Alton cricketers celebrate at the Jubilee after a 44-run victory over Basingstoke & North Hants clinched the Southern Premier Division 1 championship and a return to the ECB top flight after a 12 month absence.
Relegated in August 2021, the Brewers won 13 of their full complement of 18 matches to finish 17 points clear of Sarisbury Athletic, who stumbled badly at the end.
Beating a Basingstoke side (with a good point haul) desperate not to give them an inch was never going to b straight forward, but Dan Harris made 83 at the top of the order to ensure Alton enjoyed a box seat position early on. With initial support from Abhay Gonella (31) and then Huw Wheeler, he powered the Brewers to 133-2.
A half-century by Michael Heffernan (53), aided by Scott Myers and Freddie Egleston, took Alton to 255-8, with a maximum five batting points banked.
Myers struck a double blow in his opening over and Basingstoke were 47-3 before Matt Deadman (34) and Dean Nurse (59) began any form of resistance. Freddie Egleston’s left-arm spin brought rewards of 3-31, leaving Mat Thankachan (33*) to lead a late fightback from 146-8. By then, Alton had the champagne uncorked, Basingstoke reaching 211-9 by stumps, the tail adding 65.
Alton team celebrating (from left): Freddie Egleston, Nathan Vincent, Ethan Footit, Tom South, Abhay Gonella, Zak Gadsby, Dan Harris, Huw Wheeler, Bash Walters. Bottom Row (L to R): Ryan Hale, Mike Heffernan, Scott Myers, Mark Heffernan, Howard Gadsby. Front: Ryan Hale, Mike Heffernan, Scott Myers, Mark Heffernan, Howard Gadsby
Relegated in August 2021, the Brewers won 13 of their full complement of 18 matches to finish 17 points clear of Sarisbury Athletic, who stumbled badly at the end.
Beating a Basingstoke side (with a good point haul) desperate not to give them an inch was never going to b straight forward, but Dan Harris made 83 at the top of the order to ensure Alton enjoyed a box seat position early on. With initial support from Abhay Gonella (31) and then Huw Wheeler, he powered the Brewers to 133-2.
A half-century by Michael Heffernan (53), aided by Scott Myers and Freddie Egleston, took Alton to 255-8, with a maximum five batting points banked.
Myers struck a double blow in his opening over and Basingstoke were 47-3 before Matt Deadman (34) and Dean Nurse (59) began any form of resistance. Freddie Egleston’s left-arm spin brought rewards of 3-31, leaving Mat Thankachan (33*) to lead a late fightback from 146-8. By then, Alton had the champagne uncorked, Basingstoke reaching 211-9 by stumps, the tail adding 65.
Alton team celebrating (from left): Freddie Egleston, Nathan Vincent, Ethan Footit, Tom South, Abhay Gonella, Zak Gadsby, Dan Harris, Huw Wheeler, Bash Walters. Bottom Row (L to R): Ryan Hale, Mike Heffernan, Scott Myers, Mark Heffernan, Howard Gadsby. Front: Ryan Hale, Mike Heffernan, Scott Myers, Mark Heffernan, Howard Gadsby