St Cross Symondians have boosted their prospects for the upcoming ECB Southern Premier League campaign by signing Hampshire all-rounder Brad Taylor.
The 24-year old made his debut against South Wilts, scoring a key 76 in a century fourth-wicket partnership which eased St Cross to a comfortable victory at the Green Jackets ground.
Beset by ankle injuries and then side-lined by the pandemic, it was the first time Taylor had played since Hampshire’s Vitality t20 Blast match against Somerset in 2019.
St Cross skipper Ed Ellis, who hit an unbeaten 43 in the match clinching stand, said: “It’s great to have Brad on board, his top level experience will offer so much to the club.
“Brad has fitted in extremely well already and is a top club man. We were thrilled he did so well in his first game in 18 months and no doubt he will back it up in the weeks to come.”
With Taylor on board, alongside home grown Hampshire team-mate Felix Organ, St Cross appear to be the team to beat in what looks a strong Premier League this summer.
The comfortable manner in which they brushed aside South Wilts suggests they will be contesting the silverware alongside, probably 2019 winners Bashley (Rydal) and Havant, but with a cluster of other clubs eager to get into the mix.
Despite Terry Morton and teenager Jack Stearman making their first significant scores of the season, South Wilts were unable to post a sufficiently high enough total at the GJG.
Morton made 80 and Stearman 78, the pair sharing a 148-run opening partnership, but between them ate up the lions share of South Wilts’ 45 overs.
Victims
Morton hit three sixes and six fours, while Stearman underlined the value of his winter weight training to sky one maximum and hit six other boundaries.
Organ bowled a tidy nine overs of spin without reward, while Harry Came and Alex Woolvine took two wickets each.
Soon after St Cross set out in pursuit of South Wilts’ 219-6, Organ nicked off to a catch behind off left-armer Ben Huntley, but Tom Foyle, fresh from three victims behind the stumps, rattled of eight boundaries in a quick fire 44.
Came (38) batted steadily before becoming the second of Matt Burton’s three victims at 101-3.
But any prospect South Wilts had of containing their Winchester hosts were ended by a century fourth-wicket stand between Taylor (72) and Ed Ellis (43 not out) who took St Cross to within touching distance of victory.
St Cross, who go to Hook & Newnham Basics on Saturday (12.30), completed the double over South Wilts with the second team beating their counterparts by 75 runs at Bemerton.
A century stand between Joe Lewis (79) and Ben Gould (60) underpinned Symondians’ powerful 272-5 (Jason Laney 37), Rob Pittman’s five overs being flogged for 60 !
Cam Braans took 5-41 as South Wilts were dismissed for 197 (Sam Litchfield 44).
The 24-year old made his debut against South Wilts, scoring a key 76 in a century fourth-wicket partnership which eased St Cross to a comfortable victory at the Green Jackets ground.
Beset by ankle injuries and then side-lined by the pandemic, it was the first time Taylor had played since Hampshire’s Vitality t20 Blast match against Somerset in 2019.
St Cross skipper Ed Ellis, who hit an unbeaten 43 in the match clinching stand, said: “It’s great to have Brad on board, his top level experience will offer so much to the club.
“Brad has fitted in extremely well already and is a top club man. We were thrilled he did so well in his first game in 18 months and no doubt he will back it up in the weeks to come.”
With Taylor on board, alongside home grown Hampshire team-mate Felix Organ, St Cross appear to be the team to beat in what looks a strong Premier League this summer.
The comfortable manner in which they brushed aside South Wilts suggests they will be contesting the silverware alongside, probably 2019 winners Bashley (Rydal) and Havant, but with a cluster of other clubs eager to get into the mix.
Despite Terry Morton and teenager Jack Stearman making their first significant scores of the season, South Wilts were unable to post a sufficiently high enough total at the GJG.
Morton made 80 and Stearman 78, the pair sharing a 148-run opening partnership, but between them ate up the lions share of South Wilts’ 45 overs.
Victims
Morton hit three sixes and six fours, while Stearman underlined the value of his winter weight training to sky one maximum and hit six other boundaries.
Organ bowled a tidy nine overs of spin without reward, while Harry Came and Alex Woolvine took two wickets each.
Soon after St Cross set out in pursuit of South Wilts’ 219-6, Organ nicked off to a catch behind off left-armer Ben Huntley, but Tom Foyle, fresh from three victims behind the stumps, rattled of eight boundaries in a quick fire 44.
Came (38) batted steadily before becoming the second of Matt Burton’s three victims at 101-3.
But any prospect South Wilts had of containing their Winchester hosts were ended by a century fourth-wicket stand between Taylor (72) and Ed Ellis (43 not out) who took St Cross to within touching distance of victory.
St Cross, who go to Hook & Newnham Basics on Saturday (12.30), completed the double over South Wilts with the second team beating their counterparts by 75 runs at Bemerton.
A century stand between Joe Lewis (79) and Ben Gould (60) underpinned Symondians’ powerful 272-5 (Jason Laney 37), Rob Pittman’s five overs being flogged for 60 !
Cam Braans took 5-41 as South Wilts were dismissed for 197 (Sam Litchfield 44).
