SPARSHOLT SPARKLE IN SALISBURY

SPARSHOLT 311 all out beat SOUTH WILTS II 173 all out by 138 runs

After a couple of disappointing results CALA Homes sponsored Sparsholt bounced back to form with a comfortable win when they travelled to Salisbury to be hosted by fellow ‘mid tablers’ South Wilts. Skipper Andy Worth won the toss for the fifth time this season and had no hesitation in batting first. Richard Kenway had still not recovered from the hamstring injury that had now kept him sidelined for four weeks, so last season’s successful pair of Stuart Tognarelli and Mike Haworth opened the innings. Haworth (75) struck two magnificent cover drives in the first over  before Tognarelli (45) was dropped at mid on in the fourth. This was to prove expensive as 75 was on the board before they were separated in the 12th over when Rob Pitman bowled Tognarelli. Dave Banks joined Haworth, and this pair added over 100 and both looked like going on to make centuries before Haworth top edged a hook and was caught by keeper John Burton. Still there was no respite for the South Wilts bowlers as Tom Foster joined Banks and took the score well past 200 with still 15 overs left – Banks, back to his imperious best after short lean spell with the bat, struck two sixes, one over the high fence and onto the roof of the adjacent houses before he hit a tired looking shot to point and was caught for 73. With a massive score for Sparsholt looking a real possibility, the plucky bowlers, supported by some excellent ground fielding, struck back. Pitman (4 for 41) and Christian Pain (3 for 43) took wickets regularly as the later batmen looked to push on, but Foster (55) with his first half century this season made sure that any damage was limited as Sparsholt were bowled out for 311 with an over to spare. This was Sparsholt’s best total for several seasons, but with a good wicket and against a strong South Wilts batting line up which had mustered nearly 400 in one game earlier in the season, the result was by no means a foregone conclusion. Sparsholt’s bowling and fielding, which at times this season has been a little erratic, would still need to perform well. After a solid start, Kiwi Kyle Ruffell took two wickets in successive overs to leave the score at 35 for 2 – the second was a magnificent diving catch by Banks at backward point. When Banks (2 for 21) and Nick Doubell (3 for 51) then took five more between them, and the match was all but over. Ruffell (3 for 31), Jon Vokes and Mike Haworth quickly cleaned up the tail as Dave Gough, hampered by a leg injury, took three slip catches, two of them very sharp indeed as Sparsholt’s fielders supported their bowlers excellently. The win which completed the double over the Salisbury men moves Andy Worth’s men into the top half of the table. On Saturday, Sparsholt entertain third placed Calmore Sports at Locks Lane, and with Dave Gough almost certain to be ruled out, Worth will be hoping that Richard Kenway will be fit to return.

SPARSHOLT II 188 all out lost to OAKLEY 193 all out by 5 runs.

Skipper Andy Pryce asked visitors Oakley to bat first, but they found scoring difficult against the accurate Sparsholt  bowling attack of youngsters Tom Proctor, Nayan Phagami and the more experienced Haidar Ali. But from 100 - 2 after 30 overs, with wickets in hand they were able to attack. Several chances were spilled but the fielding was generally good, backing up the variations of Greg Whiting (3 - 36), with 6 catches and 2 run outs as the innings closed at 193 all out (P. Saines 53, G. Dique 41).

In reply, Sparsholt looked to be cruising to an easy win after a brief cameo from David Coulthard and a partnership of 116 between the promising Guernsey based 16 year old Nairn Guilbert (35) and a brilliant 82 from Chris Mitchell, who joined Sparsholt from Coldon Common at the start of the season. With only 53 required from the last  20 overs and 8 wickets in hand, a number of poor shots, in the face of increasingly accurate and confident bowling (G. Dique 4 - 37), saw Sparsholt crumble disappointingly all out 5 runs short of their target.