Steve Harris was the six-hitting hero as Langley Manor chased down Hartley Wintney’s 331-5 to pull off an astonishing five-wicket Southern Premier Division 2 win with five balls to spare.
He hit the first ball of the last over for a towering six into a nearby garden to complete a remarkable run chase by the Manor to climax a game which produced an aggregate 666 runs for the loss of only ten wickets, saw 20 sixes hit out of the ground and 60 fours.
Harris (left) finished 80 not out, but spare a thought for 16-year old Harry Broderick (97), who was bowled by Jack Budd three runs short of a maiden SPL century, and his skipper Will Kerr (92), who similarly perished to the Langley Manor captain in the nervous nineties.
The pair put on 181 for HW’s second wicket, Kerr hitting two sixes and 12 fours in his 92 and Broderick four maximums and ten fours before falling three runs short of a deserved hundred. With Scott Baldwin plundering 48 and Jamie Teale 27 Hartley Wintney closed at 331-5.
But any treble-figure score isn’t a win guarantee on Hartley’s fast scoring and historic Cricket Green, the venue of three previous 300-plus run chases in the past ten years.
Conor Browne (59) and Budd (37) got the Manor off to a 99-run start before Nick Doubell (77) shared stands of 86 with Elliot Ponting (33) and later Harris. Sixes and fours flew everywhere before Doubell departed at 281-5. 50 still needed and time running out.
Harris took up the challenge and with Jordie Smith (18 not out) alongside, smashed another 54 runs to get Langley Manor across the line with five balls to spare. In all, he hit five 4s and six sixes in his highest SPL score.
He hit the first ball of the last over for a towering six into a nearby garden to complete a remarkable run chase by the Manor to climax a game which produced an aggregate 666 runs for the loss of only ten wickets, saw 20 sixes hit out of the ground and 60 fours.
Harris (left) finished 80 not out, but spare a thought for 16-year old Harry Broderick (97), who was bowled by Jack Budd three runs short of a maiden SPL century, and his skipper Will Kerr (92), who similarly perished to the Langley Manor captain in the nervous nineties.
The pair put on 181 for HW’s second wicket, Kerr hitting two sixes and 12 fours in his 92 and Broderick four maximums and ten fours before falling three runs short of a deserved hundred. With Scott Baldwin plundering 48 and Jamie Teale 27 Hartley Wintney closed at 331-5.
But any treble-figure score isn’t a win guarantee on Hartley’s fast scoring and historic Cricket Green, the venue of three previous 300-plus run chases in the past ten years.
Conor Browne (59) and Budd (37) got the Manor off to a 99-run start before Nick Doubell (77) shared stands of 86 with Elliot Ponting (33) and later Harris. Sixes and fours flew everywhere before Doubell departed at 281-5. 50 still needed and time running out.
Harris took up the challenge and with Jordie Smith (18 not out) alongside, smashed another 54 runs to get Langley Manor across the line with five balls to spare. In all, he hit five 4s and six sixes in his highest SPL score.
 Out in the nervous nineties, above Harry Broderick (97) and right Hartley Wintney team-mate Will Kerr (92). Dave Vokes pictures. |  |
