Fair Oak pulled off a narrow five-run Southern Premier League Cup victory out of the fire against Division 2/3 West rivals Fawley, who at one stage appeared to be holding all the cards, writes Greg Boughton.
Oaks lost both openers at 33 (Gregor McKenzie 23), but Ed Kemp (62) constructed stands of 50 with Charlie Gwynn (23) and Jimmy Hawkings (the third home batsman to be out for 23) before falling to Bailey Parratt (3-29) for a fine 62. From 180-7 the innings subsided quickly, the last couple of wickets yielding just five runs. Roly Coutts and Sufian Munir each took two Oaks wickets.
With Fawley strolling to 101-1 and Will Crossley and Brendan Streather well set, Oaks had plenty to do. But leggie Rufus Bullough had Streather (30) taken by James Gradwell and skittled danger-man Munir for 17 en route to figures of 2-40. Gwynn and McKenzie applied pressure with tight bowling spells in the middle overs as the balance began to tilt in the home side’s direction.
Fawley needed to up the scoring rate, but the return of Charterhouse schooled opening bowler Hawkings (3-23) had the opposite effect. He dismissed top scorer Crossley (left) for 72 and Tom Edwards for 18 before running out Callum Earl late on to leave the visitors five runs short when their 40 overs expired. Fawley closed 180-6.
Trojans, who go to Fawley on Saturday, were always in the driving seat against a weakened Hythe & Dibden once openers Nigel le Bas (45) and Ed Boyd (30) had put on 81. Syed Agha added 48 as Trojans progressed to 202-6.
Hythe were in desperate trouble at 51-1, but recovered to reach 166 all out through Tom Richards (37) and Fabio Roberts (57). Harvey Singh took three of their wickets.
Oaks lost both openers at 33 (Gregor McKenzie 23), but Ed Kemp (62) constructed stands of 50 with Charlie Gwynn (23) and Jimmy Hawkings (the third home batsman to be out for 23) before falling to Bailey Parratt (3-29) for a fine 62. From 180-7 the innings subsided quickly, the last couple of wickets yielding just five runs. Roly Coutts and Sufian Munir each took two Oaks wickets.
With Fawley strolling to 101-1 and Will Crossley and Brendan Streather well set, Oaks had plenty to do. But leggie Rufus Bullough had Streather (30) taken by James Gradwell and skittled danger-man Munir for 17 en route to figures of 2-40. Gwynn and McKenzie applied pressure with tight bowling spells in the middle overs as the balance began to tilt in the home side’s direction.
Fawley needed to up the scoring rate, but the return of Charterhouse schooled opening bowler Hawkings (3-23) had the opposite effect. He dismissed top scorer Crossley (left) for 72 and Tom Edwards for 18 before running out Callum Earl late on to leave the visitors five runs short when their 40 overs expired. Fawley closed 180-6.
Trojans, who go to Fawley on Saturday, were always in the driving seat against a weakened Hythe & Dibden once openers Nigel le Bas (45) and Ed Boyd (30) had put on 81. Syed Agha added 48 as Trojans progressed to 202-6.
Hythe were in desperate trouble at 51-1, but recovered to reach 166 all out through Tom Richards (37) and Fabio Roberts (57). Harvey Singh took three of their wickets.
