Hampshire Under-17s Standing (from left): Tom Foster, Patrick Holly, Eli Samuel, Chris Searle, Jack Campbell, Ajeet Dale, Charlie Gwynne. Front: Harry Gadd, Billy Mead, Felix Organ, Tom Scriven, Alex Bone.
Hampshire’s young cricketers gave themselves a chance of topping their West regional group and qualifying for the semi-finals of the Specsavers ECB Under-17 County Championship with a dramatic last over victory against Gloucestershire at May’s Bounty.
They won by seven wickets with three balls to spare after twice bowling their West Country opponents out and being set 136 to win in the final session of the thee day match.
Chris Searle (4-29) and Felix Organ (4-59) shared eight wickets as Gloucestershire were dismissed for 214 in their first innings.
Despite top order contributions from Organ (44) and Tom Scriven (40), Hampshire were struggling at 189-8 in reply.
But Chris Searle (64) featured in two significant tail-end partnerships - initially with Tom Foster (46) and then Ajeet Dale (19) – worth 141 runs to enable Hampshire to reach 330 all out and a handy 116-run lead.
When Gloucestershire were dismissed for 251 (Jack Campbell and Charlie Gwynne each took three wickets) in their second innings, Hampshire required 136 for victory off 36 overs – a target they looked set to reach with some latitude when Eli Samuel (71) and George Metzger (31) were together.
But as both batsmen were dismissed, a nervous finale ensued, with Hampshire celebrating victory with three balls to spare.
Hampshire's next mission is to beat Devon in their final three-day match at Sandford (near Crediton), starting on Tuesday. Somerset currently top the log.
They won by seven wickets with three balls to spare after twice bowling their West Country opponents out and being set 136 to win in the final session of the thee day match.
Chris Searle (4-29) and Felix Organ (4-59) shared eight wickets as Gloucestershire were dismissed for 214 in their first innings.
Despite top order contributions from Organ (44) and Tom Scriven (40), Hampshire were struggling at 189-8 in reply.
But Chris Searle (64) featured in two significant tail-end partnerships - initially with Tom Foster (46) and then Ajeet Dale (19) – worth 141 runs to enable Hampshire to reach 330 all out and a handy 116-run lead.
When Gloucestershire were dismissed for 251 (Jack Campbell and Charlie Gwynne each took three wickets) in their second innings, Hampshire required 136 for victory off 36 overs – a target they looked set to reach with some latitude when Eli Samuel (71) and George Metzger (31) were together.
But as both batsmen were dismissed, a nervous finale ensued, with Hampshire celebrating victory with three balls to spare.
Hampshire's next mission is to beat Devon in their final three-day match at Sandford (near Crediton), starting on Tuesday. Somerset currently top the log.
