James Christian likes scoring 100s against Basingstoke & North Hants [The News]
Any prospect Basingstoke & North Hants had of chasing down Portsmouth’s 239-5 effectively disappeared when they lost half their wickets for only 45 runs at May’s Bounty.
They rallied to reach 202-8 by stumps, but despite the efforts of Joe Oates, Dean Nurse and Matt Donaldson were unable to stave off a second consecutive Southern Premier Division 1 defeat.
An unbeaten 104 by James Christian, supported by Jack Marston (45) in a century fourth-wicket stand, underpinned Portsmouth’s 239-5 (Tyler Bradley 2-17).
Ironically, Christian’s other SPL century (also 104) came against the Bountymen at Southsea in 2017.
Basingstoke’s reply got off to a disastrous start with Henry Woolf (2-37) clean bowling Craig Williamson and Dan Belcher in quick succession.
Brad Neal (24) held things up for a while, but Basingstoke were soon 45-5 and facing a heavy defeat.
Sixth wicket pair Oates (56) and Nurse (47) added almost 100, after which Matt Donaldson made 35 to at least reduce the margin of Basingstoke’s loss to 35 runs.
Former Berkshire Minor Counties Championship winner Harry Stephens is creating quite an impression at Southern Gardens, where his 98 swept Totton & Eling to a nine-wicket win over Sarisbury Athletic with 17 overs to spare.
Stephens, whose Homes Counties League clubs include Beaconsfield, Datchet, Oxford and more recently Thatcham, smashed four sixes and 11 fours in his run-a-ball innings, to which James Taylor (47*) was content to play a support role as Totton chased down Sarisbury's 162-9.
Earlier, Sarisbury captain Ricky Rawlins glued his side's innings together 24-4 before becoming a third victim for Leo Taylor, the youngest of the talented family trio. He made 93 (4 sixes and 7 fours) while Taylor took 3-43.
Rowledge took Calmore Sports to the wire at Loperwood Park, where good quality bowling on both sides culminated in a close finish, with Calmore edging home two wicket winners with only five balls to spare.
Teenager Oli Baker, who is studying at Oxford Brookes university, top scored with 51 not out in a Rowledge total of 146-7 (Ben Perry 3-31), the visitors fighting tooth and nail to defend a relatively modest target.
A double blow struck by 15-year old Ethan Martin (3-23) saw Calmore lose two wickets without a run on the board. Ben Johns (39) held the innings together as wickets continued to fall and at 95-6 when the bearded left-hander fell the outcome was in the balance, possible edging towards Rowledge.
Mark Lavelle and Ben Fisher (20) added precious runs but their respective dismissals at 131 and 133-8 left Ben Perry with the responsibility of getting Calmore across the line, just in the nick of time.
They rallied to reach 202-8 by stumps, but despite the efforts of Joe Oates, Dean Nurse and Matt Donaldson were unable to stave off a second consecutive Southern Premier Division 1 defeat.
An unbeaten 104 by James Christian, supported by Jack Marston (45) in a century fourth-wicket stand, underpinned Portsmouth’s 239-5 (Tyler Bradley 2-17).
Ironically, Christian’s other SPL century (also 104) came against the Bountymen at Southsea in 2017.
Basingstoke’s reply got off to a disastrous start with Henry Woolf (2-37) clean bowling Craig Williamson and Dan Belcher in quick succession.
Brad Neal (24) held things up for a while, but Basingstoke were soon 45-5 and facing a heavy defeat.
Sixth wicket pair Oates (56) and Nurse (47) added almost 100, after which Matt Donaldson made 35 to at least reduce the margin of Basingstoke’s loss to 35 runs.
Former Berkshire Minor Counties Championship winner Harry Stephens is creating quite an impression at Southern Gardens, where his 98 swept Totton & Eling to a nine-wicket win over Sarisbury Athletic with 17 overs to spare.
Stephens, whose Homes Counties League clubs include Beaconsfield, Datchet, Oxford and more recently Thatcham, smashed four sixes and 11 fours in his run-a-ball innings, to which James Taylor (47*) was content to play a support role as Totton chased down Sarisbury's 162-9.
Earlier, Sarisbury captain Ricky Rawlins glued his side's innings together 24-4 before becoming a third victim for Leo Taylor, the youngest of the talented family trio. He made 93 (4 sixes and 7 fours) while Taylor took 3-43.
Rowledge took Calmore Sports to the wire at Loperwood Park, where good quality bowling on both sides culminated in a close finish, with Calmore edging home two wicket winners with only five balls to spare.
Teenager Oli Baker, who is studying at Oxford Brookes university, top scored with 51 not out in a Rowledge total of 146-7 (Ben Perry 3-31), the visitors fighting tooth and nail to defend a relatively modest target.
A double blow struck by 15-year old Ethan Martin (3-23) saw Calmore lose two wickets without a run on the board. Ben Johns (39) held the innings together as wickets continued to fall and at 95-6 when the bearded left-hander fell the outcome was in the balance, possible edging towards Rowledge.
Mark Lavelle and Ben Fisher (20) added precious runs but their respective dismissals at 131 and 133-8 left Ben Perry with the responsibility of getting Calmore across the line, just in the nick of time.
