 |  |
Felix Organ is in pole position to pip Tom Morton to the ECB Southern Premier League batting award after leading the Hampshire Academy to an eight-wicket win over South Wilts on the Ageas Bowl Nursery Ground.
Organ hit an unbeaten 98 as the Academy comfortably chased down South Wilts’ 209 all out to cement a probable third-place finish.
With one match remaining (at New Milton), the Academy captain has 776 runs under his belt compared with Morton’s 725.
Organ’s innings took a little of the gloss off a remarkable maiden century by 16-year old Jack Stearman, who arrived at the crease in the midst of a three-wicket over by Chris Searle (3-55), which had South Wilts rocking at 20-5.
The teenage left-hander, who begins his A-level year at Gillingham School next week, went on to make 108 and share an innings changing stand of 159 with James Hibberd (62).
Describing his knock as “an amazing experience”, he hit a six (pictured below) and 16 fours and featured in the second highest sixth-wicket Premier Division partnership on record.
A regular with Wiltshire Under-17s, Stearman had begun the season in South Wilts third and fourth teams and was quickly elevated after scoring consecutive unbeaten centuries in the club’s third and fourth teams, 145 v OTs & Romsey and 117 at East Woodhay.
The pair took South Wilts to 179-5 before left-arm spinner Mom Abbas (3-32) bowled Hibberd (ten fours in his 62) and the last five poles fell for 30 runs.
Any prospect South Wilts had of defending a modest 209 was quickly dashed as Tom South blazed a quick-fire 47 (one six and six fours) at the top of the Academy reply.
Organ took responsibility after that and proceeded to crack three sixes and 11 fours, just falling short of his century as the Academy sped to an eight-wicket win with 16 overs to spare.
Organ hit an unbeaten 98 as the Academy comfortably chased down South Wilts’ 209 all out to cement a probable third-place finish.
With one match remaining (at New Milton), the Academy captain has 776 runs under his belt compared with Morton’s 725.
Organ’s innings took a little of the gloss off a remarkable maiden century by 16-year old Jack Stearman, who arrived at the crease in the midst of a three-wicket over by Chris Searle (3-55), which had South Wilts rocking at 20-5.
The teenage left-hander, who begins his A-level year at Gillingham School next week, went on to make 108 and share an innings changing stand of 159 with James Hibberd (62).
Describing his knock as “an amazing experience”, he hit a six (pictured below) and 16 fours and featured in the second highest sixth-wicket Premier Division partnership on record.
A regular with Wiltshire Under-17s, Stearman had begun the season in South Wilts third and fourth teams and was quickly elevated after scoring consecutive unbeaten centuries in the club’s third and fourth teams, 145 v OTs & Romsey and 117 at East Woodhay.
The pair took South Wilts to 179-5 before left-arm spinner Mom Abbas (3-32) bowled Hibberd (ten fours in his 62) and the last five poles fell for 30 runs.
Any prospect South Wilts had of defending a modest 209 was quickly dashed as Tom South blazed a quick-fire 47 (one six and six fours) at the top of the Academy reply.
Organ took responsibility after that and proceeded to crack three sixes and 11 fours, just falling short of his century as the Academy sped to an eight-wicket win with 16 overs to spare.
Jack Stearman hoists a big six into the Ageas Bowl boam concrete wall. [Photos by Roy Honeybone]
