By Isle of Wight Observer
The weekend cricket action delivered two wins and two losses for senior sides, with knife-edge victories for Ventnor III and Ryde II adding drama on the Island. Highlights included David Neal’s commanding century, for Northwood, and a 150-run opening partnership at Freshwater, as the season takes shape.
Premier & Hampshire Leagues
Premier side Totton & Eling beat Ventnor by 30 runs, after scoring 318-6 from their 50 overs, with Ventnor’s Dineth Thimodya (2-45) and Dan Cox (2-52) taking key wickets. In reply, despite a valiant 98-run effort from opener Thimodya, and a solid 80 from skipper, Ben Woodhouse, the Island side ran out of wickets with 8 balls left and finished 288 all out.
Meanwhile, Ventnor II dominated Winton with a 7-wicket victory at Steephill. Winton chose to bat but were restricted to 221 all out in 38 overs. Ethan Short took 3-27 and Charlie Calloway, Ollie Morgan, and Jack Powell took 2 wickets apiece. In reply, the Islanders’ lost an early wicket, before Martin Blackman’s unbeaten 86 including 2 sixes and 7 fours, in a partnership of 84 with Kevin Cooper who added 58. Ventnor reached 222-4 in the 38th over, lifting Ventnor II to second place in Division 2B.
Portsmouth II XI beat Ryde by 143 runs in another Hants 2B clash. Ryde asked to bat first and Portsmouth set a daunting 356-3, supported by two centuries off 45 overs, with Ben Gregory taking 2-66, including a caught and bowled. Ryde’s reply featured commendable knocks from Jacob Palin (58) and Andy Day (50), but ended at 213-6 as they ran out of overs.
Shanklin & Godshill sealed a 67-run victory over Waterlooville in Hants 3B. Batting first, Tom Quaife hit 81, featuring 4 sixes and 8 fours, helping propel the team to 185 all out in the 44th over. The visitors then struggled to get into a rhythm, with Shanklin’s bowlers taking wickets at regular intervals. Matt Lambourne took 3-28, with 2 wickets each for Tom Quaife, Harry Moore and Jack White, bowling Waterlooville out for 118 in the 38th over.
Island Leagues
In Division One it was a cliff-hanger, as Ventnor III XI overcame Newport by 2 wickets at Newclose. With Newport electing to bat first, wickie Grant Richardson scored 43 from a total of 168 all out with 2 balls remaining. There were 3 wickets apiece from Sean Turner and James Curtis, and Tom Doble, Kayton Evans and Sean Turner claimed 2 catches each. At 67-5 Ventnor looked vulnerable, but knocks of 46 from skipper, Sean Turner, and an unbeaten 57, from Harrison McQuillan, helped the team reach 168-8 with one ball of the match remaining. Newport will be disappointed to lose, spite Ellis Hinckley returning figures of 3-14,
Leaders Northwood won by 198 runs at home to St Helens, after electing to bat first. David Neal hit 120, including 7 sixes and 14 fours, out of 317-6 from 40 overs. There were 2 wickets from Marc Allen and another from Rob Holdcroft, who also held 3 catches. In reply, skipper and opener, Marc Allen, hit 32 from 119 all out in the 23rd over, with 3 wickets each from Robert Wilcox, and Nathan and Simon Goldsmith.
Ryde II XI won by 7 runs in a close encounter with Wight Whizzers. Ryde opener Dan Parker’s 20 contributed to a score of 149 all out in the 35th over, with Shybin Joseph and Vishnu Ravi taking 3 wickets each. The Whizzers saw skipper, Jkp Jinu, score 26, with Rajendran Malin adding 48, as the Whizzers were all out for 142 in the 26th over, after Mark Tuckwell took 4-50 to frustrate their response.
In Division Two, Arreton lost at home to Northwood II XI by 7 wickets, after Arreton scored 215-6, including an unbeaten 62 from captain, Josh White, and 45 from Josh Gregory. Steve Lewis and Neil Redmond bagged 2 wickets each for Northwood. In reply opener, Jeff Barrett, hit 73 not out, with Nick Stafford contributing an unbeaten 89 as Northwood reached 217-1 in the 27th over.
Freshwater won by 10 wickets at home to Shanklin & Godshill II, with Shanklin asked to bat. Pete Brown scored 43 and opener/skipper, Nathan Moore, 37, as the visitors reached 149-7 from their 35 overs. Freshwater replied with unbeaten openers, Mike Holliday (71) and Graham Gosden (49), sharing a 150 partnership to secure the win.
Shanklin & Godshill III XI conceded their match with Ventnor IV XI.