There needed to be a dramatic turnaround on the final day of the season if Wherwell were to snatch the County 4 North title from Chawton’s grasp.
Chawton were top and all they had to do was beat Alton third’s, the team from barely a mile down the road. They didn’t. Chawton were bowled out for 117 and lost by seven wickets.
Cue celebrations at Wherwell, who crushed Ampfield by 157 runs to grab the title by 11 points.
Chawton had comprehensively beaten Wherwell on the opening day of the season. All out 69 and beaten in 12 overs. The omens didn’t look good.
But seven days later, Oliver Emslie hit a six to win off the last ball at Longparish – and Wherwell were up and running.
They didn’t look back, sweeping to 11 successive wins, with five batsmen scoring over 380 runs, including Matt Cutts (559) and Ollie Emslie, who complimented his 531 runs with 30 wickets – a return which won the all-rounder the CD4 North bowling award.
Robbie Skeates made 446 runs, Alex Gladwyn 383, Mike Cutts 382, while Harry Trebert’s 25 victims included three separate six-wicket hauls.
Wherwell finished third in County 4 North in 2018, having almost gone under 12 months earlier.
But the glue that held everyone together this season was their fines system, which made them a closer knit team and kept morale high throughout the long periods of fielding.
Chawton were top and all they had to do was beat Alton third’s, the team from barely a mile down the road. They didn’t. Chawton were bowled out for 117 and lost by seven wickets.
Cue celebrations at Wherwell, who crushed Ampfield by 157 runs to grab the title by 11 points.
Chawton had comprehensively beaten Wherwell on the opening day of the season. All out 69 and beaten in 12 overs. The omens didn’t look good.
But seven days later, Oliver Emslie hit a six to win off the last ball at Longparish – and Wherwell were up and running.
They didn’t look back, sweeping to 11 successive wins, with five batsmen scoring over 380 runs, including Matt Cutts (559) and Ollie Emslie, who complimented his 531 runs with 30 wickets – a return which won the all-rounder the CD4 North bowling award.
Robbie Skeates made 446 runs, Alex Gladwyn 383, Mike Cutts 382, while Harry Trebert’s 25 victims included three separate six-wicket hauls.
Wherwell finished third in County 4 North in 2018, having almost gone under 12 months earlier.
But the glue that held everyone together this season was their fines system, which made them a closer knit team and kept morale high throughout the long periods of fielding.
