MIXED WEEKEND FOR SPARSHOLT

BANKS PASSES MORE MILESTONES

Saturday - Sparsholt 114 for 4 beat Hambledon 113 all out by six wickets.

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CALA Homes sponsored Sparsholt faced Hambledon on both days at the weekend, winning the league game comfortably on Saturday at Locks Lane, but coming up second best in Sunday’s National Village Regional semi-final as they visited the same opposition at Ridge Meadow. On Saturday ‘Trees’ skipper Andy Worth lost the toss and the visitors decided to bat first. Hard hitting George Marshall (28) and ‘Dons’ captain Will Bond (25) passed fifty in the eleventh over before Bond was a victim of a run out mix-up with the score at 56. Mike Haworth removed Marshall immediately after and Dave Banks (3 for 21) weighed in as the visitors plunged to 68 for 5. After a short period of resistance, wickets continued to fall with only James Marshall and Prad Bains of the rest creeping into double figures. Hambledon were dismissed for 113 in the 38th over as frugal spin twins Nick Doubell and Jeremy Frith (3 for 10) conceded just 16 off 13 overs, and Dave Gough (2 for 20) finished off the innings. Sparsholt lost Stuart Tognarelli in the first over, but Dave Banks (54 not out) and Richard Kenway steadied the innings to ensure no further damage was done. Kenway elegantly moved onto 38 with three sixes and three fours taking the hosts to within sight of victory before he was dismissed with the total at 94. Mike Haworth and Kyle Ruffell went cheaply but Banks ensured there were no further hiccups as he steered the hosts home in the 29th over. As Sparsholt neared victory, Banks, who is in a rich vein of form with the bat at the moment and is already the leading aggregate run scorer in the Southern League since it was reorganised into the current structure, also passed two more impressive milestones – as he reached 48, he reached 7000 career runs in the league, and two runs later he recorded his fiftieth Southern League half century. 

Andy Pryce was again in the runs as he led Sparsholt seconds to victory at AWE Tadley. Pryce was well supported by Jamie Skeoch, Andy Steggle, Nayam Phagami and Jon Vokes in particular as the runs were shared, Sparsholt reaching 213 for 7. With no regular wicket keeper in the side, Vokes then donned the gloves taking two good catches before handing them to Greg Whiting who then bettered him by taking four! Vokes was not to be outdone though as he took four wickets with the ball as AWE were bowled out for 105. On Saturday, Sparsholt travel to Trojans who are one of two unbeaten sides in the SPL division 2.

Sunday - Sparsholt 158 for 9 lost to Hambledon 218 for 4 by sixty runs. 

It was a different story on Sunday as the two sides locked horns again, although both had to make several changes to meet the competition rules. It all started similarly as George Marshall (43) and Bond added fifty eight before Marshall was again dismissed by Mike Haworth. Although a second wicket soon fell, this time Hambledon piled on the runs, with Bond making 63 and James Marshall (58 not out) taking the ‘Dons’ total to 218 after 40 overs. Jon Sankey (2 for 32) took two late wickets for Sparsholt. If Sparsholt were to win and go through to the final, a good start was needed, and although Haworth went early, a watchful Tognarelli (31) and Dave Gough took the score passed 50. Gough’s dismissal triggered Sparsholt’s collapse as six wickets fell for just 18 runs. Nick Doubell (28), Jon Vokes, Greg Whiting and ‘keeper Adam Gough (25 not out) offered stiff resistance, but could not manage the required rate as the innings closed 60 runs short. For the hosts, Rhidian Chapman (4 for 29), Jack Lavous (3 for 29) and Lewis Le Clercq (2 for 30) did the damage.

Following the game, Jon Vokes and Greg Whiting were heading off to Sparsholt village in Oxfordshire where they would join a number of other club members taking part in a charity cycle ride (‘wicket to wicket’) back to Locks Lane on Monday. The other riders rode from Edgbaston to Sparsholt (Oxfordshire) on Sunday, and Vokes and Whiting would join them for the second day ride from Sparsholt to Sparsholt. 

Photo attached – Dave Banks, 7000 runs including fifty half centuries.