St Cross Symondians celebrate Southern Premier League title triumph.
Celebrations ran long into the night as St Cross Symondians toasted their maiden ECB Southern Premier League championship – the first significant piece of cricket silverware the Winchester club has ever won.
They got the 15 points they needed to clinch the title with a comfortable six-wicket win over Lymington.
It finally eased them into an unassailable position ahead of Burridge, who finished runners-up after running up a massive 343-4 in their 155-run win at Alton.
“Winning the Premier championship is a massive feat for the club, the culmination of a hot of hard work that has gone in over the past two years since I became captain,” beamed skipper Tom Foyle.
“As the summer progressed a lot of inner belief grew amongst the team. Everyone played for each other and every game we knew someone would step up to the plate.”
St Cross won 11 of their 17 completed matches to become the first club since Bournemouth (in 2010) to break the championship monopoly by Havant and South Wilts.
“I’ve had a great bunch of blokes to work with. We all train together and socialise together – no egos, just everyone pulling together. It’s been great,” he added.
Jimmy Adams, returning from Hampshire’s innings defeat by Essex at Chelmsford, was one of the first to send his congratulations to St Cross, for whom he’s played since his junior days.
Adams played a significant part in the club’s title triumph, hitting three centuries in five recent knocks.
Foyle had a special word for vice-captain and right-hand man Ed Ellis, who joined St Cross Symondians from Lymington at the start of the season.
He said: “Having Ed come on board in a playing and coaching capacity has been invaluable. He’s my go-to man on the field, the person I turn to for advice.
“The lads have bought into Ed’s coaching and training ideas, both at senior and junior levels, and its rubbed off with more cohesive performances, the teamwork being so different now.”
An eventual six-wicket victory in the town Sports Ground sunshine looked as though it was going to be far more decisive as the captain’s sibling brother Harry Foyle (3-28) and Matt Haworth shredded Lymington’s top order.
Tumbled then rallied
The hosts, who finished fourth in the log, Lymington tumbled to 45-6, but the lower-order rallied and at least having to chase 171 gave St Cross something to think about.
Conor Moors (39), Josh Royan (34) and Josh Proctor (31) staged the fight-back – Moors brother Kieran finishing the day in A & E after breaking his hand taking a stunning catch.
Lymington’s prospects of pulling off an unlikely victory were effectively nullified by the stomach virus that put skipper Matt Metcalfe out of the game overnight.
But there was a glimmer of light when Queenslander James Grady (2-30), who represented the Australian Universities last winter, trapped Tom Foyle leg before with the first ball of the Symondians’ reply.
Former Hampshire opener Jason Laney (25) ensured there would be no further hiccups, but it was appropriate that Harry Came should seal the victory – and the championship – with the knock of the day.
Waiting anxiously on news of a potential Kent contract after scoring a fourth Second XI century for the Canterbury county club in midweek, Came struck a match winning 75 to take his league aggregate to 764 for the summer.
“Harry’s been a massive asset to the club over the past two seasons – SPL Young Cricketer of the Year in 2017 and championship winner this summer,” Foyle smiled.
“To make 764 runs and also take 24 wickets is some performance.”
Came made ten fours before Ellis, back on familiar Lymington soil, completed the victory with an unbeaten 38, the winning stroke a flowing cover boundary drive into the pavilion crammed full of jubilant St Cross team-mates and supporters.
Cue champagne and a long night of celebrations ….
They got the 15 points they needed to clinch the title with a comfortable six-wicket win over Lymington.
It finally eased them into an unassailable position ahead of Burridge, who finished runners-up after running up a massive 343-4 in their 155-run win at Alton.
“Winning the Premier championship is a massive feat for the club, the culmination of a hot of hard work that has gone in over the past two years since I became captain,” beamed skipper Tom Foyle.
“As the summer progressed a lot of inner belief grew amongst the team. Everyone played for each other and every game we knew someone would step up to the plate.”
St Cross won 11 of their 17 completed matches to become the first club since Bournemouth (in 2010) to break the championship monopoly by Havant and South Wilts.
“I’ve had a great bunch of blokes to work with. We all train together and socialise together – no egos, just everyone pulling together. It’s been great,” he added.
Jimmy Adams, returning from Hampshire’s innings defeat by Essex at Chelmsford, was one of the first to send his congratulations to St Cross, for whom he’s played since his junior days.
Adams played a significant part in the club’s title triumph, hitting three centuries in five recent knocks.
Foyle had a special word for vice-captain and right-hand man Ed Ellis, who joined St Cross Symondians from Lymington at the start of the season.
He said: “Having Ed come on board in a playing and coaching capacity has been invaluable. He’s my go-to man on the field, the person I turn to for advice.
“The lads have bought into Ed’s coaching and training ideas, both at senior and junior levels, and its rubbed off with more cohesive performances, the teamwork being so different now.”
An eventual six-wicket victory in the town Sports Ground sunshine looked as though it was going to be far more decisive as the captain’s sibling brother Harry Foyle (3-28) and Matt Haworth shredded Lymington’s top order.
Tumbled then rallied
The hosts, who finished fourth in the log, Lymington tumbled to 45-6, but the lower-order rallied and at least having to chase 171 gave St Cross something to think about.
Conor Moors (39), Josh Royan (34) and Josh Proctor (31) staged the fight-back – Moors brother Kieran finishing the day in A & E after breaking his hand taking a stunning catch.
Lymington’s prospects of pulling off an unlikely victory were effectively nullified by the stomach virus that put skipper Matt Metcalfe out of the game overnight.
But there was a glimmer of light when Queenslander James Grady (2-30), who represented the Australian Universities last winter, trapped Tom Foyle leg before with the first ball of the Symondians’ reply.
Former Hampshire opener Jason Laney (25) ensured there would be no further hiccups, but it was appropriate that Harry Came should seal the victory – and the championship – with the knock of the day.
Waiting anxiously on news of a potential Kent contract after scoring a fourth Second XI century for the Canterbury county club in midweek, Came struck a match winning 75 to take his league aggregate to 764 for the summer.
“Harry’s been a massive asset to the club over the past two seasons – SPL Young Cricketer of the Year in 2017 and championship winner this summer,” Foyle smiled.
“To make 764 runs and also take 24 wickets is some performance.”
Came made ten fours before Ellis, back on familiar Lymington soil, completed the victory with an unbeaten 38, the winning stroke a flowing cover boundary drive into the pavilion crammed full of jubilant St Cross team-mates and supporters.
Cue champagne and a long night of celebrations ….
Popular St Cross Symondians president Mike Adams (centre) pictured with the championship trophy, flanked by Harry (left) and skipper Tom Foyle, right.
