Hampshire 225 all out Dorset 218-7. Hampshire won by seven runs
Post match, the Hampshire Seniors were sitting in the evening sun enjoying a beer on the terrace at Dean Park and reflecting on quite how they had managed to win this enthralling ECB 50-plus County Championship game against all the odds thus ensuring qualification for the knockout stages. Dorset, meanwhile, were left totally deflated having had the upper hand for most of the game.
Invited to bat, Hampshire openers Max Smith and Fawley’s Dave Streather were in imperious form stroking the ball to all parts with consummate ease. A 65-run opening stand ended when Streather (33) holed out at mid on. Hursley Park’s Chris Wheeler entered the fray continuing the tempo and 300 looked on the cards. However, cricket is never that predictable. Disaster struck on 109 in the 17th over when confusion led to Smith (46) being run out. The Seniors innings then imploded with the introduction of slow bowlers Dave Humphries, former Bournemouth seamer Joe Wilson and Dave Porter of Poole Town fame and father of Bashley’s Michael.
Wickets tumbled at an alarming rate, so much so that by the 26th over the Seniors innings was in tatters at 126-6 and qualification prospects looked ”on the rack”.
Basingstoke & North Hants all-rounder Keith Harsham (19), Gosport Borough’s Pete Robson (34) and Neill Sutherland (16) battled to rebuild the carnage towards a competitive score.
A last wicket stand of 27 by Nick Gargaro (New Milton) and one-time Cambridge University Blue Paul Garlick proved vital in the context of the game, Garlick being caught on the deep long on boundary off the last ball of the innings. At this stage the feeling was that Hampshire would struggle to contain the potentially powerful Dorset top order.
Weymouth’s Jim Ryall, the prolific Dorset opener was dropped at 2nd slip before scoring and several other chances went begging throughout the innings which did not help the Hampshire cause.
Eventually, with the score on 83, Max Smith bowled Ryall and then snared the dangerous Paul Pritchard, the former Essex county captain. Dorset remained in control as Young and Porter took the total to 175-2 with 8 overs remaining.
Harsham had Porter (51) caught then Gargaro picked up the key wicket of the tiring Young (73). Thereafter Dorset lost their way as the pressure increased. The heat was also rising for the notchers as they struggled to operate the Heath Robinson contraption that masquerades as a scorebox at Dean Park.
At this stage the experience of Hampshire’s bowlers came to the fore as they squeezed home by a mere seven runs in a nail biting finish.
A great game to watch for the neutral and a credit to Seniors cricket : Group 3 is becoming stronger each year with Cornwall especially having a very good season.
Post match, the Hampshire Seniors were sitting in the evening sun enjoying a beer on the terrace at Dean Park and reflecting on quite how they had managed to win this enthralling ECB 50-plus County Championship game against all the odds thus ensuring qualification for the knockout stages. Dorset, meanwhile, were left totally deflated having had the upper hand for most of the game.
Invited to bat, Hampshire openers Max Smith and Fawley’s Dave Streather were in imperious form stroking the ball to all parts with consummate ease. A 65-run opening stand ended when Streather (33) holed out at mid on. Hursley Park’s Chris Wheeler entered the fray continuing the tempo and 300 looked on the cards. However, cricket is never that predictable. Disaster struck on 109 in the 17th over when confusion led to Smith (46) being run out. The Seniors innings then imploded with the introduction of slow bowlers Dave Humphries, former Bournemouth seamer Joe Wilson and Dave Porter of Poole Town fame and father of Bashley’s Michael.
Wickets tumbled at an alarming rate, so much so that by the 26th over the Seniors innings was in tatters at 126-6 and qualification prospects looked ”on the rack”.
Basingstoke & North Hants all-rounder Keith Harsham (19), Gosport Borough’s Pete Robson (34) and Neill Sutherland (16) battled to rebuild the carnage towards a competitive score.
A last wicket stand of 27 by Nick Gargaro (New Milton) and one-time Cambridge University Blue Paul Garlick proved vital in the context of the game, Garlick being caught on the deep long on boundary off the last ball of the innings. At this stage the feeling was that Hampshire would struggle to contain the potentially powerful Dorset top order.
Weymouth’s Jim Ryall, the prolific Dorset opener was dropped at 2nd slip before scoring and several other chances went begging throughout the innings which did not help the Hampshire cause.
Eventually, with the score on 83, Max Smith bowled Ryall and then snared the dangerous Paul Pritchard, the former Essex county captain. Dorset remained in control as Young and Porter took the total to 175-2 with 8 overs remaining.
Harsham had Porter (51) caught then Gargaro picked up the key wicket of the tiring Young (73). Thereafter Dorset lost their way as the pressure increased. The heat was also rising for the notchers as they struggled to operate the Heath Robinson contraption that masquerades as a scorebox at Dean Park.
At this stage the experience of Hampshire’s bowlers came to the fore as they squeezed home by a mere seven runs in a nail biting finish.
A great game to watch for the neutral and a credit to Seniors cricket : Group 3 is becoming stronger each year with Cornwall especially having a very good season.
