Paul Hungerford has admitted the absence of overseas star Andrew Webb for the opening stages of Portchester’s Hampshire League County Division 1 season has been a ‘shocker’.
The Australian overseas player scored more than 600 runs for each of the past two seasons as the club finished a superb second in the league, writes Kevin Ricketts of the Portsmouth News.
The batsman was all set to return for a third season at Cams Hill but disaster struck when he arrived at Heathrow Airport.
“He failed to get through border control,’ said skipper Hungerford. “The authorities held him in a holding cell for 30 hours and questioned him. He was coming over to stay with his long-term girlfriend and play cricket for Portchester. Unfortunately, he lacked the required paperwork to prove that and they sent him back.
“He is now back in Australia sorting it all out.Hopefully that will happen in the next couple of weeks because he is a difficult player to replace.’
The absence of Webb has only added to the problems facing Portchester this summer.
The club have lost their other three leading batsmen from the side that was so successful last season.
Rich Locke has joined Southern Electric Premier League Division 2 front-runners Portsmouth and his brother Curtis Locke is not available because of family commitments. Weekend work has also cost Portchester the services of last season’s captain Tom Adams.
The Australian overseas player scored more than 600 runs for each of the past two seasons as the club finished a superb second in the league, writes Kevin Ricketts of the Portsmouth News.
The batsman was all set to return for a third season at Cams Hill but disaster struck when he arrived at Heathrow Airport.
“He failed to get through border control,’ said skipper Hungerford. “The authorities held him in a holding cell for 30 hours and questioned him. He was coming over to stay with his long-term girlfriend and play cricket for Portchester. Unfortunately, he lacked the required paperwork to prove that and they sent him back.
“He is now back in Australia sorting it all out.Hopefully that will happen in the next couple of weeks because he is a difficult player to replace.’
The absence of Webb has only added to the problems facing Portchester this summer.
The club have lost their other three leading batsmen from the side that was so successful last season.
Rich Locke has joined Southern Electric Premier League Division 2 front-runners Portsmouth and his brother Curtis Locke is not available because of family commitments. Weekend work has also cost Portchester the services of last season’s captain Tom Adams.
