Toby Albert 151 set up up Academy win over Bashley (Rydal).
Nineteen-year old Hampshire prospect Toby Albert struck a superb 151 to set up a surprise Academy victory over defending 2019 ECB Southern Premier Division champions Bashley (Rydal).
Little more than 24 hours later, he lasted a mere five balls before being caught at slip at Burridge. Cricket can be a great leveler at times !
But, in his role as Academy captain, the Newbury-based teen was more concerned about his young team winning at Burridge – which they did by two wickets in an anxious finish – than a second top individual performance.
“It was a terrific two days for the lads. To score 306 and beat the champions one day and next chase down near enough 200 to win on a wearing surface at Burridge was fantastic and will give the boys tremendous confidence,” he beamed.
The two victories have catapulted the Academy into second place in the Premier Division, four points behind Bournemouth, whom they meet in a top-of-the-table showdown at Chapel Gate on Sunday, 11.30.
Albert was quickly at the crease after opener Joseph Eckland had bagged a second ball duck at the BCG - and immediately survived a confident leg before appeal by Ben Fletcher. An inside edge spared him.
Platform
He certainly made the most of his good fortune, initially sharing a 90-run partnership with Canford’s James Barker (25) which was to provide the platform for a large Academy total.
Hitting the ball cleanly and piercing the field on 22 occasions (he also hit two sixes), Albert dominated from the crease and, with Harry Broderick (56) alongside, took the Academy score to 231 before the Hartley Wintney all-rounder was caught.
Albert went on to make 151 – his highest competitive score behind the 169 he made for Hampshire Under-17s against Worcestershire two summers ago – earning glowing praise from watching Hampshire batting coach Tony Middleton.
“It was a very impressive knock. Toby hit the ball so cleanly, featuring in two important partnerships with James (Barker) and Brodders, which set the innings up.
“It’s particularly pleasing the way Toby has come back from some pretty serious knee surgery and has also made one or two good scores for the Second XI this season, including a century against Middlesex.”
Compact
Josh Digby wheeled away, breaking both partnerships and dismissing the three principal run makers in a 5-46 return before Louis Pritchard, teenage son of former Essex Championship winning captain Paul Pritchard, chipped in with a handy 26 to move the Academy score on to 306-9.
Bashley needed to set a new Premier Division record total for a side batting second and winning if they were to chase the Academy score down – but the BCG is compact and the strip a shirt front, so a home win was always a possibility.
It didn’t help Bashley losing Jacob Gordon (22) before they had got going, but after being contained early on Digby (56) got the scoreboard clicking and with Harry Fisher (51) took the home reply to 121-1.
When the Exeter University geography student became the second of four victims for Hook & Newnham Basics youngster Max Simpson (4-49), Bashley were 162-3 off 30 overs and needing a further 144 off the last 20. A tall order.
Nonetheless, Michael Porter (49) too motored along nicely but when he followed Tom Friend (22) and Tom Jacques back to the pavilion (at 235-6) Bashley were almost cooked. Mitch Wilson (22) struck some lusty below before Bashley finally waved the white flag with a creditable 285 on the board. James Trodd took 2-36.
Little more than 24 hours later, he lasted a mere five balls before being caught at slip at Burridge. Cricket can be a great leveler at times !
But, in his role as Academy captain, the Newbury-based teen was more concerned about his young team winning at Burridge – which they did by two wickets in an anxious finish – than a second top individual performance.
“It was a terrific two days for the lads. To score 306 and beat the champions one day and next chase down near enough 200 to win on a wearing surface at Burridge was fantastic and will give the boys tremendous confidence,” he beamed.
The two victories have catapulted the Academy into second place in the Premier Division, four points behind Bournemouth, whom they meet in a top-of-the-table showdown at Chapel Gate on Sunday, 11.30.
Albert was quickly at the crease after opener Joseph Eckland had bagged a second ball duck at the BCG - and immediately survived a confident leg before appeal by Ben Fletcher. An inside edge spared him.
Platform
He certainly made the most of his good fortune, initially sharing a 90-run partnership with Canford’s James Barker (25) which was to provide the platform for a large Academy total.
Hitting the ball cleanly and piercing the field on 22 occasions (he also hit two sixes), Albert dominated from the crease and, with Harry Broderick (56) alongside, took the Academy score to 231 before the Hartley Wintney all-rounder was caught.
Albert went on to make 151 – his highest competitive score behind the 169 he made for Hampshire Under-17s against Worcestershire two summers ago – earning glowing praise from watching Hampshire batting coach Tony Middleton.
“It was a very impressive knock. Toby hit the ball so cleanly, featuring in two important partnerships with James (Barker) and Brodders, which set the innings up.
“It’s particularly pleasing the way Toby has come back from some pretty serious knee surgery and has also made one or two good scores for the Second XI this season, including a century against Middlesex.”
Compact
Josh Digby wheeled away, breaking both partnerships and dismissing the three principal run makers in a 5-46 return before Louis Pritchard, teenage son of former Essex Championship winning captain Paul Pritchard, chipped in with a handy 26 to move the Academy score on to 306-9.
Bashley needed to set a new Premier Division record total for a side batting second and winning if they were to chase the Academy score down – but the BCG is compact and the strip a shirt front, so a home win was always a possibility.
It didn’t help Bashley losing Jacob Gordon (22) before they had got going, but after being contained early on Digby (56) got the scoreboard clicking and with Harry Fisher (51) took the home reply to 121-1.
When the Exeter University geography student became the second of four victims for Hook & Newnham Basics youngster Max Simpson (4-49), Bashley were 162-3 off 30 overs and needing a further 144 off the last 20. A tall order.
Nonetheless, Michael Porter (49) too motored along nicely but when he followed Tom Friend (22) and Tom Jacques back to the pavilion (at 235-6) Bashley were almost cooked. Mitch Wilson (22) struck some lusty below before Bashley finally waved the white flag with a creditable 285 on the board. James Trodd took 2-36.
Harry Broderick opens up (Roy Honeybone)
"We were always ahead of the game,” Middleton reflected, though 24 hours later he sat nervously as the Academy youngsters chased down a Burridge total of 197-9 to win by two wickets with four balls to spare.
Burridge lost early wickets to Trodd (2-27) and Harry Petrie (3-34), but managed to rebuild through a stand of 71 for the fourth wicket between Hilio De Abreu (37) and Chris Blake (29).
At 138-7 (Pritchard 2-26), however, they looked set for a low score, but Dan Stancliffe (left) smacked a timely 51 adding vital runs with Will Candy and Sully White as Burridge reached 197-9.
Stancliffe then took a wicket with his fifth ball and when Albert perished for two, the Young Hawks were 7-2.
Charlie Mumford (39), who made a century for Bedford School at Eton College the previous day, and Broderick (62) swung the match back again with a century stand, only for past Cape Town all-rounder De Abreu (3-33) to break the stand and leave the Academy 164-7.
But the Ageas youngsters bat deep with Dom Kelly (30) and Harry Petrie adding 30 for the eighth wicket to take the Academy to within touching distance of their second win of a scorching hot and tiring weekend.
Burridge lost early wickets to Trodd (2-27) and Harry Petrie (3-34), but managed to rebuild through a stand of 71 for the fourth wicket between Hilio De Abreu (37) and Chris Blake (29).
At 138-7 (Pritchard 2-26), however, they looked set for a low score, but Dan Stancliffe (left) smacked a timely 51 adding vital runs with Will Candy and Sully White as Burridge reached 197-9.
Stancliffe then took a wicket with his fifth ball and when Albert perished for two, the Young Hawks were 7-2.
Charlie Mumford (39), who made a century for Bedford School at Eton College the previous day, and Broderick (62) swung the match back again with a century stand, only for past Cape Town all-rounder De Abreu (3-33) to break the stand and leave the Academy 164-7.
But the Ageas youngsters bat deep with Dom Kelly (30) and Harry Petrie adding 30 for the eighth wicket to take the Academy to within touching distance of their second win of a scorching hot and tiring weekend.
