'OLD TIMERS' COMBINE TO SET UP WIN FOR HAMPSHIRE 70s

Mike Swain

Former Gosport Borough all-rounder Mike Swain and Lymington ‘old boy’ Peter Tapper turned back the clock with key individual performances that allowed Hampshire Seniors to beat their Wiltshire counterparts by 54 runs at Twyford and clinch a place in the southern Seventies final against Worcestershire on Thursday, noon.
Picking up a bat for the first time since last September, Swain (left) top scored with 52 in Hampshire’s 191-4 (40 overs), featuring in a 98-run partnership with Trevor Foreman (44). Portchester left-hander Doug Noyce (28) and Peter Green (27) pushed Hampshire on to a competitive total.
When Keith Redding (39) and Adrian Jeffrey (43) took Wiltshire’s reply 109-2 there appeared only one likely winner.   
But skipper Green played his ace card, tossing the ball to Tapper, who ruthlessly cut through the Wiltshire batting with a remarkable 5-12 return which, in partnership with Andy Yorke (3-26) saw the visitors lose eight wickets for 38 runs and the match with it.  
Thursday’s final is at Worcester Nomads CC, Whitegates Farm, Station Road, Bransford, near Worcester.

---

Peter Tapper