New Milton match winner Tom Arnold [Terry Nash]
Relegated New Milton finally ended a dreadful run of 13 successive ECB Southern Premier League defeats with a win they’ll cherish most – over Lymington, their long standing arch rivals !
They beat the old New Forest ‘enemy’ by 64 runs at Fernhill – a success they thoroughly deserved on the day, according to club chairman Steve Taylor.
“The lads deserved this win as they have stuck together all season,” he said.
“The fact that it was Lymington we beat was a bonus, but we played better cricket than them throughout the whole game.”
New Milton’s 161-9 owed much to opener Tom Arnold, who knuckled down to score a 157-ball 71, batting all bar two of the 50 overs.
“Tom’s knock was brilliant. After Ryan Beck (26) had gone (at 60-1) he held us together when others couldn’t seem to stick around,” Taylor added.
Arnold was eventually ninth man out at 151, Ryan Scott taking 3-26 - his threesome coming in ten balls as Milton’s middle-order folded – and the emerging Josh Royan 2-26.
New Milton’s new skipper George Watts (2-15) nailed Lymington Oli Calcott and Scott for ducks, after which it was an uphill struggle for the visitors.
“The bowlers all stuck to their tasks and they all bowled well as a unit,” Taylor continued.
Dom Hand (24) and Queenslander James Grady dug in, but as Dan Loader (3-18) and Nic Gargaro (3-25) began to create inroads, so only Royan (21 not out) clung on.
Lymington fell away to a dismal 97 and, unless they can beat either Bashley (Rydal) or leaders St Cross Symondians in their last two games, will finish second from bottom.
Taylor meanwhile declared: “We will rebuild (in Division 1) next year and continue to fight for each other - and the badge - as we always do.”
Jubilant Milton skipper George Watts, the Premier League’s youngest captain, added: “As a side over the last few weeks we’ve improved a lot and team spirit has kept us going each week.
“It was so pleasing for everyone involved to get a win and we look forward to next season competing in Division 1.”
They beat the old New Forest ‘enemy’ by 64 runs at Fernhill – a success they thoroughly deserved on the day, according to club chairman Steve Taylor.
“The lads deserved this win as they have stuck together all season,” he said.
“The fact that it was Lymington we beat was a bonus, but we played better cricket than them throughout the whole game.”
New Milton’s 161-9 owed much to opener Tom Arnold, who knuckled down to score a 157-ball 71, batting all bar two of the 50 overs.
“Tom’s knock was brilliant. After Ryan Beck (26) had gone (at 60-1) he held us together when others couldn’t seem to stick around,” Taylor added.
Arnold was eventually ninth man out at 151, Ryan Scott taking 3-26 - his threesome coming in ten balls as Milton’s middle-order folded – and the emerging Josh Royan 2-26.
New Milton’s new skipper George Watts (2-15) nailed Lymington Oli Calcott and Scott for ducks, after which it was an uphill struggle for the visitors.
“The bowlers all stuck to their tasks and they all bowled well as a unit,” Taylor continued.
Dom Hand (24) and Queenslander James Grady dug in, but as Dan Loader (3-18) and Nic Gargaro (3-25) began to create inroads, so only Royan (21 not out) clung on.
Lymington fell away to a dismal 97 and, unless they can beat either Bashley (Rydal) or leaders St Cross Symondians in their last two games, will finish second from bottom.
Taylor meanwhile declared: “We will rebuild (in Division 1) next year and continue to fight for each other - and the badge - as we always do.”
Jubilant Milton skipper George Watts, the Premier League’s youngest captain, added: “As a side over the last few weeks we’ve improved a lot and team spirit has kept us going each week.
“It was so pleasing for everyone involved to get a win and we look forward to next season competing in Division 1.”
