynn hit an unbeaten 52 for Hursley, while Oli Green chipped in with 24 not out late in the innings.  Tom Watson (2-17) took two early Hursley wickets.

The draw for the semi-finals of the May's Bounty based Cyril Thompson T20 Trophy has been made, with Hook & Newnham Basics "B" playing Yateley on Tuesday evening and Chawton v Overton or Stratfield Turgis & Hartley Wespall on August 7.
Recent results -
Aldermaston Rugby 120-7 (Mandeep Sharma 49*, Toby Charlton 3-33, Jacob Channon 2-26) Chawton 121-1 (Jacob Channon 77, Sam Charlton 29*). Chawton won by 9 wickets.
Hook & Newnham Basics "B" 227-3 (Tom May 102, Kev Light 46) Kingsclere 103 (Ed Lyle 19, Ollie May 3-10, Ollie Webster 3-12, John Clarke 2-16). Hook & Newnham Basics won by 124 runs.

The Isle of Wight youngsters were five minutes away from forcing a hard earned draw against their Dorset counterparts in the ECB Under 18 County Championship at Newclose.
They were denied when Dorset chased down a second innings 81 to win the three-day match by nine wickets just in the nick of time - the ground being submerged by a downpour soon after stumps were drawn.
Only 30-overs play was possible on day 1 with Dorset, put into bat, closing on 136/1, emerging Parley batsman Kieran Laird (66) and Harry Fairchild (46). Bournemouth left-hander Ben Rogers (68),  Parley's Sam Rook (28) and Freddie Pittaway (Ferndown Wayfarers)(37) weighed in as Dorset went on to total 339 (Tom Southcott 3-55). 
Bournemouth left-armer Conor Smith (4-42) and fellow spinner Tom Munnings (4-46) sent down a massive 43 overs as the IWCB was dismissed for 174 - Ventnor's Sam Mills (44) top scoring, supported by Ollie Cheeseman (34) and mainlanders Josh Carpenter (27) and Neil Shelar (24)
Smith enforced the follow on and finished with match figures of -139 off 48 overs as the Islanders fought hard to reach 248, Basingstoke's Shanton Shahane (79) leading the way.
It left Dorset needing 84 to win, but the an eye on the incoming weather, openers Archie Frost (30) and Laird (41 not out) scored 53 in nine overs to set up a win just before the rain came.
Dorset and the IWCB meet again in a T20 double header at Hamworthy on Sunday, before Dorset entertain Cornwall in a three-day county championship match at Wimborne on Tuesday August 1.

Alton's Sam Ruffell hit a century as the Isle of Wight CB posted a massive 363-7 to beat their Cornwall counterparts by three wickets in a run strewn three-day county Under-17 match at Newclose.
The island teens, backed by several mainland youngsters (Ruffell among them) spent plenty of time chasing leather as Cornwall openers Billy Taylor (127) and Dan Phillips, with a century in each innings, dominated the square.  The pair put on 242 in the first innings and 148 in the second as Cornwall ran up 414 and 224-4 in the second, Shanton Shahne taking 4-56.
The IOW responded with 276 - Ruffell making 79 and Oscar Vandercasteele 52 - before setting out on their mammoth yet successful run fourth innings chase.  Ruffell led the way with 108, supported by Francis Moore (52), Sam Mills (42), Will Mew (31) and Josh Carpenter with a key 26 not out at the end.

​An elated Rafferty Woods holds the Alan Rowe U11 Cup flanked by his delighted Hursley Park team-mates.

Hursley Park are celebrating a magnificent cup double for their Under-11s who have carried off the Winchester & District CA Oliver Cup and the Hampshire county Alan Rowe trophy.
Coached by Andy Spink and Raman Prendergast, they beat South Wilts by 24 runs in the T20 Oliver Cup final.
They then trimmed Odiham & Greywell by 13 runs to lift the county U11 crown, played under the 100 format.
William Cole struck an unbeaten 45 as Hursley posted 121 (Vivaan Laad 23) in the Oliver Cup before dismissing South Wilts for 87, skipper Rafferty Woods taking 4-12..
Cole inspired again in the 100-format Alan Rowe final, with Aryan Chitre the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets, including two in one set.
Roshan Kumar took an outstanding catch which turned the Odiham & Greywell final in Hursley's favour. 

​Cricket in the Portsmouth area is about to say its fond and sad farewells to popular stalwart player and adminstrator John Meare, who died recently, aged 72 years. 
Mr Meare, who lived in Bridgemary, Gosport, and spent his working life in HM Naval Base, played for many seasons for RNAD before beginning a long asociation with Cormorants and United Services, Portsmouth.
He only bowled off a short run-up, three or four paces at most, but often bemused opposing batsmen with his speed.
Mr Meare, a 'gentle giant' on and off the field, devoted years to the sport he loved and was fixture secretary at Cormorants and US Portsmouth.  He played for and later managed the HM Naval Base sides in national competitions.
His funeral is at Portchester Crematorium at 3pm on Tuesday (July 18) and afterwards in the Cams Hill PH.

​A second consecutive defeat has loosened Compton & Chandlers Ford's grip in the Hampshire League title which they won last year.
Odiham & Greywell beat them by four wickets to strengthen unbeaten Hursley Park's lead at the top of Division 1.
Only Will Fisher (45 not out) stood firm as James Birch (6-26) and Scott McGnaughrin (3-56) skittled CCF for 95.
Ash Lovell (3-15) and Fisher (2-15) hit back, but their efforts were in vain.
Hursley Park, meanwhile, scored an eighth straight win with Oli Green, left, starring with bat and ball in the 43-run at lowly Winton.
Tom Flynn (37) top scored in Hursley's 153, but off-spinner Oli Green, having made 30, wrecked Winton with a career-best spell of 7-27. They were dismissed for 110.

Hursley Park created a spot of Hampshire League history when women's team duo Ashneet Chahal and Sara Baker opened the bowling in their 24-run Division 4 North victory over East Woodhay II at The Quarters.
They shared the new ball after Nick Best had plundered 109 of Park's 178-7. Chalal, who made 26 with the bat, struck twice in her first two overs and produced figures of 2-16 off her nine overs, with Baker conceding 22 off seven.  Mike Brimble took 3-9 as East Woodhay made 154 all out.

Hursley Park have stolen a mid-season march on champions Compton & Chandler's Ford at the top of the Hampshire Cricket League.
They effectively lead their close rivals by 14 points after Compton & CF crashed to a five-wicket defeat after being put into bat and dismissed for 141 (Scott Spearing 40) by Ryde.
Tom Durman hit 61 for Ryde having shared six of the CCF wickets with Kerry Rice.
The Flynn brothers, William (71) and Tom (69), starred as Hursley Park rattled up 257 and won by 68 runs at Bournemouth.
South African Ben Hummell hit 184 (26 fours) for East Woodhay against Hythe & Dibden.

It took more than the Just Stop Oil protestors to halt Lymington III's bid for a Hampshire League South West Division 5 victory over Brockenhurst at Balmer Lawn. 
​Lymington were on the brink of overhauling Brock's 124 all out when a herd of New Forest cattle surged on to the outfield, causing play to be halted. Fortunately, Mark Jackson negotiated a deal whereby the cows left the field, so Lymington could complete a six-wicket win.

The Isle of Wight Cricket Board have appointed Nick Heelan [above] as their Cricket Development Manager. 
Having recently retired from Hampshire Constabulary as a Senior Detective, Nick is well known across the Island having played both cricket and rugby on Vectis isle since 1998 when he moved across with his family. 
The Cricket Development Manager role is responsible for delivering Cricket across the Isle of Wight and some of the IWCB's key priorities include supporting our local clubs to thrive and grow, to deliver County Cricket across all the age groups, to deliver and develop Women and Girls Cricket and to continue to grow the Islands Disability cricket. 
Nick brings a wealth of Managerial experience with him to the cricket board combined with a passion for cricket and in particular Island Cricket.
Nick said ‘ I am really delighted to have been offered the CDM role as local cricket is something very close to my heart and I wanted to give something back to the sport that I have loved since childhood. 
"The ECB and IOW Cricket Board have a primary mission to ‘Make Cricket the Game for me’ and to be fully inclusive so I will strive to increase the size of the ‘cricket family' here on the Island and I send an open invite to anyone who would like to get involved in any way be it as a player, coach, Umpire , Scorer or as a volunteer to help with all the practical organisation required to please contact me at [email protected]

​Callum Coombs wasn't best pleased when he found he had been left out of the Basingstoke & North Hants team against Sarisbury Athletic, especially when elder brother Dan took his place in the side having returned on holiday from Australia.
So Callum took his vengeance out on Sparsholt seconds in a Hampshire League Division 3 North match on the Castle Field, smashing the Winchester side's attack for an unbeaten 174 containing 27 boundaries.
Basingstoke IIIs made 309-8 before restricting Sparsholt to 229-4. David Coulthard (74), Adam Beswick (75) and Ben Wakeford (41*) responded for the visitors.  

Compton & Chandler's Ford have made a five-match winning start to their defence of the Hampshire League championship, courtesy of some heavy scoring from their top order batsmen.
They have topped the 250-run mark on three separate Occasions and fell only four short of that landmark total against Hythe & Dibden.
Zimbabwean Tinashe Chimbambo, who speaRheaded last summer's title triumph with over 950 runs, has once again been to the fore, hitting 147 in the 396-run mauling of Winton, in which Toby Gray also made a century.
Four other CCF batsmen have made fifty-plus scores, with Easton & Martyr Worthy giving the champions their closest call yet, losing by 17 runs.
Results -
Compton & CF 286-8 (Fisher 98, Chimbambo 52) beat Portsmouth 122 (Lovell 4-30, Scorey 4-31) by 164 runs.
Compton & CF 210-8 (A Spearing 55, Khan 50) beat Bournemouth II 145 (Chimbambo 3-23) by 65 runs.
Compton & CF 396 (Chimbambo 147, Gray 100, Khan 44) beat Winton 91 (Lovell 3-37) by 305 runs.
Compton & CF 246 (Khan 87, Chimbambo 39) beat Hythe & Dibden 177 (Lovell 3-35) by 69 runs.
Compton & CF 275-9 (Gray 66, S Spearing 58, Chimbambo 43) beat Easton & Martyr Worthy 258-7 (Boulton 81*, Franklin 49, Banks 33) by 17 runs.

Compton & Chandler’s Ford 
Back (from left): Fawwaz Anjum, Liam Palmer, Tinashe Chimbambo, Jameel Khan, George McCarthy, Andy Gorty.  Front: Ash Lovell, Will Fisher, Alex Spearing, Scott Spearing, Matt Scorey.

Some clubs are lucky to have one stalwart; Easton and Martyr Worthy Cricket Club is fortunate to benefit from the continuous support of three players each with 50 years of membership.
It was the time of flares, platform shoes, big hair, Slade and The Osmonds back in 1973 when Trevor Yeates, Andrew Dickety and Martin Hall all first joined EMWCC.
On Saturday May 27 current players, families and club supporters enjoyed a BBQ and social evening at the David Roth ground in Easton and celebrated this anniversary, recognising the debt of gratitude to these legends of the club. 
On a glorious evening after the league fixtures had finished, former club chairman Adam Murch made the presentations of commemorative shirts and club caps to all three players. 
The ever-youthful Trevor Yeates defies his 50 years as a cricketer and continues to be a regular and key player for the club’s 2nd team. As a seam bowler he was a long term member of the 1st XI’s bowling attack. 
Trevor and his family have been continual supporters of club life performing many important roles. Trevor served on the management committee in the 1980s and acted as the club’s groundsman on three separate occasions.
                                                                                   Nurturing
Club stalwart Andrew Dickety is the father of the current club captain Mark Dickety. Andrew and his family have been crucial to the organisation of the club over many years.
He has been responsible for nurturing many young players, primarily through Indoor Cricket and Evening League cricket; and continues to actively support the club’s activities.
Martin Hall was primarily a batsman and wicket keeper. He was club captain for five years, 1st team captain for nine years and has served on various club committees. Martin was also presented with a framed picture of the cricket ground, which listed the many trophies he has been instrumental in winning for the club over the years of his impressive career. Martin has gone on to represent England Over 60s and 70s and played 10 Test Matches (five in Australia) for them with a top runs score of 70. 
On a memorable day for EMWCC the three club league teams also achieved comprehensive wins. At home the 1st team, captained by Ben Stanbrook, beat Bramshaw by three wickets. Isaac Lowe took three wickets and Adam Kite four, including importantly bowling out K Patel on 50 runs. Opener Jamie Banks top scored with 41 runs, followed by Ben’s 39. 

​Ventnor cricketers James Cheek and Martin Blackman hit double centuries in a 464-run Ventnor avalanche against Hampshire League Division 4 South visitors Emsworth.
Cheek hit 209 and Blackman an unbeaten 204, the pair sharing a massive record 365-run second wicket partnership as sixes and fours flew all around the sunbaked Steephill bowl.
Cheek’s 209 contained nine sixes and 26 fours, Blackman clearing the boundary rope 11 times, in addition to hitting 22 fours.   The pair came together with the score at 68 after opener Mark Fletcher had been dismissed for 19.
In all, Ventnor clobbered 20 maximums and 51 fours in their 45-over innings – Emsworth using seven bowlers in a desperate and unsuccessful attempt to stem the run tide.
Ryan Agnew’s five overs went for 92 runs, while new ball bowler George Falcon-Paterson conceded 93 off his curtailed six-over spell.
Toby Noyes took 5-16 as Emsworth were skittled for 85, leaving Ventnor winners by a mammoth 365-run margin.
Ironically, Shrewton's former Surrey & Warwickshire player Rikki Clarke outscored both Blackman and Cheek with 210 against Division 1 visitors Alton II.  Ventnor's 462-2 was second highest HL total behind RAMs 481-4.
​Pictures Dave Reynolds

DORSET UNDER-18s (from left): James Barker (Middleton), Kieran Laird (Parley) Jo Huns (Bashley Rydal), Ben Rogers (Bournemouth), Sam Crisp (Bashley Rydal), Connor Smith (Bournemouth), Lewis Freak (Bournemouth), Ben Chaffey (Taunton Deane), James Van Gool (Bournemouth), Jon Legg (Dorchester), Simon Woodruff (St Cross Symondians), Will Tripcony (Bashley Rydal), Paul “Sid” Lawrence (Head Coach)

​Honours were shared at Newclose where the Isle of Wight CB hosted Dorset 2nd XI, each side winning a T20 match. 
The IOW won the opening game by two runs, mainly due to a 73 run partnership between Ventnor's Sam Mills (58) and Oscar Vandercasteele (23). Henry Edwards(31) was the only other batsman to reach double figures as IOW close at 131-6 with Simon Woodruff (3-18) and Jo Huns (2-24) the pick of the Dorset bowlers.
Dorset’s reply began slowly, quickly losing three wickets but an unbroken partnership between Woodruff (73*) and Lewis Freak (27*) saw them finish agonisingly close on 129-3.

​The second match saw Dorset bat first and reach a total of 146-4 with good contributions from Kieran Laird (21), Sam Crisp (30) and Connor Smith (28*). Lymington spinner Dan Cox picked up a useful 2-26.
The IWCB were always behind the required rate despite contributions from Fred Gurney (23), Liam Turnbull (22) and Edwards (29). Jon Legg (3-21) and four victims for keeper Ben Rogers saw Dorset secure a 25 run victory.

Monty Lyons celebrated his adult South Wilts debut in style with a five-wicket haul against Hampshire League Division 5 North rivals Collingbourne – no mean feat for a 12-year old ! 
Opening the bowling for South Wilts fourth team, Monty struck with the new ball, having Aaron Hitchmough caught and, when he returned for a second spell later, he snapped up four of the last five Collingbourne wickets to fall to finish with figures of 5-29.
Collingbourne totalled 158 (Andy Holman 74) and bowled South Wilts out for 89 (J Burton 39), Lyons striking his first senior boundary before being dismissed for six. 
Monty [left] is in the U12s Wiltshire squad and is in his third season at South Wilts after starting cricket through the club’s community cricket scheme at age 9 years. 
His proud mother Melanie was happy to buy the celebratory five-wicket ‘jug’ of beer when the South Wilts team returned to Bemerton after the game, though Monty was happy to sip a lemonade ...

Winterbourne

POPULAR Basingstoke & North Hants cricketer Ian Crossley, who played cricket and football for several North Hampshire teams for more than two decades, sadly died over Christmas, aged 86.
He played as a top order batsman at May's Bounty for over 40 years, turning out for all the club's teams, alongside the XL Club.
A superb organiser, Ian played for several clubs in the Test Valley, including Portals Athletic and Laverstoke Park Abion, before managing Winchester City. He later managed Newbury Town before going on to be commercial manager of Aldershot Town and Wealdstone.
“He was always upbeat and full of energy,” said Matt, who played football for Wycombe Wanderers under Martin O’Neill. 
“Dad was quite well-known, maybe not over the last few years, but within the 80s and 90s when he played a lot of cricket and football in the local area.”

Ian Crossley (right) pictured with XL club legend Christopher Bazalgette