1s Home to Calmore Sports
With prolific Sri Lankan Dineth Thimodya returning for a fifth season but absent with a finger injury, Ventnor were particularly delighted to include Danny Briggs in Saturday’s side for the Southern Premier League Division One curtain raiser with Calmore Sports at Steephill.
Briggs, who began his cricketing journey at Ventnor, has re-joined Sussex on a three year contract from Warwickshire and will be part of the Hove based club’s Vitality T20 Blast squad and coaching set up. The former England left arm spinner will also play for the Trent Rockets in the Hundred so regular availability for his home town club is unlikely.
Briggs was influential with bat and ball in his team’s four wicket victory over the promoted New Forest side.
After skipper Ben Woodhouse won the toss and decided to field first, George Watts (3-16) inflicted early damage before Briggs (1-10), Archie Lucy (2-31), Dan Cox (2-33) and Southern League debutant Ethan Short (1-17) made further in-roads. From 66-8, a partnership of 67 between Allaway and Butcher lifted the score to 143 before Alex Stogdon took the tenth wicket for the hosts.
After afternoon rain reduced Ventnor’s target to 127 from 37 overs, Cox with 57 and Briggs (38) added 80 in a fine partnership and although a flurry wickets slowed momentum, Alex Stogdon with an undefeated 15 saw them over the line.
The Club wish to thank Jonathon and Sandra Snell for their match sponsorship.
2s away @ Easton
The second team, led by Ben Davies for a fourth season, began with a rain-affected win in a close finish at Easton & Martyr Worthy in Hampshire League Division 2B.
Franklin hit 128 in the host's total of 256-5 from their 45 overs before heavy rain saw the visitors given a revised target of 161 from 20 overs.
Martin Blackman led the 8 runs an over chase, and when he departed for 34, middle order contributions from Ben Attrill, Jack Winterbottom and Toby Noyes set up Jack Powell and Thomas Southcott for late order acceleration. Left-hander Powell cracked seven boundaries in a 23-ball 38 before Southcott (23 not out) and Davies (3 not out) clinched victory with one ball remaining.
3s and 4s - Island League
In the Island League, Ventnor’s third and fourth team matches against Shanklin II and Northwood II, respectively, were both abandoned due to heavy rain.
Young Ben Fry thumped an undefeated 74 for Ventnor III in the match at Westhill with George Speller hitting 71 in the same game.
Friendly Games at Steephill
Sunday – Teenagers James Curtis and Aussie Lucas Harris both hit half centuries while there was also a 50 for Will Mew as Ventnor totalled 316-7 against Shirley. The visitors were dismissed for 163 to leave the home side winners by 153 runs.
Monday – Useful contributions down the order with Adam Goulding top scoring with 31, helped the hosts reach 197 against an Isle of Wight Cricket Board Under 18 side containing eight Ventnor players!
In a closely fought contest, Shanklin & Godshill’s Matthew Manning hit 69 for the visitors and with Ben Fry making 40 and Rafe Hawkins 30, the Board’s team won by five wickets with two overs to spare.
