Josh Buckingham peppered the KGV boundary hitting one six and 16 fours in a 65-ball innings of 94 as Hook & Newnham Basics charged to an eight-wicket win over Southern Premier Division 1 debutants Fair Oak, their mission completed with 15 overs to spare.
Anticipating a tough start at their highest participation level locally, Oaks lost two early wickets, but a third-wicket stand of 81 between Aussie debutant Connor Gibson (43) and Sam Reed (46) took them to the hundred mark without further loss. A clatter of wickets then followed, with the visitors declining to 163 for 8. Charlie Neville (3-32 and a catch) was prominent.
A fine partnership between youngsters Tom Clark (50*) and Lewis Goodyear (29*) rescued Fair Oak from the doldrums. Together they took their side to a competitive 230-8.
After tea the Hook batsmen won the game. They lost Sam Lockwood for 44 to a run-out with the score on 80, but keeper-batsman Josh Buckingham then peppered the boundary in a 65-ball innings of 94 to ensure a home victory. Buckingham fell to a Tom Merrill catch off Monty McKenzie at 221, but Neville was there throughout the innings. He finished not out on 60 with the hosts banking 21 points with fifteen overs to spare.
Anticipating a tough start at their highest participation level locally, Oaks lost two early wickets, but a third-wicket stand of 81 between Aussie debutant Connor Gibson (43) and Sam Reed (46) took them to the hundred mark without further loss. A clatter of wickets then followed, with the visitors declining to 163 for 8. Charlie Neville (3-32 and a catch) was prominent.
A fine partnership between youngsters Tom Clark (50*) and Lewis Goodyear (29*) rescued Fair Oak from the doldrums. Together they took their side to a competitive 230-8.
After tea the Hook batsmen won the game. They lost Sam Lockwood for 44 to a run-out with the score on 80, but keeper-batsman Josh Buckingham then peppered the boundary in a 65-ball innings of 94 to ensure a home victory. Buckingham fell to a Tom Merrill catch off Monty McKenzie at 221, but Neville was there throughout the innings. He finished not out on 60 with the hosts banking 21 points with fifteen overs to spare.
Oaks' Conor Gibson goes big [Ian Thacker pictures)
