MANOR, Division 3 runners-up
Standing (from left): Simon Peters, Steve Harris, Conor Browne, Ben Morgan, Elliot Ponting, Jay Purnell. Front: Jack Budd, James Furnish, Todd Garner, T
LANGLEY Manor secured promotion and will join Southern Premier League Division Three champions Portsmouth & Southsea in division two next season following a nail-biting tie with Forest rivals Sway at Knellers Lane.
It had seemed to be plain sailing for Manor, with skipper Jack Budd asking the visitors to bat on a turning wicket. A procession of batsmen all failed to reach double figures, starting with Sway's top-three: Tim Noble, Alex Hall and Greg Jones.
Ben Morgan (2-15) and Hampshire’s Jack Campbell (2-15), bowling slow left-arm, took control. Hugh Bernard (33) started the attempted recovery with Dave Steadman (17) and Tom Burton (18) until he was caught skying one to Campbell.
It was then left to the experienced Craig Renders (4-28) to bamboozle the Sway tail. But to Budd's delight, recent promotion challengers Sway were back in the pavilion for a less-than-modest 128.
Sway turned to their established seam attack. In tandem with the ever-reliable Jon Waller (2-23), a devastating Steadman (5-28) spell trapped three top-six batters without scoring and Campbell for just four runs.
At 52-7, Langley's fingers were certainly crossed. But despite the devastation around him, Steve Harris held the innings together, latterly with the aid of Renders (17) and Tom Spencer (13).
With the scores level at 128-9, with 12 fours and two sixes to his name, Harris (77) was on the verge of claiming a Langley victory before Richard Thomas (3-9) bowled him. The match ended in a tie, with second-placed Langley Manor sealing the final promotion spot. Sway finished fourth after slipping to a six-wicket defeat the previous Saturday.
Standing (from left): Simon Peters, Steve Harris, Conor Browne, Ben Morgan, Elliot Ponting, Jay Purnell. Front: Jack Budd, James Furnish, Todd Garner, T
LANGLEY Manor secured promotion and will join Southern Premier League Division Three champions Portsmouth & Southsea in division two next season following a nail-biting tie with Forest rivals Sway at Knellers Lane.
It had seemed to be plain sailing for Manor, with skipper Jack Budd asking the visitors to bat on a turning wicket. A procession of batsmen all failed to reach double figures, starting with Sway's top-three: Tim Noble, Alex Hall and Greg Jones.
Ben Morgan (2-15) and Hampshire’s Jack Campbell (2-15), bowling slow left-arm, took control. Hugh Bernard (33) started the attempted recovery with Dave Steadman (17) and Tom Burton (18) until he was caught skying one to Campbell.
It was then left to the experienced Craig Renders (4-28) to bamboozle the Sway tail. But to Budd's delight, recent promotion challengers Sway were back in the pavilion for a less-than-modest 128.
Sway turned to their established seam attack. In tandem with the ever-reliable Jon Waller (2-23), a devastating Steadman (5-28) spell trapped three top-six batters without scoring and Campbell for just four runs.
At 52-7, Langley's fingers were certainly crossed. But despite the devastation around him, Steve Harris held the innings together, latterly with the aid of Renders (17) and Tom Spencer (13).
With the scores level at 128-9, with 12 fours and two sixes to his name, Harris (77) was on the verge of claiming a Langley victory before Richard Thomas (3-9) bowled him. The match ended in a tie, with second-placed Langley Manor sealing the final promotion spot. Sway finished fourth after slipping to a six-wicket defeat the previous Saturday.
Teenage spinner Kit Blomfield (above) took 5-17 as Paultons lost their last seven wickets for 27 runs against South Wilts II, who took third place in Southern Premier Division 3 on account of a comfortable seven-wicket win at Whitemoor Lane.
The 16-years old triggered the collapse when he dismissed Australian Callum Barton for 65, only the Sydneysider's second half-century in a very disappointing summer which yielded only 385 league runs. Newly wed Rob Pittman took 2-18 as Paultons sank to 136 all out.
Joe Cranch (37) and Sam Litchfield (24) consolidated South Wilts' position before Rob Pittman (36) was joined at the alter by sibling Sam (19) to cut the wedding cake.
The 16-years old triggered the collapse when he dismissed Australian Callum Barton for 65, only the Sydneysider's second half-century in a very disappointing summer which yielded only 385 league runs. Newly wed Rob Pittman took 2-18 as Paultons sank to 136 all out.
Joe Cranch (37) and Sam Litchfield (24) consolidated South Wilts' position before Rob Pittman (36) was joined at the alter by sibling Sam (19) to cut the wedding cake.
