Ethan Baker was run out off the last ball as the Hampshire Academy tried desperately to score nine runs off Simon Beetham’s final over – the ECB Southern Premier League thriller ending in a tie with both sides totalling 244-9 !
Baker (22) and Louis Pritchard (24) shared a ninth-wicket stand of 45 to get the Academy with striking distance of the St Cross score, having come together in the 43rd over with the Young Hawks an uncertain 199-8.
But run-by-run and extra-by-extra (there were 27 wides among the 32 sundries) the Bashley (Rydal) teens nudged the Academy closer, taking the Young Hawks reply to 236-8 at the start of the 50th and last over.
Two runs came off the initial two deliveries, then a dot ball off the third before Baker hit Beetham’s fourth to the boundary. Three runs required off the last two balls.
Baker hit two more off the penultimate ball to level the scores at 244 each – but hit the sixth and last delivery to Sam Beer at short cover and was run out by the Australian at the non-striker’s end.
It was a dramatic finish to an absorbing match, which saw both sides disappointed they didn’t win.
St Cross probably felt they should have closed the match down with the Academy 199-8, but to their credit the county youngsters refused to lie down and deserved a share of the spoils.
With South Wilts’ beaten by Bashley (Rydal), the situation at the top of the Premier Division has become even closer, with just two points separating St Cross from the Bemerton club and the Academy continuing to lurk dangerously close in third place.
Earlier, virtually all the St Cross batsmen made starts, with Tom Foyle (29) sitting a fast pace but only Harry Trussler (35) and Charlie Gwynn (38) made a real impact before Ed Ellis powered a breezy 51 to take the score to 193-4 with ten overs left.
Those final ten overs yielded only 51 runs, Eton’s Finn Calderwood (3-41) and Archie Fairfax-Ross (3-54) bowling decent left-arm sting from the Hilton hotel end.
Baker (22) and Louis Pritchard (24) shared a ninth-wicket stand of 45 to get the Academy with striking distance of the St Cross score, having come together in the 43rd over with the Young Hawks an uncertain 199-8.
But run-by-run and extra-by-extra (there were 27 wides among the 32 sundries) the Bashley (Rydal) teens nudged the Academy closer, taking the Young Hawks reply to 236-8 at the start of the 50th and last over.
Two runs came off the initial two deliveries, then a dot ball off the third before Baker hit Beetham’s fourth to the boundary. Three runs required off the last two balls.
Baker hit two more off the penultimate ball to level the scores at 244 each – but hit the sixth and last delivery to Sam Beer at short cover and was run out by the Australian at the non-striker’s end.
It was a dramatic finish to an absorbing match, which saw both sides disappointed they didn’t win.
St Cross probably felt they should have closed the match down with the Academy 199-8, but to their credit the county youngsters refused to lie down and deserved a share of the spoils.
With South Wilts’ beaten by Bashley (Rydal), the situation at the top of the Premier Division has become even closer, with just two points separating St Cross from the Bemerton club and the Academy continuing to lurk dangerously close in third place.
Earlier, virtually all the St Cross batsmen made starts, with Tom Foyle (29) sitting a fast pace but only Harry Trussler (35) and Charlie Gwynn (38) made a real impact before Ed Ellis powered a breezy 51 to take the score to 193-4 with ten overs left.
Those final ten overs yielded only 51 runs, Eton’s Finn Calderwood (3-41) and Archie Fairfax-Ross (3-54) bowling decent left-arm sting from the Hilton hotel end.
Joe Eckland (63) steadied the Academy reply, watching as numerous team-mates frittered their wickets away, often unnecessarily, to the point that at 199-8 when Sam Ruffell (21) became Beer’s third victim, victory appeared unlikely.
But that 45-run stand between the Bashley boys almost swung it round. In the end, honours were probably evenly shared. Great game !
But that 45-run stand between the Bashley boys almost swung it round. In the end, honours were probably evenly shared. Great game !