Tom Cheater SPL best for South Wilts [Roy Honeybone pictures]]
Jude Wright
Tom Cheater made his highest South Wilts score but visitors Alton cruised to a five-wicket win in the ECB Southern Premier League curtain raiser at Bemerton.
The Oxford UCCE student made 80 but, Tom Grant (32) apart, lacked any real support from his team-mates as South Wilts slithered to 178 all out.
The Brewers, 79 without loss at one stage, polished off the target with ten overs to spare.
Cheater, now batting in middle-order, struck a six and 11 fours, but saw a succession of team-mates depart, Jude Wright (4-53) striking two early blows before South Wilts lost three wickets for one run at 101. Tom South took two of them.
Cheater departed at 156 – a third victim for Wright – having made half the South Wilts total, which left Grant (32) the responsibility of adding runs at the end.
It was to no avail as Abhay Gonella (69) and Freddie Egleston (38) put South Wilts firmly in driving seat with an opening stand of 76. It was all downhill after that as Grant’s three-wickets apart, Alton cruised to victory.
* South Wilts’ opening bowler Rhys Willmore has returned to South Africa for personal and family reasons.
The Oxford UCCE student made 80 but, Tom Grant (32) apart, lacked any real support from his team-mates as South Wilts slithered to 178 all out.
The Brewers, 79 without loss at one stage, polished off the target with ten overs to spare.
Cheater, now batting in middle-order, struck a six and 11 fours, but saw a succession of team-mates depart, Jude Wright (4-53) striking two early blows before South Wilts lost three wickets for one run at 101. Tom South took two of them.
Cheater departed at 156 – a third victim for Wright – having made half the South Wilts total, which left Grant (32) the responsibility of adding runs at the end.
It was to no avail as Abhay Gonella (69) and Freddie Egleston (38) put South Wilts firmly in driving seat with an opening stand of 76. It was all downhill after that as Grant’s three-wickets apart, Alton cruised to victory.
* South Wilts’ opening bowler Rhys Willmore has returned to South Africa for personal and family reasons.
Abhay Gonella
