Saturday 1st XI Vs Portsmouth

Sparsholt 271 for 7 beat Portsmouth 245 for 9 by 26 runs.

Cala Homes sponsored Sparsholt reversed their early season defeat at the hands of Portsmouth, recording their fourth win from the last five games and consolidating fourth place in a very tight league table. After heavy overnight storms another abandonment was feared but in the end, sunshine prevailed on the south coast, and more than 500 runs were scored at sunny Southsea. Sparsholt batted first, but lost Jon Sankey to the first ball of the match, good enough to nick one to the ‘keeper  – Jayden Derosa (25) and Lewis Dunford added 62 before Derosa was trapped in front to one which perhaps kept a little low. Tom Foster then scored another excellent thirty, showing that he is now comfortable at this level as he and Dunford added 105, Lewis went almost straight away for a great 71, and if the bowlers thought that they could relax they had to think again as first Ed Jenner (21), and then Dave Gough (34) and Tim Vokes (35) smashed 100 off the last twelve overs. Rubin McArdle (3 for 64) and Aussie Pat Burns (2 for 62) were the most successful bowlers for the hosts.

Sparsholt were missing several frontline bowlers but Jon Vokes (1 for 40, sharp gully catch by Jenner) led the attack with Mike Haworth, bowling much better than his figures suggest. The unfortunate Sankey put down a straightforward slip catch, and JV wasn’t able to hold onto a tough return catch smashed back at him. The hosts made steady progress, but were always behind the required rate Jamie Mitchell (35), Harry Collyer (35), Dave Henderson (36) Matt Shaw (45) and Rob Jones (24) all batted well, but skipper Andy Worth juggled his depleted bowling attack skilfully - Dave Gough ( 3 for 51, including a ‘hole in one’ as a full toss was slammed into the adjacent pitch and putt course – he also bowled Portsmouth skipper Dave Henderson with a ‘quarter tracket which then almost went underground) and Mike Haworth ( 3 for 33, 3 wickets in four balls, all bowled, pretty boring compared to the Gough wickets!) being most successful. There were also wickets for Jon Sankey and Tim Vokes as the Portsmouth overs ran out 26 runs short.