 Jack Mynott [Roy Honeybone pictures] |  Kamran Khanna, impressed for the Academy |
South Wilts must beat defending champions St Cross Symondians at Bemerton on Saturday (12.30) if they are to stand any chance of securing runners-up spot in the ECB Southern Premier League.
They go into their penultimate match effectively lagging the Winchester club by 15 points, having not achieved a top two finish since their four-year monopoly of the title itself ended in 2015.
South Wilts’ final game on August 31 is at champions designate Bashley (Rydal), who need 12 points from two games to clinch the championship.
For the second consecutive week Jack Mynott played a lead role for South Wilts, gluing the innings after four wickets had fallen for 104 against a young Hampshire Academy, three of them to the spin of Tom Prest (2-31) and Kamran Khanna (3-47).
Mynott, who is hopeful of playing one or two high profile matches when he returns to his prep school teaching post in Kenya shortly, grafted 122 balls for his 65 (four boundaries) before being bowled by Khanna, the young Bradfield spinner.
He saw numerous partners come and go, but Loughborough University bound Raff Hussey (25) was able to stay with him long enough to see a partnership of 36.
When Mynott was dismissed at 159- 6, the future did not look too bright for South Wilts.
They go into their penultimate match effectively lagging the Winchester club by 15 points, having not achieved a top two finish since their four-year monopoly of the title itself ended in 2015.
South Wilts’ final game on August 31 is at champions designate Bashley (Rydal), who need 12 points from two games to clinch the championship.
For the second consecutive week Jack Mynott played a lead role for South Wilts, gluing the innings after four wickets had fallen for 104 against a young Hampshire Academy, three of them to the spin of Tom Prest (2-31) and Kamran Khanna (3-47).
Mynott, who is hopeful of playing one or two high profile matches when he returns to his prep school teaching post in Kenya shortly, grafted 122 balls for his 65 (four boundaries) before being bowled by Khanna, the young Bradfield spinner.
He saw numerous partners come and go, but Loughborough University bound Raff Hussey (25) was able to stay with him long enough to see a partnership of 36.
When Mynott was dismissed at 159- 6, the future did not look too bright for South Wilts.
Peter Rowe hits out
Then newly-wed Aussie Peter Rowe (67: two sixes and seven fours) and Ryan Murray (35) added 99 for the sixth wicket – the best partnership of the match – South Wilts were headed for what had earlier seemed an unlikely 278-8
The Academy’s response was soon stopped in its tracks with Steve Warner (3-17) taking out Tom Prest and Tom South, followed by Arthur Godsal dismissing Fletcha Middleton and Luke Evans dismissing George Metzger to leave the county youngsters 73-4, with their top order batsmen all gone.
Jamie Regan (28) and Monaam Abbas (27) steadied the ship for a while, but when Ryan Murray and Jack Mynott were introduced it spelt the end for the Academy.
The Academy batsmen could neither score runs or protect their wickets as Murray claimed 3-14 from six overs (including two wicket maidens!) and the inspirational Mynott 2-7.
Stephen Warner was reintroduced into the attack and clinched the 150-run victory for South Wilts, courtesy of a third catch by Peter Rowe. The Academy were dismissed for 128.
The Academy’s response was soon stopped in its tracks with Steve Warner (3-17) taking out Tom Prest and Tom South, followed by Arthur Godsal dismissing Fletcha Middleton and Luke Evans dismissing George Metzger to leave the county youngsters 73-4, with their top order batsmen all gone.
Jamie Regan (28) and Monaam Abbas (27) steadied the ship for a while, but when Ryan Murray and Jack Mynott were introduced it spelt the end for the Academy.
The Academy batsmen could neither score runs or protect their wickets as Murray claimed 3-14 from six overs (including two wicket maidens!) and the inspirational Mynott 2-7.
Stephen Warner was reintroduced into the attack and clinched the 150-run victory for South Wilts, courtesy of a third catch by Peter Rowe. The Academy were dismissed for 128.
 |  South Wilts' Ryan Murray presses his claims for recognised all-rounder status after (left) scoring a quick-fire 35 off 27 balls and then taking 3-14 against the Hampshire Academy. [Roy Honeybone pictures] |
