Veteran Basingstoke & North Hants all-rounder Keith Harsham smashed a blistering 98 not out off 65 balls to sweep Hampshire Seniors to a thrilling two-wicket win over Berkshire and a place in the ECB 50-plus County Championship quarter-finals.
Harsham (pictured) cracked five sixes and eight fours as Hampshire chased down a demanding Berkshire total of 283-6 to win with eight balls to spare. Their reward is a home tie with Essex at New Milton on Sunday, 1pm.
Berkshire’s score was based around Simon Myles (87) and Richard O’Toole, who arrived at the crease at 144-3 of 29 overs and struck a magnificent 100 not out immediately before the tea interval. He hit four sixes and nine fours – and sent Seniors president John Rickard hurrying off to the nearby cake shop for a bag of iced buns.
Understandably, Hampshire were a little subdued facing a monumental task to progress, especially when Sparsholt’s Andy Worth (4) departed early. But Dave Streather (26) batted steadily before being bowled.
Stu Shapland, still smarting from the pre-tea pasting he received from O’Toole, joined Andy Giles (39) taking the total to 99 before the Basingstoke prospect was bowled (doing a Jason Roy) and dancing down the wicket.
Fourth wicket pair Shapland and Harsham accelerated the scoring rate with a proliferation of boundaries as the game started to swing in Hampshire’s favour. Shapland (46) tweaked a hamstring before being castled after a quick fire knock.
Meanwhile local boy Harsham was in imperious form and totally focused on the job in hand dispatching the ball to all parts. Receiving good support from the lower order, Hampshire edged towards their target.
The Seniors’ contingent watched nervously from the balcony as Chris Wheeler, Stuart (24), Manders and Taylor all made their way back to the pavilion.
Skipper Nick Gargaro, the most economical of the Seniors’ bowlers, was at the crease as Harsham (98*) (5x6, 8x4) hit the winning boundary in the penultimate over for a memorable victory.
Harsham (pictured) cracked five sixes and eight fours as Hampshire chased down a demanding Berkshire total of 283-6 to win with eight balls to spare. Their reward is a home tie with Essex at New Milton on Sunday, 1pm.
Berkshire’s score was based around Simon Myles (87) and Richard O’Toole, who arrived at the crease at 144-3 of 29 overs and struck a magnificent 100 not out immediately before the tea interval. He hit four sixes and nine fours – and sent Seniors president John Rickard hurrying off to the nearby cake shop for a bag of iced buns.
Understandably, Hampshire were a little subdued facing a monumental task to progress, especially when Sparsholt’s Andy Worth (4) departed early. But Dave Streather (26) batted steadily before being bowled.
Stu Shapland, still smarting from the pre-tea pasting he received from O’Toole, joined Andy Giles (39) taking the total to 99 before the Basingstoke prospect was bowled (doing a Jason Roy) and dancing down the wicket.
Fourth wicket pair Shapland and Harsham accelerated the scoring rate with a proliferation of boundaries as the game started to swing in Hampshire’s favour. Shapland (46) tweaked a hamstring before being castled after a quick fire knock.
Meanwhile local boy Harsham was in imperious form and totally focused on the job in hand dispatching the ball to all parts. Receiving good support from the lower order, Hampshire edged towards their target.
The Seniors’ contingent watched nervously from the balcony as Chris Wheeler, Stuart (24), Manders and Taylor all made their way back to the pavilion.
Skipper Nick Gargaro, the most economical of the Seniors’ bowlers, was at the crease as Harsham (98*) (5x6, 8x4) hit the winning boundary in the penultimate over for a memorable victory.
