Lord's bound ! South Wilts win ECB indoor regional play-offs. Back (from left): Matt Burton, Rob Pittman, Joe Cranch. Front: Will Harries, Tom Cowley, Tom Pearce.
South Wilts are through to the ECB national indoor sixes finals at Lord’s for the first time.
They beat Cheltenham Civil Service and Exeter University to win the south-west regional play-offs at Taunton.
They now go through to the national finals at Lord’s on Sunday March 31 alongside Canterbury, Welsh champions Neyland and the winners of this weekend’s northern indoor finals at Old Trafford.
Rob Pittman, with an unbeaten 33, led the way as South Wilts chased down a Cheltenham Civil Service target score of 127-5 with two balls to spare. Will Harries (27) and Tom Pearce (26) were also unbeaten.
South Wilts made short work of Exeter University in a one-sided regional final, Tom Cowley the unlikely bowling hero with a 3-13 return as the West Country students were skittled for 47.
Pearce, with another unbeaten 26, guided South Wilts to victory – and to a place in the Lord’s finals.
Bashley (Rydal) fancied their chances of locking horns with South Wilts in the Taunton final after Exeter University only managed a modest 92-4 against them.
But Bashley’s batsmen, undone by swing, failed to come to the party and they managed only 80-5 in reply, losing by 12 runs.
Exeter’s total owed much to Bath’s Ben Wells, whose unbeaten 44 steadied the ship after Phil Morris had taken 2-13 and both Jake Lilley and Michael Porter, with his under-used leg spin, had bowled tidy three-over spells.
Then Eastbourne all-rounder Ben Twine (2-30) took centre stage, removing Porter and Tom Jacques in quick succession. Before they knew where they were, Morris had been run out and Bashley were three down with single figures still on the board.
The emerging Sam Kennett, with 43 not out, and Brad Currie (21) rallied, but Bashley finished 80-5.
Sparsholt beat Sussex League side Ifield by two wickets in the south-east regional play-offs at Kent’s St Lawrence headquarters, but their hopes of reaching Lord’s were shattered by Canterbury’s potent bowlers in the final.
The Kent Premier League club, playing on home Canterbury ‘soil’, dominated the show, taking 11 wickets and conceding a modest 82 runs in their two wins.
Having shot Wimbledon out for 43 in their semi-final, Canterbury pegged Sparsholt to a meagre 39-5 – a target they polished off for the loss of one wicket.
Earlier, Mike Haworth’s unbeaten 42 got Sparsholt home against Ifield, who were unable to defend 82-5.
They beat Cheltenham Civil Service and Exeter University to win the south-west regional play-offs at Taunton.
They now go through to the national finals at Lord’s on Sunday March 31 alongside Canterbury, Welsh champions Neyland and the winners of this weekend’s northern indoor finals at Old Trafford.
Rob Pittman, with an unbeaten 33, led the way as South Wilts chased down a Cheltenham Civil Service target score of 127-5 with two balls to spare. Will Harries (27) and Tom Pearce (26) were also unbeaten.
South Wilts made short work of Exeter University in a one-sided regional final, Tom Cowley the unlikely bowling hero with a 3-13 return as the West Country students were skittled for 47.
Pearce, with another unbeaten 26, guided South Wilts to victory – and to a place in the Lord’s finals.
Bashley (Rydal) fancied their chances of locking horns with South Wilts in the Taunton final after Exeter University only managed a modest 92-4 against them.
But Bashley’s batsmen, undone by swing, failed to come to the party and they managed only 80-5 in reply, losing by 12 runs.
Exeter’s total owed much to Bath’s Ben Wells, whose unbeaten 44 steadied the ship after Phil Morris had taken 2-13 and both Jake Lilley and Michael Porter, with his under-used leg spin, had bowled tidy three-over spells.
Then Eastbourne all-rounder Ben Twine (2-30) took centre stage, removing Porter and Tom Jacques in quick succession. Before they knew where they were, Morris had been run out and Bashley were three down with single figures still on the board.
The emerging Sam Kennett, with 43 not out, and Brad Currie (21) rallied, but Bashley finished 80-5.
Sparsholt beat Sussex League side Ifield by two wickets in the south-east regional play-offs at Kent’s St Lawrence headquarters, but their hopes of reaching Lord’s were shattered by Canterbury’s potent bowlers in the final.
The Kent Premier League club, playing on home Canterbury ‘soil’, dominated the show, taking 11 wickets and conceding a modest 82 runs in their two wins.
Having shot Wimbledon out for 43 in their semi-final, Canterbury pegged Sparsholt to a meagre 39-5 – a target they polished off for the loss of one wicket.
Earlier, Mike Haworth’s unbeaten 42 got Sparsholt home against Ifield, who were unable to defend 82-5.
