Stuart Ransley magnificent 143* for Havant : Ian Thacker photographs
Havant remain in the Southern Premier League’s second tier relegation area after Stuart Ransley’s superb century in vain during a May’s Bounty run-fest.
The 14-times SPL champions are seven points adrift of OTs & Romsey after a third successive loss, a 14-run reverse at fellow strugglers Basingstoke & North Hants.
Defeat was particularly tough on Ransley, who equalled his career best with an unbeaten 143 as Havant failed to overhaul their hosts’ 305 all out target.
Facing 144 balls, Ransley hit 14 fours and four sixes in what was his 15th century for the club – coming 22 years after his maiden ton.
It equalled his career best, made against New Milton eight years ago in a top flight fixture.
Ransley shared three decent stands, 98 for the third wicket with Harrison Barnard (32), 51 for the fifth with Chris Morgan (25) and 56 for the sixth, in just 4.3 overs, with Warren Turner (14).
The clock was always against them, though, and by the time Brad Neal (4-65) ran in to deliver the final over Havant required an unlikely 28 to win.
The 14-times SPL champions are seven points adrift of OTs & Romsey after a third successive loss, a 14-run reverse at fellow strugglers Basingstoke & North Hants.
Defeat was particularly tough on Ransley, who equalled his career best with an unbeaten 143 as Havant failed to overhaul their hosts’ 305 all out target.
Facing 144 balls, Ransley hit 14 fours and four sixes in what was his 15th century for the club – coming 22 years after his maiden ton.
It equalled his career best, made against New Milton eight years ago in a top flight fixture.
Ransley shared three decent stands, 98 for the third wicket with Harrison Barnard (32), 51 for the fifth with Chris Morgan (25) and 56 for the sixth, in just 4.3 overs, with Warren Turner (14).
The clock was always against them, though, and by the time Brad Neal (4-65) ran in to deliver the final over Havant required an unlikely 28 to win.
Matthew Phillip
They managed 13 of them, second team captain Thomas Wragg hitting the final ball of an absorbing contest to the boundary as his side finished on 291-7.
Havant, who took the field without key players Richard Hindley, Pete Hopson, Chris Stone and Ron Woolley, would earlier have been happy no doubt to reduce Basingstoke to 157-6, having lost the toss.
Guernsey raised Matthew Philip, a student at Winchester university, helped them recover from 61-3, slamming 73 off 56 balls with eight fours and four sixes.
That was just the warm-up for Neal’s onslaught, though.
Coming in at 157-6, Neal thrashed his way to 80 off 45 balls with eight fours and five sixes, dominating a stand of 106 for the seventh wicket with Neil Shelar (37) in just 11 overs. His innings was a match changer - and winner !
Basingstoke & North Hants 305 (B Neal 80, Phillip 73, Shelar 37, Morgan 3-42, Zaloumis 3-97) Havant 291-7 (S Ransley 143*, Prentice 34, Barnard 32, Morgan 25, B Neal 4-65). Basingstoke & North Hants won by 14 runs.
Havant, who took the field without key players Richard Hindley, Pete Hopson, Chris Stone and Ron Woolley, would earlier have been happy no doubt to reduce Basingstoke to 157-6, having lost the toss.
Guernsey raised Matthew Philip, a student at Winchester university, helped them recover from 61-3, slamming 73 off 56 balls with eight fours and four sixes.
That was just the warm-up for Neal’s onslaught, though.
Coming in at 157-6, Neal thrashed his way to 80 off 45 balls with eight fours and five sixes, dominating a stand of 106 for the seventh wicket with Neil Shelar (37) in just 11 overs. His innings was a match changer - and winner !
Basingstoke & North Hants 305 (B Neal 80, Phillip 73, Shelar 37, Morgan 3-42, Zaloumis 3-97) Havant 291-7 (S Ransley 143*, Prentice 34, Barnard 32, Morgan 25, B Neal 4-65). Basingstoke & North Hants won by 14 runs.
Brad Neal scored 80 off 45 balls
