BASINGSTOKE and North Hants enjoyed a thrilling win over local rivals Hartley Wintney in their Southern Electric Premier League Division One season opener at May’s Bounty.
The home side won the game by two wickets with three overs to spare, in what turned out to be a very intriguing contest, where both sides had their chances for victory. The Bountymen batting second were set a target of 204 to win and they certainly were always ahead of the run rate, but also they kept losing wickets.
Opener Chris Froud (7) was the first man out caught at mid-wicket by Hartley debut boy Chris Saville to give Tommy Flanders (2-27) the first of his two wickets, writes Graham Merry of the Basingstoke Gazette.
The same bowler struck again as Richard Vinn (15), having hit a four the previous ball, flashed at a delivery and caught in the slips by Matt Kerr.
Basingstoke new boy Chris Oliver (9) opened his account with the Bountymen by hitting a four, but was then trapped leg before by Chris Jolley.
Mitch Stokes looked in good nick on his return to the home line-up as he stroked away a trio of boundaries down the ground.
However, he was the fourth man out as he edged a Jolley ball to wicket-keeper Richard Hill.
This left the Bountymen on 47-4 in the 13th over, miles ahead of the run rate, but in really danger of being bowled out.
It was left to Craig Williamson (17) and Martyn James (63) to settle the ship and the pair added 57 for the fifth wicket, before Williamson was clean bowled by Scott Baldwin (2-36).
Matt Thankachan (12) came to the centre and played a great back-up role to James, who started to open the bat and hit two sixes in consecutive balls down the ground off Hartley’s skipper Jamie Teale.
The home side looked to be cruising to victory, only to lose Thankachan and James in the space of two runs.
Thankachan was caught at mid wicket by a smart catch from Jolley, which gave Mark Teale his only wicket of the game.
James’ superb innings of 63 came to an end as he was caught in the deep by Will Ross which gave Baldwin another wicket.
The Basingstoke all-rounder having hit two sixes and nine fours in his 71 balls knock.
His depature left Basingstoke on 153-7, still needing 51 for victory.
Graham Porter and Laurence Benge dug in and edged their way towards victory, but when Benge (23) was run out by an excellent throw from Aaron Wivell, it looked like there could still be another twist in the tail of this contest.
Ryan Connor walked out with the score on 188-8 and along with Porter they made sure of victory with the cool Connor hitting the winning four.
Earlier in the contest, Basingstoke won the toss and elected to bowl and the Hartley innings was built around two fine knocks from Kerr (70) and Wivell (72).
Basingstoke opening bowlers James and Connor kept it tight for the first 20 overs.
James (2-19) bowling his 10 overs straight through and he took a simple caught and bowled to send Richard Hill (8) back to the pavilion.
He then had Chris Saville (8) on his Hartley debut trapped leg before as the visitors reached 46-2.
Graham Porter bowled three maidens in his four overs, but Hartley thanks to Kerr and their very impressive overseas player Wivell started to increase the run rate.
The pair went onto add 88 for the third wicket, before Kerr was caught by a superb catch by Williamson as he tried to hit spinner Dave Pistorius through the covers.
The opener’s excellent knock of 70 came off 113 balls and included 10 fours.
With wickets in hand the visitors were really able to go after the bowling and Wivell hit both of the Basingstoke spin kings Thankachan and Pistorius over the boundary rope in consecutive overs.
The return of medium pacer Stokes proved to be his undoing for the Aussie as Williamson took the catch at mid-wicket to end an excellent 87-ball knock which saw him hit three sixes and six fours.
He is certainly going to prove to be a handful in this league during the season.
Baldwin (24 not out) and Hartley skipper Jamie Teale added some more quick runs. The captain was the last man out as he was caught by Porter to give Thankachan his first wicket of the season.
His replacement was a third player to make his league debut for Hartley in the game, Dan Wrenn and by the end of their 50 overs they had reached 203-5.
It looked a decent total and it proved to be the case as Basingstoke only just got home to win the game.
The home side won the game by two wickets with three overs to spare, in what turned out to be a very intriguing contest, where both sides had their chances for victory. The Bountymen batting second were set a target of 204 to win and they certainly were always ahead of the run rate, but also they kept losing wickets.
Opener Chris Froud (7) was the first man out caught at mid-wicket by Hartley debut boy Chris Saville to give Tommy Flanders (2-27) the first of his two wickets, writes Graham Merry of the Basingstoke Gazette.
The same bowler struck again as Richard Vinn (15), having hit a four the previous ball, flashed at a delivery and caught in the slips by Matt Kerr.
Basingstoke new boy Chris Oliver (9) opened his account with the Bountymen by hitting a four, but was then trapped leg before by Chris Jolley.
Mitch Stokes looked in good nick on his return to the home line-up as he stroked away a trio of boundaries down the ground.
However, he was the fourth man out as he edged a Jolley ball to wicket-keeper Richard Hill.
This left the Bountymen on 47-4 in the 13th over, miles ahead of the run rate, but in really danger of being bowled out.
It was left to Craig Williamson (17) and Martyn James (63) to settle the ship and the pair added 57 for the fifth wicket, before Williamson was clean bowled by Scott Baldwin (2-36).
Matt Thankachan (12) came to the centre and played a great back-up role to James, who started to open the bat and hit two sixes in consecutive balls down the ground off Hartley’s skipper Jamie Teale.
The home side looked to be cruising to victory, only to lose Thankachan and James in the space of two runs.
Thankachan was caught at mid wicket by a smart catch from Jolley, which gave Mark Teale his only wicket of the game.
James’ superb innings of 63 came to an end as he was caught in the deep by Will Ross which gave Baldwin another wicket.
The Basingstoke all-rounder having hit two sixes and nine fours in his 71 balls knock.
His depature left Basingstoke on 153-7, still needing 51 for victory.
Graham Porter and Laurence Benge dug in and edged their way towards victory, but when Benge (23) was run out by an excellent throw from Aaron Wivell, it looked like there could still be another twist in the tail of this contest.
Ryan Connor walked out with the score on 188-8 and along with Porter they made sure of victory with the cool Connor hitting the winning four.
Earlier in the contest, Basingstoke won the toss and elected to bowl and the Hartley innings was built around two fine knocks from Kerr (70) and Wivell (72).
Basingstoke opening bowlers James and Connor kept it tight for the first 20 overs.
James (2-19) bowling his 10 overs straight through and he took a simple caught and bowled to send Richard Hill (8) back to the pavilion.
He then had Chris Saville (8) on his Hartley debut trapped leg before as the visitors reached 46-2.
Graham Porter bowled three maidens in his four overs, but Hartley thanks to Kerr and their very impressive overseas player Wivell started to increase the run rate.
The pair went onto add 88 for the third wicket, before Kerr was caught by a superb catch by Williamson as he tried to hit spinner Dave Pistorius through the covers.
The opener’s excellent knock of 70 came off 113 balls and included 10 fours.
With wickets in hand the visitors were really able to go after the bowling and Wivell hit both of the Basingstoke spin kings Thankachan and Pistorius over the boundary rope in consecutive overs.
The return of medium pacer Stokes proved to be his undoing for the Aussie as Williamson took the catch at mid-wicket to end an excellent 87-ball knock which saw him hit three sixes and six fours.
He is certainly going to prove to be a handful in this league during the season.
Baldwin (24 not out) and Hartley skipper Jamie Teale added some more quick runs. The captain was the last man out as he was caught by Porter to give Thankachan his first wicket of the season.
His replacement was a third player to make his league debut for Hartley in the game, Dan Wrenn and by the end of their 50 overs they had reached 203-5.
It looked a decent total and it proved to be the case as Basingstoke only just got home to win the game.
