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SPCL 3 - St.Cross in driving seat at Flams and Alton go down
Mike Vimpany (as published in Daily Echo) - 17 July 2002
St Cross Symondians are back in the Southern Electric Premier League, Division 3 driving seat after both Alton and Flamingo saw their recent unbeaten runs ended.
Alton collapsed to 100 all out and a thumping nine-wicket defeat at New Milton, while Leckford wriggled from the agony of 35-6 to edge out Flamingo by two wickets in a Bakers Farm thriller.
The results were music to the ears of St Cross, whose eagerly awaited visit to Rowlands Avenue began in the worst possible fashion, with openers Mark Parker and Marc Rees each removed for one.
But Steve Shaw (56), Graham Barrett (30) and Stuart Charman, with an accomplished 29 not out, batted St Cross to a winning 187-9.
Offie Mark Padwick caught the Ville on a real turner, his spell of 6-27 wrecking the hosts for 97.
When Alton moved to the relative comfort of 48-1, there appeared no real cause for concern in the visitors dressing room at the Ashley Sports Ground.
But the overnight leaders, who had suffered only one defeat in eight previous matches, totally fell apart against New Milton's disciplined attack.
Peter Anderson (3-22) and Lee Beck (3-11) brought Alton to their knees before a mature 58 not out by Steve Watts saw New Milton home.
Second placed Flamingo, fresh from five straight wins, struggled to 114 all out - all ten batsmen were caught - in the saturated conditions at Bakers Farm.
But, after Tim Richman (3-21) and Nick McMurray (3-30) had reduced Leckford to 35-6, the game was totally turned on its head.
Classy Martyn Isherwood (58) at long last found a reliable partner in young Zimbabwean Ryan Stacey, who helped lift the reply to 80 before the pair were dismissed.
"Ryan has an excellent technique and batted with great maturity for someone so young and inexperienced," praised match-winner Isherwood.
"It just goes to show the value of running junior cricket. There's a few like him at the club."
But if Flamingo's thought they were on a winner when both men departed at 80, they were sadly wrong.
Stuart Hicks and Steve Bolshaw put bat to ball - mainly over the mid-wicket boundary - as Leckford snatched a dramatic win.
The result enabled Purbrook, today's visitors to The Holt, to move up to third spot, courtesy of a four-wicket win over Hambledon at The Heath, where the club had formally opened its magnificent new pavilion and clubhouse the previous evening.
Wayne Musselwhite (5-24) had Hambledon in total disarray at 50-8, but John Burdekin's 47, aided by Dan Wheeler (23), lifted the total to 128.
Willem Prozesky (27) and Mike Hennessy (22) eased Purbrook to 55-1 before an alarming middle-order creak left Musselwhite to show his skills with the bat - and produce a decisive 22 not out.
Hursley Park came badly unstuck at Hartley Wintney, where scores of 250-plus have been frequently passed this season.
Hursley only managed 199-9 - a total Matt Digweed (77), Jimmy Castrisos (47) and Dave Almond (30) polished off.
Havant II (196) enjoyed an easy win after dismissing Redlynch & Hale for 100, while Gosport Borough piled up 245-9 (Mark Robson 84) before skittling Portsmouth for 111, with Paul Jenkins (4-45) and Nathan Collins (3-32) doing the damage.
Australian-raised Dean Oliffe did his level best for Portsmouth, taking 6-45 and making top score of 32.
John Robinson celebrated the Big 40 by hitting a key 62 in Paultons' five-wicket win over Ventnor, whose 245-9 included a sedate knock by Mark Fletcher (75) and a slightly pacier knock from Andy White (33).
Paultons slipped to 30-3 against the frugal Andy Day and Neil Dodds, but the tide turned with Robinson sharing a century stand with Colin James (54).
Tony Richman knows a bit about quick scoring and, with Terry Azor (21) tutoring from the opposite end, promptly smashed 63 not out off 43 balls to end the contest.
© SPCL / Daily Echo / Mike Vimpany
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| Season | English Domestic Season |