Ben Smith, pictured, etched his name into the NatWest Under-16 Indoor Cricket League annals by becoming probably the youngest player to make a half-century in the competition’s 15-year history.
The 13-year old Wildern School all-rounder glued the Fair Oak innings of 106-5 after Basingstoke’s Mikhal Saujani (3-20) had ripped through the Oak’s top order, clean bowling all three victims.
Alas, Smith’s valiant efforts were in vain as Ben Firrell (27) and George Metzer (25) guided Basingstoke to a four-wicket win.
Compton & Chandler’s Ford opened their title defence by whipping Parley out for 28 before coasting to a four-wicket win, while the New Forest stunned the county Development six with a comfortable three-wicket victory.
Tom South and Mark Watson both ‘retired’ in a total of 127-2, which the Forest youngsters successfully chased down with Redlynch & Hales’s Ben Fisher, and New Milton pair Connor Tompkins and Campbell Golding all unbeaten.
Results -
Parley 28 (Littlehales 2-3), Lovell 2-9) Compton & CF 30-2.
Fair Oak 106-5 (Smith 56*, Saujani 3-20) Basingstoke 109-2 (Firrell 27*, Metzer 25*).
Development 127-2 (South 27*, Watson 27*) New Forest 131-3 (Fisher 27*, Tomkins 26*, Goldring 25).
The 13-year old Wildern School all-rounder glued the Fair Oak innings of 106-5 after Basingstoke’s Mikhal Saujani (3-20) had ripped through the Oak’s top order, clean bowling all three victims.
Alas, Smith’s valiant efforts were in vain as Ben Firrell (27) and George Metzer (25) guided Basingstoke to a four-wicket win.
Compton & Chandler’s Ford opened their title defence by whipping Parley out for 28 before coasting to a four-wicket win, while the New Forest stunned the county Development six with a comfortable three-wicket victory.
Tom South and Mark Watson both ‘retired’ in a total of 127-2, which the Forest youngsters successfully chased down with Redlynch & Hales’s Ben Fisher, and New Milton pair Connor Tompkins and Campbell Golding all unbeaten.
Results -
Parley 28 (Littlehales 2-3), Lovell 2-9) Compton & CF 30-2.
Fair Oak 106-5 (Smith 56*, Saujani 3-20) Basingstoke 109-2 (Firrell 27*, Metzer 25*).
Development 127-2 (South 27*, Watson 27*) New Forest 131-3 (Fisher 27*, Tomkins 26*, Goldring 25).
