Luke Matthews [Echo] Sarisbury Athletic are hot favourites for the Division 1 title – and an immediate return to the top table of local ECB Southern Premier League cricket.
The championship race tilted dramatically in their favour after a 97-run win at Portsmouth coincided with chief rivals Hook & Newnham Basics crashing to a thumping 115-run defeat to Bournemouth.
It’s left Sarisbury 18 points ahead of Hook going into Saturday’s penultimate match against lowly Liphook & Ripsley at Allotment Road.
If they win that, they’ll be in a virtually unassailable position, with Hook (at home to relegated Totton & Eling this weekend) finishing their season against third-placed Basingstoke & North Hants.
Sarisbury’s win on Southsea seafront was all the more remarkable as they managed to defend a relatively modest 149 against a Portsmouth side that has sailed way off course after winning its opening five games of the season.
That Sarisbury managed to total 149 owed much to their lower order, particularly eighth-wicket pair Chris Sanders (26) and Dan Goldstraw (32).
Sarisbury were rocking at 92-7 when the pair came together to add a precious 40 runs before both fell to teenage Australian Fraser Hay, who finished with 4-31.
Matt Journeaux’s in-form side knew they were on a winner directly Basil Akram (3-17) had Hay, a dangerous, big hitting opener, caught behind for one.
His dismissal triggered a collapse of seismic proportions as Portsmouth collapsed like a pack of cards.
They lost half their wickets for 19 runs, with only skipper Richard Locke (13), sixth out at 44, reaching double figures.
Jason Allmark and Phillip Jewell took two wickets each and evergreen left-armer Goldstraw 3-6 as Portsmouth crumbled to a meagre 52 all out.
Hook & Newnham Basics went into their match at Chapel Gate only three points behind Sarisbury Athletic – but returned to their North Hampshire base battered and bruised after a crushing defeat.
Ironically, Hook enjoyed immediate success when Jordan Hobday bowled Bournemouth skipper Martin Miller second ball.
But the hosts then set about building a match winning score, as opener Ben Bridgen (55) and Luke Matthews, with a maiden 110, put on 121 for the second wicket before spinner Anik Divecha broke the stand.
Bournemouth looked in good shape to amass a massive total, as they reached 155-4 after 35 overs, but they only added 75 in the last 15 overs, as they finished on 230-6 with Ryan Wiltshire unbeaten at the end on 34.
Harry Came (2-27) removed century man Matthews, whose innings included 10 fours and two sixes and came from 127 balls.
The Hook reply suffered an early set back, as teenager Kieran Thomson was out with just five on the board.
Ben Thane (23) and Harry Came (17) nearly added 50 for the second wicket, but both were out in the space of five runs, as Andrew Woodward (4-40) continued to take out the top order.
With Matt Love and Nick Willcock following shortly afterwards Hook found themselves 53-5.
Jordan Hobday (22) and Matt Buckingham (19) tried to get the visitors back into the game.
The pair added 40 for the sixth wicket, but little left-arm spinner Dominic Clutterbuck (2-24) dismissed both of them thanks to catches from Woodward. Hook were bowled out for 115.
The championship race tilted dramatically in their favour after a 97-run win at Portsmouth coincided with chief rivals Hook & Newnham Basics crashing to a thumping 115-run defeat to Bournemouth.
It’s left Sarisbury 18 points ahead of Hook going into Saturday’s penultimate match against lowly Liphook & Ripsley at Allotment Road.
If they win that, they’ll be in a virtually unassailable position, with Hook (at home to relegated Totton & Eling this weekend) finishing their season against third-placed Basingstoke & North Hants.
Sarisbury’s win on Southsea seafront was all the more remarkable as they managed to defend a relatively modest 149 against a Portsmouth side that has sailed way off course after winning its opening five games of the season.
That Sarisbury managed to total 149 owed much to their lower order, particularly eighth-wicket pair Chris Sanders (26) and Dan Goldstraw (32).
Sarisbury were rocking at 92-7 when the pair came together to add a precious 40 runs before both fell to teenage Australian Fraser Hay, who finished with 4-31.
Matt Journeaux’s in-form side knew they were on a winner directly Basil Akram (3-17) had Hay, a dangerous, big hitting opener, caught behind for one.
His dismissal triggered a collapse of seismic proportions as Portsmouth collapsed like a pack of cards.
They lost half their wickets for 19 runs, with only skipper Richard Locke (13), sixth out at 44, reaching double figures.
Jason Allmark and Phillip Jewell took two wickets each and evergreen left-armer Goldstraw 3-6 as Portsmouth crumbled to a meagre 52 all out.
Hook & Newnham Basics went into their match at Chapel Gate only three points behind Sarisbury Athletic – but returned to their North Hampshire base battered and bruised after a crushing defeat.
Ironically, Hook enjoyed immediate success when Jordan Hobday bowled Bournemouth skipper Martin Miller second ball.
But the hosts then set about building a match winning score, as opener Ben Bridgen (55) and Luke Matthews, with a maiden 110, put on 121 for the second wicket before spinner Anik Divecha broke the stand.
Bournemouth looked in good shape to amass a massive total, as they reached 155-4 after 35 overs, but they only added 75 in the last 15 overs, as they finished on 230-6 with Ryan Wiltshire unbeaten at the end on 34.
Harry Came (2-27) removed century man Matthews, whose innings included 10 fours and two sixes and came from 127 balls.
The Hook reply suffered an early set back, as teenager Kieran Thomson was out with just five on the board.
Ben Thane (23) and Harry Came (17) nearly added 50 for the second wicket, but both were out in the space of five runs, as Andrew Woodward (4-40) continued to take out the top order.
With Matt Love and Nick Willcock following shortly afterwards Hook found themselves 53-5.
Jordan Hobday (22) and Matt Buckingham (19) tried to get the visitors back into the game.
The pair added 40 for the sixth wicket, but little left-arm spinner Dominic Clutterbuck (2-24) dismissed both of them thanks to catches from Woodward. Hook were bowled out for 115.
