SPARSHOLT SECOND

RUN FEAST AT BASHLEY FOR THE ‘TREES’

Sparsholt 277 for 6 beat BASHLEY RYDAL II 222 all out by 55 runs.

Half centuries by Stuart Tognarelli, Dave Banks and Dave Gough helped CALA Homes sponsored Sparsholt ease themselves into second place in SPL Division 2 as they comfortably beat winless Bashley Rydal in the New Forest on Saturday. Skipper Andy Worth won the toss and elected to bat first and the reliable opening partnership of Tognarelli and Richard Kenway again gave them a good platform with their fourth half century opening partnership. Bashley’s Jake Lilley was unavailable for first team duty due to work commitments so opened the bowling with Greg Jones, but Tognarelli and Kenway both moved into the twenties, runs coming at five an over. With the score at 63, Kenway mistimed his usually dependable cover drive and was caught for 27. Tognarelli moved on to 54 before being bowled by an inswinger from Lilley having taken the score to 109 with Banks – after a couple of low scores recently, Banks was watchful at first, but later unleashed his customary power play moving to fifty himself and taking the score past the 150 mark with Tom Foster. Foster and Kiwi Kyle Ruffell added twenty each in useful cameos before Dave Gough helped himself to his first half century of the season – adding his own version of the scoop to his usual trademark big drives to end on 54 not out. For Bashley, Jones and Ryan Macciocchi took two wickets each. After tea, the hosts set off slowly at the 278 victory target, as Ruffell clean bowled both openers with less than 50 on the scoreboard. Chris Vaughn (39) and teenager Patrick Holly (67) took the score to 116, but with the required run rate increasing all the time, it looked as though Bashley had little appetite for the chase. With the score at 178 for 3, and less than eight overs remaining, a win looked sure for Sparsholt, but there seemed little likelihood of maximum bonus points (by bowling out the hosts), but ‘trees’ skipper Andy Worth brought on Tom Foster (2 for 22) who made the breakthrough, Ruffell (4 for 36) added two more, and Mike Haworth ( 2 for 43) took the last two wickets, Nick Doubell taking a great running catch off the penultimate ball to finish off the innings. Defeats for second and third placed Calmore Sports and Tichborne Park see Sparsholt inch above them both in the chase to catch unbeaten leaders Trojans, but it wasn’t all good news for Sparsholt as Richard Kenway had to leave the field with a serious hamstring injury following one of his numerous boundary chases late in the game. Next week Sparsholt entertain Fawley at Lock’s Lane.

SPARSHOLT II 124 all out lost to Chawton 125 for 4 by six wickets

As to bat first, Sparsholt 2s struggled in the face of some excellent bowling by visitors Chawton – (M Lidgett 4 – 24) and slipped to 33 - 5 after 20 overs before Andy Steggall 27, Greg Whiting 24 and Tim Lander 19 took the score to a more respectable 124.

With young prospects Tom Proctor and Nayan Phagami bowling tightly Chawton were 22 - 2 off 12 overs and there was real hope of a win but J Channon 52 and T Sale 39, who was dropped twice, quickly took the initiative, only slowed by George Ellis' off spin, reaching their total for 4 wickets after only 24 overs.

This disappointing performance dropped Sparsholt 2s to 10th in County 4 North, and they will be hoping to get back to winning ways at Ashford Hill next week.