St Cross Symondians pulled off a dramatic one-wicket victory over the Hampshire Academy at the Green Jackets Ground to record a third successive ECB Southern Premier Division win.
A nerve jangling affair went to the wire, with Symondians’ winning run coming from a leg-side wide!
The outcome was a little harsh on the Academy aspirants, who staged a battling comeback in the final hour and almost pulled off a notable victory of their own.
The match swung back and forth throughout, with Joe Weatherley (24) making a brisk start, which left-hander Ben Duggan (39) improved until he wafted outside the off-stump and provided the efficient Greg Hollins with the first of his three victims.
The Academy were going nicely at 94-2 at that stage but, despite the excellence of Canford talent Felix Organ (46), pictured by Simon Hipwell, dropped away to 144-8 against the nagging one-step Tabs Farooq, pictured, (3-29) and George Worker, who returned a tidy 2-19 off nine overs.
But the lower-order wagged, with debutant Rory Hipwell (17) and Oli Rankin (15) adding a precious 36 runs and raise the Academy total to 185.
The Oxfordshire-based Hipwell, highly rated on the public schools’ circuit, quickly removed Tom Foyle and when Louis Kimber (15) was also bowled at 28-2, St Cross were not in the best position.
Dan Young’s dismissal – well caught by Weatherley at 78-3 – brought St Cross ‘big guns’ Black Caps ODI all-rounder George Worker and Kent’s Adam Rouse together.
And they looked like taking the game away, with Rouse (39) particularly severe on anything loose and, with Worker (24), adding a brisk 38.
Just as St Cross looked to have matters under control, the pair fell in consecutive balls to the exciting spin promise of Felix Organ – Rouse to an outstanding catch by Weatherley, who is currently making his County Championship debut against Middlesex.
“I told the Academy lads that if we could get Adam Rouse out, St Cross would collapse – and they did,” Weatherley said.
Suddenly, St Cross dropped from 120-3 to 148-8, Organ doing the damage with an eight-over spell of 5-38, aided by smart slip work by Jake Goodwin.
But the Academy hadn’t removed Hollins – though they twice bungled chances to dismiss him in the same Organ over – and it almost cost them.
Hollins, one of Hampshire’s fitness gurus at the Ageas Bowl, cracked 44, including two sixes and five fours.
But with St Cross 182-8, he edged Bashley (Rydal) teenager George Pardoe (2-30) to slip – and, in the process, set up a nerve jangling finale.
With four runs still needed and last man Tabs Farooq quaking in his boots at the crease, all three results – including a tie – were possible.
But the pressure ultimately got to the unfortunate Pardoe, who (with the scores level) lost his line and sent down a leg-side winning wide for a much relieved St Cross Symondians.
It was a pulsating game.
End
A nerve jangling affair went to the wire, with Symondians’ winning run coming from a leg-side wide!
The outcome was a little harsh on the Academy aspirants, who staged a battling comeback in the final hour and almost pulled off a notable victory of their own.
The match swung back and forth throughout, with Joe Weatherley (24) making a brisk start, which left-hander Ben Duggan (39) improved until he wafted outside the off-stump and provided the efficient Greg Hollins with the first of his three victims.
The Academy were going nicely at 94-2 at that stage but, despite the excellence of Canford talent Felix Organ (46), pictured by Simon Hipwell, dropped away to 144-8 against the nagging one-step Tabs Farooq, pictured, (3-29) and George Worker, who returned a tidy 2-19 off nine overs.
But the lower-order wagged, with debutant Rory Hipwell (17) and Oli Rankin (15) adding a precious 36 runs and raise the Academy total to 185.
The Oxfordshire-based Hipwell, highly rated on the public schools’ circuit, quickly removed Tom Foyle and when Louis Kimber (15) was also bowled at 28-2, St Cross were not in the best position.
Dan Young’s dismissal – well caught by Weatherley at 78-3 – brought St Cross ‘big guns’ Black Caps ODI all-rounder George Worker and Kent’s Adam Rouse together.
And they looked like taking the game away, with Rouse (39) particularly severe on anything loose and, with Worker (24), adding a brisk 38.
Just as St Cross looked to have matters under control, the pair fell in consecutive balls to the exciting spin promise of Felix Organ – Rouse to an outstanding catch by Weatherley, who is currently making his County Championship debut against Middlesex.
“I told the Academy lads that if we could get Adam Rouse out, St Cross would collapse – and they did,” Weatherley said.
Suddenly, St Cross dropped from 120-3 to 148-8, Organ doing the damage with an eight-over spell of 5-38, aided by smart slip work by Jake Goodwin.
But the Academy hadn’t removed Hollins – though they twice bungled chances to dismiss him in the same Organ over – and it almost cost them.
Hollins, one of Hampshire’s fitness gurus at the Ageas Bowl, cracked 44, including two sixes and five fours.
But with St Cross 182-8, he edged Bashley (Rydal) teenager George Pardoe (2-30) to slip – and, in the process, set up a nerve jangling finale.
With four runs still needed and last man Tabs Farooq quaking in his boots at the crease, all three results – including a tie – were possible.
But the pressure ultimately got to the unfortunate Pardoe, who (with the scores level) lost his line and sent down a leg-side winning wide for a much relieved St Cross Symondians.
It was a pulsating game.
End