Terry Jamieson
Old Tauntonians & Romsey clinched the British Gas Southern League Division 2 title, amid high drama with a one-run win on Hartley Wintney’s historic Cricket Green.
They’ve been playing cricket on the Green for over 200 years, but it’s doubtful if there’s ever been such a finale to a match – or a league championship – as the one played out in glorious early autumn sunshine there last weekend.
The winner take all showdown between Division 2’s top two sides had twists and turns galore, with fingers nails being gnawed to the bone as OTs somehow clung on and defend 217 and, in a dramatic finish, bowl Hartley Wintney out for 216 to win by one run.
It was pulsating stuff – a fitting finale played out in front of 400 or so enthralled spectators who lined the delightful village green with their picnic hampers and baskets.
OTs, who began the day with a five-point lead at the top of the table, got away to a dream 92-run start through Nick DeStefano (69) and Steve Smith (32), but then lost three wickets for eight runs.
As the innings ebbed and flowed, so Pete Newman (25), Joe Vaughan (15) and Jody Brown (19) scored precious runs.
Hartley Wintney kept taking wickets, at the same time conceding far too many extras, 36 in all, 24 of them wides. Sundries were to cost them dear.
Rhys Batcup (4-36) and Scott Baldwin, whose 3-35 included three clean bowled victims, and New Zealander Henry Collier (2-35) took the HW bowling credits, the Kiwi spin all-rounder getting responsive bounce and turn from a top drawer strip.
A surface to favour spin was music to OTs’ ears – the Romsey visitors employing four slowies – one of them, Pete Newman (2-25) quickly reducing the hosts to 11-2.
It was long evident that New Zealand pair Collier (58) and Baldwin would hold the key – and when the Kiwis took the Hartley Wintney score into treble figures, the odds were in their favour.
But the left-hander went for one sweep too many and was trapped leg before by young Joe Vaughan (2-55), who soon after bowled Jamie Teale.
Two more wickets fell to Rob Newman (4-41) at 157 to tip the scales in OTs favour- but, six down, the tall, upright and fair haired Baldwin still remained a huge threat.
He made a superb 85 but at 191 picked out Danny Mogg and OTs were back in the driving seat.
Batcup, however, kept the pot boiling, working Hartley Wintney ever closer to OTs’ 217 total.
Hartley got to 213-7 and were on the brink of victory – and the championship – but in a dramatic finish lost their last three wickets for two runs – two of them to left-arm spinner Matt Bampton (2-33) -and were all out for 216 with two balls remaining.
When Bampton clean bowled Ollie Waddington, the little left-armer was engulfed by his OTs’ team-mates.
The celebrations had begun .. and ran long into the night !
They’ve been playing cricket on the Green for over 200 years, but it’s doubtful if there’s ever been such a finale to a match – or a league championship – as the one played out in glorious early autumn sunshine there last weekend.
The winner take all showdown between Division 2’s top two sides had twists and turns galore, with fingers nails being gnawed to the bone as OTs somehow clung on and defend 217 and, in a dramatic finish, bowl Hartley Wintney out for 216 to win by one run.
It was pulsating stuff – a fitting finale played out in front of 400 or so enthralled spectators who lined the delightful village green with their picnic hampers and baskets.
OTs, who began the day with a five-point lead at the top of the table, got away to a dream 92-run start through Nick DeStefano (69) and Steve Smith (32), but then lost three wickets for eight runs.
As the innings ebbed and flowed, so Pete Newman (25), Joe Vaughan (15) and Jody Brown (19) scored precious runs.
Hartley Wintney kept taking wickets, at the same time conceding far too many extras, 36 in all, 24 of them wides. Sundries were to cost them dear.
Rhys Batcup (4-36) and Scott Baldwin, whose 3-35 included three clean bowled victims, and New Zealander Henry Collier (2-35) took the HW bowling credits, the Kiwi spin all-rounder getting responsive bounce and turn from a top drawer strip.
A surface to favour spin was music to OTs’ ears – the Romsey visitors employing four slowies – one of them, Pete Newman (2-25) quickly reducing the hosts to 11-2.
It was long evident that New Zealand pair Collier (58) and Baldwin would hold the key – and when the Kiwis took the Hartley Wintney score into treble figures, the odds were in their favour.
But the left-hander went for one sweep too many and was trapped leg before by young Joe Vaughan (2-55), who soon after bowled Jamie Teale.
Two more wickets fell to Rob Newman (4-41) at 157 to tip the scales in OTs favour- but, six down, the tall, upright and fair haired Baldwin still remained a huge threat.
He made a superb 85 but at 191 picked out Danny Mogg and OTs were back in the driving seat.
Batcup, however, kept the pot boiling, working Hartley Wintney ever closer to OTs’ 217 total.
Hartley got to 213-7 and were on the brink of victory – and the championship – but in a dramatic finish lost their last three wickets for two runs – two of them to left-arm spinner Matt Bampton (2-33) -and were all out for 216 with two balls remaining.
When Bampton clean bowled Ollie Waddington, the little left-armer was engulfed by his OTs’ team-mates.
The celebrations had begun .. and ran long into the night !
Nick Destefano sweeps for four, snapped by Terry Jamieson
Scott Baldwin, 85 for Hartley Wintney [Terry Jamieson]
Rob Newman, key 4-wicket haul for OTs ... Terry Jamieson pic.
