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Lymington hopes stopped by unfit Cove pitch
Mike Vimpany - 3 September 2001
Lymington's hopes of finishing runners-up in Southern Electric Premier League Division 2 were dashed when an unfit pitch at Grasmere Road led to the abandonment of their last day visit to Cove.
Umpires called a halt to play after 12 overs, with former Cove captain Ian Crompton repeatedly struck by balls lifting off the surface.
Play was delayed an hour to give the ground more time to recover from the previous afternoon's heavy downpours.
But a wet surface, lying on top of the hard unsoil, made batting conditions precarious - Cove reaching 31-2 before play was halted.
The abandonment left Cove in the runners-up position behind champions Portsmouth, who rounded off their campaign with a 98-run win at relegated Hambledon.
Matt Keech (26), Paul Dew (25) and Geoff Pike (22) top scored in Portsmouth's 170 - former Hampshire left-arm spinner Ian Turner (4-18) successful in his farewell game for the village club.
Raj Maru (4-19) and Pete Hayward (3-6) bowled Hambledon out for 72.
Olly Kelly hit a six off the fourth ball of the final over to give Sparsholt an unexpected two-wicket win over Easton & Martyr Worthy at Locks Lane.
Sparsholt were staring defeat in the face at 72-6, in reply to Easton's 179 (Steve Green 58), but a late order rally turned the match around.
Malcolm Ball must have thought his creditable 5-49 return was to have little effect when, Rob Savage (31) and Kevin Foyle (23) apart, Sparsholt's top order was blown away.
But Bill Gunyon (27) and Will Mariner (36) doubled the total to 148-8 before Kelly's crucial 29, which included 12 runs off Mark Stone's final over, gave Sparsholt a remarkable victory.
South African teenager John Geoghegan took six wickets for nine runs as Trojans were skittled for 85 and comfortably beaten at United Services.
Playing his last game before returning to his native Johannesburg, Geoghegan clean bowled five of his victims, while only Simon Williams (21) made a worthwhile impression for Trojans.
Paul Douglas and Tim Subnaik took two wickets each before Chris Williams (42) eased US home.
John Barnard carried his bat for 93 and Max Smith hit 66 as Old Tauntonians & Romsey piled up 256-5 before beating relegated Old Basing by 80 runs.
Charles Forward (39) shared an 85-run opening partnership with Barnard, whose subsequent 125-run stand with Smith put OTs in a winning position.
Only teenager Ben Thane (75) made his mark as Old Basing tumbled to 176 all out against Nick Wood (4-31) and two-wicket pair Stuart Tulk and Max Smith.
© SEPL / Daily Echo / Mike Vimpany
| Teams | England. |
| Players/Umpires | Matthew Keech, Ian Turner, Rajesh Maru, Robert Savage. |
| Tournaments | Southern Premier League |
| Season | English Domestic Season |