Ben Draper brings up his maiden 100 [Roy Honeybone]
South Wilts captain James Hibberd hailed Ben Draper’s maiden ECB British Gas Southern Premier League century against St Cross Symondians as “one of the best knocks I have seen for some time.”
Draper hit 100 as South Wilts successfully chased down St Cross Symondians’ 237 to win by five wickets at Bemerton and set up a tasty visit to title challengers Lymington on Saturday, 11am.
The 18-year old picked up the baton after South Wilts slipped to 108-4, hitting two sixes and 13 fours during a pivotal century partnership with fellow teen Sam Arnold, which won the match.
“This was not just a good knock from a young lad,” Hibberd continued.
“To face 37 balls for 50 and 82 for his 100 showed his dominance.
“His father Paul was a quality player but in a very different way.
“Ben plays the short ball and deals with spin very well, which was apparent against St Cross Symondians.
Ironically, Draper’s hundred overshadowed another ‘first’ by another youngster Harry Came, who hit 106 for the Winchester visitors.
Former Bradfield College all-rounder Came, whose own century included a six and seven fours, enjoyed a 102-run stand with Holland International all-rounder Logan Van Beek (53).
But Came will have been desperately disappointed to see St Cross collapse in quite an astonishing manner after he feathered one of three catches to Draper, behind the stumps at 230.
St Cross collapsed like a pack of cards after that, losing six wickets for seven runs as James Hibberd (4-30) and Luke Evans (3-32) sliced through the lower order, with only Harry Foyle (26) making a modest contribution.
St Cross were back in the contest when Jack Bransgrove took a return catch to dismiss left-hand opener Tom Cowley (43) at 108.
But Draper, growing in maturity if not size with every visit to the crease, assumed control after that and built a match winning partnership with leftie Sam Arnold, whose timely return from Loughborough University had provided the former champions with much needed middle-order stability.
While Draper was compiling his maiden hundred, Arnold went about his business and, at 49, was on the cusp of a first SPL fifty when Hibberd smacked a big six to win the game.
“Sam’s return from university is a real bonus. He’s batted nicely in both his games against Havant and St Cross Symondians and, being left-handed, is very helpful to the overall balance of the side,” Hibberd added.
He also praised Jack Mynott and Jack Richards, who stepped in to replace Hampshire’s Ian Holland, on duty against Surrey at The Oval.
“The two Jacks bowled excellently early in the day to allow us to chase a below par school. St Cross hardly scored a boundary in the middle period of their innings.
South Wilts have risen to a potentially challenging third in the log 17 points adrift of new leaders Bashley (Rydal) and will be right in the mix if they can win at Lymington.
Draper hit 100 as South Wilts successfully chased down St Cross Symondians’ 237 to win by five wickets at Bemerton and set up a tasty visit to title challengers Lymington on Saturday, 11am.
The 18-year old picked up the baton after South Wilts slipped to 108-4, hitting two sixes and 13 fours during a pivotal century partnership with fellow teen Sam Arnold, which won the match.
“This was not just a good knock from a young lad,” Hibberd continued.
“To face 37 balls for 50 and 82 for his 100 showed his dominance.
“His father Paul was a quality player but in a very different way.
“Ben plays the short ball and deals with spin very well, which was apparent against St Cross Symondians.
Ironically, Draper’s hundred overshadowed another ‘first’ by another youngster Harry Came, who hit 106 for the Winchester visitors.
Former Bradfield College all-rounder Came, whose own century included a six and seven fours, enjoyed a 102-run stand with Holland International all-rounder Logan Van Beek (53).
But Came will have been desperately disappointed to see St Cross collapse in quite an astonishing manner after he feathered one of three catches to Draper, behind the stumps at 230.
St Cross collapsed like a pack of cards after that, losing six wickets for seven runs as James Hibberd (4-30) and Luke Evans (3-32) sliced through the lower order, with only Harry Foyle (26) making a modest contribution.
St Cross were back in the contest when Jack Bransgrove took a return catch to dismiss left-hand opener Tom Cowley (43) at 108.
But Draper, growing in maturity if not size with every visit to the crease, assumed control after that and built a match winning partnership with leftie Sam Arnold, whose timely return from Loughborough University had provided the former champions with much needed middle-order stability.
While Draper was compiling his maiden hundred, Arnold went about his business and, at 49, was on the cusp of a first SPL fifty when Hibberd smacked a big six to win the game.
“Sam’s return from university is a real bonus. He’s batted nicely in both his games against Havant and St Cross Symondians and, being left-handed, is very helpful to the overall balance of the side,” Hibberd added.
He also praised Jack Mynott and Jack Richards, who stepped in to replace Hampshire’s Ian Holland, on duty against Surrey at The Oval.
“The two Jacks bowled excellently early in the day to allow us to chase a below par school. St Cross hardly scored a boundary in the middle period of their innings.
South Wilts have risen to a potentially challenging third in the log 17 points adrift of new leaders Bashley (Rydal) and will be right in the mix if they can win at Lymington.
Harry Came acknowledges applause for his maiden St Cross Symondians century [Roy Honeybone]
Sam Arnold 49* in South Wilts run chase [Roy Honeybone]
