Match reports

WEEK ONE MATCH REPORTS - 3rd MAY 2025

THIMODYA AND COX LEAD VENTNOR TO AN EMPHATIC FIRST DAY WIN

Ventnor began their 2025 Southern Premier League Division One campaign with an impressive
victory over Waterlooville at Steephill on Saturday.
The visitors were invited to bat first by Ventnor skipper Ben Woodhouse and lost three early wickets
to George Watts, Dan Cox and Archie Lucy. A recovery led by Charlie Whitfield with 60 and late
order runs saw the ‘Ville total 213 from their 50 overs with Watts finishing with 3-49, Cox 2-45 and
Dineth Thimodya 3-31. Young off spinner Thomas Southcott conceded just 15 runs in an excellent
ten over stint.
Ventnor’s reply was led in spectacular fashion by Thimodya and Cox who dominated the visitors
attack as the hosts romped home by nine wickets with seven overs remaining.
Thimodya, the highly talented and popular Sri Lankan all-rounder who is spending a fourth
consecutive UK summer at Steephill, struck 15 boundaries and 4 sixes in a terrific unbeaten 127
while Cox lent unstinting support in a fine knock of 77 not out.
During the course of his innings, prolific “Dini” passed 3,000 runs for Ventnor who are at home again
on Saturday to Rowledge with a 12.30 start.

SECOND TEAM START WITH A WIN IN THE FOREST

Ventnor’s second team, under the captaincy of Ben Davies for a third successive season, got off to a
winning start in the picturesque setting of Cadnam’s New Forest home on Saturday.
In a revamped Hampshire League set up of ten teams per division playing each other home and
away, the Islanders, promoted as Champions last season, set the hosts a challenging target of 269
from 45 overs.
Toby Noyes was the outstanding Ventnor performer, thumping an eye catching 93 including fifteen
boundaries and a six with Gary Legg (39), Martin Blackman (38) and Jack Powell (36) the other main
contributors.
After the interval, Sam Read and Aussie Ethan Short made early breakthroughs for the visitors before
the home team rallied with Miller (53) and Sheath (84) keeping them in the hunt. A flurry of late
order wickets, including the dismissal of Sheath by Charlie Turpin, affectively won the match for
Davies’s side by 38 runs.
Next up for Ventnor in Division 2B are Portsmouth II on Saturday. The away match starts at 1pm.

YOUTHFUL THIRD AND FOURTH TEAMS DEFEATED

The Island League also started on Saturday.
Ventnor III faced Ryde II in Division One at Brading and were defeated by six wickets.
Ben Fry (29), Kayton Evans (21), Mark Price (23) and Jinu Poulose (20) helped Ventnor to 135
but 51 from Guy Bonnett helped Ryde to a comfortable win.
At Northwood in Division Two, the home side’s second eleven totalled 231 against Ventnor’s fourth
team.
Liam Goldsmith made 66 for the hosts but despite 52 from Charles Andrew, the visitors fell short by
27 runs.
The third team have no match this weekend while the fourth team travel to Freshwater in Division
Two.

RESOUNDING WIN FOR UNDER 15’S

The league season for the club’s two under 15 sides started last Wednesday with a win and a defeat.
The Hurricanes defeated Arreton by 110 runs at Steephill. Jess Glover (30), Tom Noyes (31), Isaac
Borman (30) saw their team reach 184 from 20 overs before the bowlers helped dismiss the visitors
for 74. James Travers-Garrety and Austin Carroll each took three wickets for the hosts.
The Vipers team lost by 49 runs to Ryde. Lucas Cotton made 15 in a Ventnor score of 120-9 in reply
to the home side’s 159-4.

RUNS GALORE ON BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY!

A high scoring contest between Ventnor and an Isle of Wight Cricket Board Under 16 XI at Steephill
ended in a win for the home team by 66 runs.
Dan Cox continued his dominant early season form with a fine 101 while Ethan Short hit a personal
best 67 as the hosts posted a formidable 294 from their 40 overs.
Undeterred, the Island youngsters’ reply was led in impressive fashion by Ryde’s Ian Hailes and our
wicket-keeper batter Tom Noyes. Hailes struck a splendid 98 and Noyes a terrific 76 in an opening
partnership of 193 before Will Kent with 3-45 helped Ventnor to victory.

COOPER HITS 50 IN 54 RUN SUNDAY WIN

Kevin Cooper struck 52 as Ventnor set a target of 242 against Shirley in Sunday’s friendly. Mike
Collins made 50 as the visitors replied with 187-8

RESULTS AND NOTABLE PRE-SEASON PERFORMANCES

Hampshire Academy 226 (Lamsdale 71; Mark Holmes 4-52) Ventnor 191-8 (Dan Cox 85) Hampshire
Academy won by 35 runs.

Rob Snell’s XI 187-5 (Ben Attrill 51, Kevin Cooper 51) Toby Noyes XI 190-5 (Toby Noyes 50) Toby
Noyes XI won by five wickets.
Carisbrooke High School Old Boys 109; Ventnor 110-5 (Mark Fletcher 40, Devon Pollard 42) Ventnor
won by five wickets.
Fair Oak 147-9; Ventnor 148-6 (Sam Mills 42) Ventnor won by four wickets.
Ventnor 258-7 (Mark Fletcher 76, Kevin Cooper 41, Jack Powell 41) Ryde 175-6. Ventnor won by 83
runs.
Sway 206-4 (Harradine 57) Ventnor 151-5 (Archie Lucy 81) Sway won by 55 runs.
Ventnor 209-7 (Ben Woodhouse 80) Preston 133 (George Watts 3-13) Ventnor won by 76 runs
Old Wilsonians 253-6 (Devarajulu 86) Ventnor II 130-8 (Ben Davies 52 not out) Old Wilsonians won
by 123 runs.
Ventnor 250 (Dan Cox 103, Dineth Thimodya 66) Bircham 218-7 (Harrison McQuillan 5-24) Ventnor
won by 32 runs.

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

Thursday 8 May Midweek XI v St Helens – Friendly - Home – 6pm
Friday 9 May Women’s 1 st XI v Ryde – IW League – Away – 6pm
Saturday 10 May 1 st XI v Rowledge – Southern League – Home – 12.30pm
Match sponsored by Bill Nichols
Saturday 10 May 2 nd XI v Portsmouth II – Hampshire League – Away – 1pm
Saturday 10 May 4 th XI v Freshwater – IW League – Away – 1.30pm
Sunday 11 May 3 rd XI v Ryde – Friendly – Away – 2pm
Sunday 11 May Under 11’s v Newport – Friendly – Away – 10am