Saturday saw the first league game of the season against Sarisbury Athletic in the 1st Division of the 21Six Southern Premier League.

Sparsholt electing to bat first on what looked to be a very good pitch. The home side started their campaign quickly, with a flurry of boundaries coming from the bat of Haworth before being dismissed for 26 with the score on 39. Sarisbury clawed back control with a period of tight bowling resulting in the falling of a second Sparsholt wicket (Vokes). New signing Ollie Perrin joined captain Frith for what would prove to be an innings defining partnership. Although it wasn’t without chances as Perrin was dropped early in his innings but went on to make them pay scoring a brilliant attacking 89 on debut. Frith acting as the anchor progressed through to 50 before being dismissed soon after for 57. With wickets in hand the Sparsholt middle order looked to pile on the runs with brilliant hitting from David Banks (34) and Sam O’Brien (43*).

This brought the first innings total to 302-6 from 50 overs which was always going to take some defending. 

The Sparsholt bowling attack couldn’t of started much better with tight bowling from both Banks and Haworth keeping the run rate at bay whilst picking up the key wickets of Rawlins, Floyd and Clouting.

With Banks bowling 9 overs 2-41 and Haworth 10 overs 1-27, the rate was continuing to increase but just as Sparsholt looked to turn the screw, Nightingale and Hill capitalised on some wayward bowling which kicked started their reply. Boundaries continued to flow and the tables were turning in Sarisbury’s favour. The required rate continued to drop with both batsmen finding the boundary on regular occasions. It proved to be too much for the Sparsholt attack as the total was chased down 4 down with 5 overs remaining - Nightingale finishing unbeaten on 112 while very ably supported by both Hill (54) and Sanders (66*).

This weekend Sparsholt 1s host Andover at the Norman Edwards Ground; the Hampshire League season gets underway with the 2s and 3s going on their travels to Liphook & Ripsley and Odiham & Greywell respectively. On Sunday, the club are back in National Village Cup action playing Amport away in the second round