Liphook celebrate their Village Cup semi-final win over Mayfield [Nick Cansfield]
CHARLES Janczur said it was his proudest moment on a cricket pitch when Liphook & Ripsley completed an emphatic victory over Mayfield on Sunday.
The Liphook captain will be even prouder if he lifts the National Village Cup at Lord’s after the final against North Yorkshire club Folkton & Flixton on September 16.
The semi-final was expected to be close, with Mayfield top of the Sussex League Division Two, but Liphook outclassed their opponents, cheered on by the many supporters who had made the journey to the scenic ground near Tunbridge Wells.
“It was a true team performance,” said Janczur. “We showed so much heart, courage and composure to deliver an excellent all-round performance.
“It was a big toss to win as we wanted to set a target of 200-plus and really put the pressure on them in the field with so much on the line.
“The home fans believed we were 40 to 60 short on a lovely batting wicket, but I knew if we started well with a couple of early wickets, they would find it very difficult. All the bowlers were excellent and showed great discipline to close out the game.
“It’s a dream come true for all the players and everyone involved with the club. We have huge amounts of interest and hope to take a huge army of fans to Lord’s when the big day comes around.”
Liphook will tread the same Grace Gates path as past winners Longparish (1987) and Hursley Park (1992) - who won the Village Cup at the second time of asking – and Hambledon (1989) and Rowledge (1985) both beaten finalists.
Hampshire sides, in fact, appeared in six Lord’s finals between 1980 and 1992.
There were many more teams in the competition 30 years ago and it was a real achievement just to reach a regional final.
But that’s taking nothing away from Liphook who, four times in a row, have beaten four teams who were top of their respective leagues in Cookham Dean (Thames Valley), Oxford Downs (Cherwell), North Perrott (WEPL) and now Mayfield.
The Liphook captain will be even prouder if he lifts the National Village Cup at Lord’s after the final against North Yorkshire club Folkton & Flixton on September 16.
The semi-final was expected to be close, with Mayfield top of the Sussex League Division Two, but Liphook outclassed their opponents, cheered on by the many supporters who had made the journey to the scenic ground near Tunbridge Wells.
“It was a true team performance,” said Janczur. “We showed so much heart, courage and composure to deliver an excellent all-round performance.
“It was a big toss to win as we wanted to set a target of 200-plus and really put the pressure on them in the field with so much on the line.
“The home fans believed we were 40 to 60 short on a lovely batting wicket, but I knew if we started well with a couple of early wickets, they would find it very difficult. All the bowlers were excellent and showed great discipline to close out the game.
“It’s a dream come true for all the players and everyone involved with the club. We have huge amounts of interest and hope to take a huge army of fans to Lord’s when the big day comes around.”
Liphook will tread the same Grace Gates path as past winners Longparish (1987) and Hursley Park (1992) - who won the Village Cup at the second time of asking – and Hambledon (1989) and Rowledge (1985) both beaten finalists.
Hampshire sides, in fact, appeared in six Lord’s finals between 1980 and 1992.
There were many more teams in the competition 30 years ago and it was a real achievement just to reach a regional final.
But that’s taking nothing away from Liphook who, four times in a row, have beaten four teams who were top of their respective leagues in Cookham Dean (Thames Valley), Oxford Downs (Cherwell), North Perrott (WEPL) and now Mayfield.
Ryan Covey hits over cover for four
Choosing to bat first, Liphook found themselves up a classy opening attack in Joynal Ahmed and captain Robert Sharma (a major influence in the East Sussex club's win at Rowledge) and the signs were not good when Rob Nicklin and Harry Munt were back in the pavilion with only 23 runs on the board.
At that critical stage, Ryan Covey got his head down, setting himself to be the linchpin of the innings.
Suman Ganguly counter-attacked with a fast 25, including a massive six, only
to play on to James Chaplin. Liphook 56-3.
Covey was to share two more important partnerships. The stand of 70 with George Neave changed the course of the game. Neave’s share was 51 off 48 balls. Technically correct, he reined in his aggressive instincts and played some strokes that a seasoned cricket writer described as ‘magnificent’.
Restrained or not, Neave still managed to hit one ball out of the ground. He was then lbw to leg-spinner James Allen (he was so plumb in front he actually walked !) and with Ric Williams also trapped in front, Liphook were suddenly 127-5.
Covey and Jonny Pryce added 53 precious runs before Covey was unluckily
run out for 68 off 92 balls. His fierce straight drive smashed into the stumps at the non-striker’s end and amid the confusion, Covey was run out.
With five overs left, the returning Ahmed took a flurry of wickets, but Pryce
gave Sharma some ‘tap’ and was last out for 32 (37 balls), Liphook reaching 228 in the 40th and final over.
The well-watered pitch was well suited to Liphook’s seam attack.
Eastbourne College left-hand opener Harrison Tagg hit two lovely fours, but was then caught by Neave at short extra-cover off Ganguly, who then bowled Chaplin. Mayfield 23-2.
Janczur and Ganguly gave the batsmen hardly anything in these opening overs and although left-hand/wicketkeeper Harry Lloyd and Sharma added 33, Mayfield fell well behind the asking rate.
First-change Covey broke the stand and then dangerman Sharma, just after being dropped by Pryce at deep square, hit the ball straight back at Janczur, who used his height to take a fine return catch high to his right.
Mayfield stumbled from 56-2 to 67-6 and they were never going to come back from that.
Toby Wallace – top scorer with a breezy 27 – and Callum Saker put on 41, but Sean Burton broke the stand and cleaned up the lower order with 4-32 in 7.5 overs.
Dave Elliott bowled the only two overs of spin to take a wicket and Mayfield were bundled out for 125 in the 32nd over.
* As Liphook prepared for the post-match celebrations, the Mayfield chairman stood on the balcony and congratulated Liphook on their achievement and the manner in which they had played the game. His comments were so refreshing and warming, coming as they did 24 hours after the 'Hit Ball Twice' affair at Lymington and the fiasco at Minhead where a bowler had thrown the ball over the boundary to deny an opposing batsman his century. Liphook & Ripsley and Mayfield won a lot of friends last Sunday.
* • Folkton & Flixton beat Fillongley (Warwicks) by seven wickets in the other semi-final. The home team
posted 206-8, but Folkton needed only 34 overs to chase down the runs, with opener Richard Malthouse making 80.
At that critical stage, Ryan Covey got his head down, setting himself to be the linchpin of the innings.
Suman Ganguly counter-attacked with a fast 25, including a massive six, only
to play on to James Chaplin. Liphook 56-3.
Covey was to share two more important partnerships. The stand of 70 with George Neave changed the course of the game. Neave’s share was 51 off 48 balls. Technically correct, he reined in his aggressive instincts and played some strokes that a seasoned cricket writer described as ‘magnificent’.
Restrained or not, Neave still managed to hit one ball out of the ground. He was then lbw to leg-spinner James Allen (he was so plumb in front he actually walked !) and with Ric Williams also trapped in front, Liphook were suddenly 127-5.
Covey and Jonny Pryce added 53 precious runs before Covey was unluckily
run out for 68 off 92 balls. His fierce straight drive smashed into the stumps at the non-striker’s end and amid the confusion, Covey was run out.
With five overs left, the returning Ahmed took a flurry of wickets, but Pryce
gave Sharma some ‘tap’ and was last out for 32 (37 balls), Liphook reaching 228 in the 40th and final over.
The well-watered pitch was well suited to Liphook’s seam attack.
Eastbourne College left-hand opener Harrison Tagg hit two lovely fours, but was then caught by Neave at short extra-cover off Ganguly, who then bowled Chaplin. Mayfield 23-2.
Janczur and Ganguly gave the batsmen hardly anything in these opening overs and although left-hand/wicketkeeper Harry Lloyd and Sharma added 33, Mayfield fell well behind the asking rate.
First-change Covey broke the stand and then dangerman Sharma, just after being dropped by Pryce at deep square, hit the ball straight back at Janczur, who used his height to take a fine return catch high to his right.
Mayfield stumbled from 56-2 to 67-6 and they were never going to come back from that.
Toby Wallace – top scorer with a breezy 27 – and Callum Saker put on 41, but Sean Burton broke the stand and cleaned up the lower order with 4-32 in 7.5 overs.
Dave Elliott bowled the only two overs of spin to take a wicket and Mayfield were bundled out for 125 in the 32nd over.
* As Liphook prepared for the post-match celebrations, the Mayfield chairman stood on the balcony and congratulated Liphook on their achievement and the manner in which they had played the game. His comments were so refreshing and warming, coming as they did 24 hours after the 'Hit Ball Twice' affair at Lymington and the fiasco at Minhead where a bowler had thrown the ball over the boundary to deny an opposing batsman his century. Liphook & Ripsley and Mayfield won a lot of friends last Sunday.
* • Folkton & Flixton beat Fillongley (Warwicks) by seven wickets in the other semi-final. The home team
posted 206-8, but Folkton needed only 34 overs to chase down the runs, with opener Richard Malthouse making 80.
George Neave, whose attractive 51 effectively took the game away from Mayfield. Nick Cansfield photo.
