Relegated last season, South Wilts seconds got their Southern Premier League Division 3 quest off to a perfect start with a creditable 82-run win over a buoyant Portsmouth & Southsea, who were eager to build on last summer’s Hampshire League championship triumph.
Skipper Rob Pittman described it as “a workman like performance”, but warned his side of stiffer challenges ahead, starting with the visit of Bashley (Rydal) II to Bemerton on Saturday, 12.30.
“They will be one of the sides in the frame, but to beat last year’s County 1 winners on their own patch was a very encouraging start,” he said.
“With the sky and weather looking perfect for batting, but the pitch looking less so, it was may be best I lost the toss and found ourselves inserted.
“When Owain Phillips departed early, it was looking the right move.”
But a steady partnership between Tom Berzins and Joe Cranch saw the visitors creep along at three an over for the first 20 overs, seamer Matt Benfield (1-29) bowling his ten overs straight through and Jake Peach bowling tidily, conceding just 15 runs from his initial spell of six overs.
When Cranch (32 off 80 balls) was to fall with the score at 77, Pittman himself didn’t take long to get the scoreboard ticking more freely, but his efforts were to be cut short (28 off 22) as spinner Kieron Dunston was to take his first of four wickets on the day.
When Berzins (35) was to fall just an over later, the innings started to fall away for South Wilts with 116-2 turning sourly to 137-7.
But when Ben Fisher joined Tom Pearce at the crease, it brought together arguably the partnership that turned the game around in South Wilts’ favour.
“When Fisher was bowled for eight, Tom Pearce alertly brought the umpires attention to the fact P & S had only three players inside the fielding circle, so a no-ball was called – and the free-hit promptly for for six and the next to the boundary,” Pittman reported.
“So what could have been 150-8, turned into 160-7 !”
Pearce played sensibly and while only scoring 21 from 28 balls, it seemed much more valuable than that. Fisher continued on his merry way, sacrificially being run out off the final ball for a superb 35 off 27 balls.
The innings finishing on 205-9, probably 30 more than South Wilts could have hoped for at the 40-over stage.
Matt Burton got things off to a great start taking the wicket of Jack Davies in the first over, but in truth, the opening bowlers didn’t quite get things right on a pitch offering assistance.
Both Matt and Tom Benfield departed for 20 apiece, with the stars of last year’s third team bowling attack, Fisher (2-18) and Akram Ghauri (2-13), pictured, leading the way with the ball.
At 76-5 the game seemed gone from the hosts and when Marc Burton was to take a new role bowling in the middle overs, he produced a tidy spell of 2-20 to further tighten South Wilts grip on the game.
Whilst Portsmouth & Southsea battled to the end trying to gain a batting point, they were to end up two runs short , being bowled out for 123 in the 40th over with South Wilts sealing an 82 run victory.
Skipper Rob Pittman described it as “a workman like performance”, but warned his side of stiffer challenges ahead, starting with the visit of Bashley (Rydal) II to Bemerton on Saturday, 12.30.
“They will be one of the sides in the frame, but to beat last year’s County 1 winners on their own patch was a very encouraging start,” he said.
“With the sky and weather looking perfect for batting, but the pitch looking less so, it was may be best I lost the toss and found ourselves inserted.
“When Owain Phillips departed early, it was looking the right move.”
But a steady partnership between Tom Berzins and Joe Cranch saw the visitors creep along at three an over for the first 20 overs, seamer Matt Benfield (1-29) bowling his ten overs straight through and Jake Peach bowling tidily, conceding just 15 runs from his initial spell of six overs.
When Cranch (32 off 80 balls) was to fall with the score at 77, Pittman himself didn’t take long to get the scoreboard ticking more freely, but his efforts were to be cut short (28 off 22) as spinner Kieron Dunston was to take his first of four wickets on the day.
When Berzins (35) was to fall just an over later, the innings started to fall away for South Wilts with 116-2 turning sourly to 137-7.
But when Ben Fisher joined Tom Pearce at the crease, it brought together arguably the partnership that turned the game around in South Wilts’ favour.
“When Fisher was bowled for eight, Tom Pearce alertly brought the umpires attention to the fact P & S had only three players inside the fielding circle, so a no-ball was called – and the free-hit promptly for for six and the next to the boundary,” Pittman reported.
“So what could have been 150-8, turned into 160-7 !”
Pearce played sensibly and while only scoring 21 from 28 balls, it seemed much more valuable than that. Fisher continued on his merry way, sacrificially being run out off the final ball for a superb 35 off 27 balls.
The innings finishing on 205-9, probably 30 more than South Wilts could have hoped for at the 40-over stage.
Matt Burton got things off to a great start taking the wicket of Jack Davies in the first over, but in truth, the opening bowlers didn’t quite get things right on a pitch offering assistance.
Both Matt and Tom Benfield departed for 20 apiece, with the stars of last year’s third team bowling attack, Fisher (2-18) and Akram Ghauri (2-13), pictured, leading the way with the ball.
At 76-5 the game seemed gone from the hosts and when Marc Burton was to take a new role bowling in the middle overs, he produced a tidy spell of 2-20 to further tighten South Wilts grip on the game.
Whilst Portsmouth & Southsea battled to the end trying to gain a batting point, they were to end up two runs short , being bowled out for 123 in the 40th over with South Wilts sealing an 82 run victory.
