It’s been a year or two in the making, but South Wilts have at last been able to sign 20-year old Indian left-arm spin talent Aaryan Sen, from Mumbai.
And what an impression he made, taking five Lymington wickets on his ECB Southern Premier League debut for South Wilts, barely 48 hours after touching down at London Heathrow.
He took a wicket with his second ball and went on to clean bowl four of his five victims, finishing with 5-33 as Lymington were dismissed for 153 – a target South Wilts breezed past, with Tom Morton hitting 94 not out in a nine-wicket win.
It was Morton who arranged for the Mumbai university student to spend the summer in Salisbury, the club having kept the deal firmly under wraps until he physically arrived.
Morton was Director of Cricket at the Middlesex Premier League club Ealing when Sen (Left) came across to London on his school holidays.
“He was only 15 or so at the time, but a prodigious talent. He’d train at Ealing during the day and played a few games for the club,” Morton explained.
“We kept in touch as he wanted to come and spend a summer in England once he’d finished school, but the pandemic put a hold on all that as India was on the government’s travel ‘red list’.
“South Wilts have a powerful seam attack, but needed a spinner, so Sen coming to us was the perfect fix.”
Lymington made a sound enough start after being put into bat at the town’s Sports Ground, but lost both openers at 37 (Ben Rogers 24) leaving Grayshott-based Ali Wheble (27) to glue the top order together.
He and James Hartshorn took Lymington to 97-3 when Sen struck with only his second ball, bowling the New Zealander and then on 125 having Wheble caught by Peter Rowe.
The Mumbai spin magician was too good for a weak Lymington side – they were without Northants all-rounder Gareth Berg, the injured Ryan Scott and the in-form Conor Moors from the previous week’s tie at Bashley (Rydal) – and, bowling with accuracy, triggered a collapse which saw the last five wickets fall for 18 runs.
Attacking
Dan Cox (23) was left high and dry, while Lymington benefitted from 38 extras, 27 of them wides, principally sent down by left-armers Josh Croom (3-10) and Tom Grant.
“Sen bowled really nicely,” enthused South Wilts skipper and wicketkeeper Ben Draper.
“An attacking left arm spinner is exactly what we are after and he is definitely that.
“He bowled straight, spinning it away from the right- hander. It was lovely to hear the fizz out of his hand.”
“He will be a great asset for South Wilts this summer complementing our seam attack. He’s a handy bat too, but didn’t get a chance to show off his skills against Lymington.”
Morton and Jack Stearman saw to that – it took South Wilts 26 overs to polish off the target, Morton hitting 17 fours in his 94 not out.
Left-hander Stearman (32) batted with more intent than against St Cross Symondians, but with Morton in full cry at the other end, he was not under the same pressure as a week earlier.
An emphatic eight-wicket win over West of England Premier League side Lansdown completed a successful mid-My weekend for South Wilts, who host Hook & Newnham Basics at Bemerton on Saturday, 1230.
With Grant taking 4-35, Josh Croom 3-7 and Matt Burton 2-22, Lansdown were rushed out for 88.
With rain threatening, Arthur Godsal smacked an unbeaten 43, while Sel showed his forte with four boundaries in making 23. It was done and dusted inside 13 overs.
And what an impression he made, taking five Lymington wickets on his ECB Southern Premier League debut for South Wilts, barely 48 hours after touching down at London Heathrow.
He took a wicket with his second ball and went on to clean bowl four of his five victims, finishing with 5-33 as Lymington were dismissed for 153 – a target South Wilts breezed past, with Tom Morton hitting 94 not out in a nine-wicket win.
It was Morton who arranged for the Mumbai university student to spend the summer in Salisbury, the club having kept the deal firmly under wraps until he physically arrived.
Morton was Director of Cricket at the Middlesex Premier League club Ealing when Sen (Left) came across to London on his school holidays.
“He was only 15 or so at the time, but a prodigious talent. He’d train at Ealing during the day and played a few games for the club,” Morton explained.
“We kept in touch as he wanted to come and spend a summer in England once he’d finished school, but the pandemic put a hold on all that as India was on the government’s travel ‘red list’.
“South Wilts have a powerful seam attack, but needed a spinner, so Sen coming to us was the perfect fix.”
Lymington made a sound enough start after being put into bat at the town’s Sports Ground, but lost both openers at 37 (Ben Rogers 24) leaving Grayshott-based Ali Wheble (27) to glue the top order together.
He and James Hartshorn took Lymington to 97-3 when Sen struck with only his second ball, bowling the New Zealander and then on 125 having Wheble caught by Peter Rowe.
The Mumbai spin magician was too good for a weak Lymington side – they were without Northants all-rounder Gareth Berg, the injured Ryan Scott and the in-form Conor Moors from the previous week’s tie at Bashley (Rydal) – and, bowling with accuracy, triggered a collapse which saw the last five wickets fall for 18 runs.
Attacking
Dan Cox (23) was left high and dry, while Lymington benefitted from 38 extras, 27 of them wides, principally sent down by left-armers Josh Croom (3-10) and Tom Grant.
“Sen bowled really nicely,” enthused South Wilts skipper and wicketkeeper Ben Draper.
“An attacking left arm spinner is exactly what we are after and he is definitely that.
“He bowled straight, spinning it away from the right- hander. It was lovely to hear the fizz out of his hand.”
“He will be a great asset for South Wilts this summer complementing our seam attack. He’s a handy bat too, but didn’t get a chance to show off his skills against Lymington.”
Morton and Jack Stearman saw to that – it took South Wilts 26 overs to polish off the target, Morton hitting 17 fours in his 94 not out.
Left-hander Stearman (32) batted with more intent than against St Cross Symondians, but with Morton in full cry at the other end, he was not under the same pressure as a week earlier.
An emphatic eight-wicket win over West of England Premier League side Lansdown completed a successful mid-My weekend for South Wilts, who host Hook & Newnham Basics at Bemerton on Saturday, 1230.
With Grant taking 4-35, Josh Croom 3-7 and Matt Burton 2-22, Lansdown were rushed out for 88.
With rain threatening, Arthur Godsal smacked an unbeaten 43, while Sel showed his forte with four boundaries in making 23. It was done and dusted inside 13 overs.