Sparsholt took a wicket with the second ball of the match at the Jubilee Ground, but that was as good as it got as Alton piled up 286-6 before inflicting a 78-run defeat on the Southern Premier Division 1’s bottom side.
Jerry Frith’s side were jubilant when Ryan Hale feathered Josh Williams’s second ball into Josh May’s gloves.
But it was a long while before Sparsholt celebrated again as in-form Dan Harris (98), who has 322 league runs this term, and Mark Heffernan (78) added 178 for the second wicket.
Ironically, Callum Doran (3-53) dismissed both batsmen within four balls of each other in the 38th over – Harris and Heffernan each scoring 12 boundaries.
It left Michael Heffernan (40) and Tom South (26) with the task of taking Alton from 178-3 to an eventual 286-6.
A three-wicket burst by South African Bash Walters and a maiden SPL scalp for debutant Zach Gadsby left Sparsholt’s reply in ruins at 29-4.
Oli Williams (32), Doran (32) and one-time Isle of Wight starlet Tim Simmonite (42) repaired the damage and lifted Sparsholt to 130-6, but when Walters reappeared for his second spell wickets tumbled again, the Western Province seamer completing a 6-24 return as the visitors sank to 139-9.
Ash Lovell wasn’t prepared to give up the ghost and with Tom Ley at the other end, blasted an unbeaten 49 before his pace bowling partner was run out off the penultimate ball. Sparsholt were 208 all out.
Jerry Frith’s side were jubilant when Ryan Hale feathered Josh Williams’s second ball into Josh May’s gloves.
But it was a long while before Sparsholt celebrated again as in-form Dan Harris (98), who has 322 league runs this term, and Mark Heffernan (78) added 178 for the second wicket.
Ironically, Callum Doran (3-53) dismissed both batsmen within four balls of each other in the 38th over – Harris and Heffernan each scoring 12 boundaries.
It left Michael Heffernan (40) and Tom South (26) with the task of taking Alton from 178-3 to an eventual 286-6.
A three-wicket burst by South African Bash Walters and a maiden SPL scalp for debutant Zach Gadsby left Sparsholt’s reply in ruins at 29-4.
Oli Williams (32), Doran (32) and one-time Isle of Wight starlet Tim Simmonite (42) repaired the damage and lifted Sparsholt to 130-6, but when Walters reappeared for his second spell wickets tumbled again, the Western Province seamer completing a 6-24 return as the visitors sank to 139-9.
Ash Lovell wasn’t prepared to give up the ghost and with Tom Ley at the other end, blasted an unbeaten 49 before his pace bowling partner was run out off the penultimate ball. Sparsholt were 208 all out.