Dear Friends and Members of Portsmouth Cricket Club,
Last weekend the senior's season started proper as the Southern Premier League and The Hampshire Cricket League held the first round of league matches. All three of our teams played with our 1st XI winning and our 2nd's and 3rd's finishing second. Read on for more...
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1st XI Report
By Kevin Ricketts May 6th 2018
Published Portsmouth Evening News
A destructive innings from Asad Abbas helped Portsmouth deliver a Southern League division one opening-day victory. The all-rounder struck 50 in his side’s 24-run win over newly-promoted Hartley Wintney at St Helens. Abbas reached his half-century off 46 balls and swung the game in the home side’s favour. Captain Jack Marston opted to bat first after winning the toss.
After losing Dan Wallis early on, Portsmouth slowly moved the score along without being able to impose themselves. When they reached 148 for five Marston admitted he felt the game was in the balance. ‘I thought, at that stage, the game could go either way,’ said the skipper. ‘Asad came in and whacked the ball to all parts
‘He batted really well, hitting their spinners hard down the ground. ‘His batting gave our innings important impetus. ‘Prad Bains also did well to stick with him and contributed a vital unbeaten 21 at the end. ‘By the end I felt we had a good competitive score.’
Portsmouth finished on 223 for nine and Bains grabbed a couple of early wickets in Hartley Wintney’s reply. The key moment came, however, when the visitors were on 136 for five and Scott Baldwin going well. Abbas was again involved, although he needed a little bit of good fortune off his own bowling. He got his finger to the ball and diverted it onto the stumps to dismiss Baldwin, who was backing up at the other end. In replay, Hartley Wintney were all out for 199.
Marston added: ‘It was getting a bit close. Although the opposition needed 28 off the last four overs we kept taking wickets.’ Meanwhile, Sarisbury Athletic started well with a 75-run win against Liphook & Ripsley at Allotment Road. After being put into bat the home side were indebted to Tom Nightingale (50) as they were bowled out for 133 in 44.2 overs. Andrew Ireland (three for 16) then ripped out the away side’s top-three batsmen. After that, Liphook caved in and were skittled out for a meagre 58 runs in just over 20 overs. Philip Jewell (three for eight) and Jordan Wright (two for 16) did the rest of the damage. ‘We didn’t make the best of starts but new-boy Tom Nightingale batted really well,’ said Sarisbury captain Ricky Rawlins. ‘Once we took a couple of quick wickets we never looked back.’
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View From Silly Point
A contribution by Jamie 'Mitch' Mitchell
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2nd XI - CHAMPS TO CHUMPS
The previous View (from last August) used a metaphor relating to overstaying at a house party, which was stretched out like many of Matt Shaw’s t-shirts. Well, after Portsmouth 2s utterly abject display in their first Hampshire League Division 2 fixture away at Ferndown Wayfarers, it would appear that they still have a hangover to sleep off.
A combination of dim-witted fixture planning, accidents on the A31, and Jordy Betts’ dental vanity, contributed to the calamitous journey to sunny Dorset, arriving at Ferndown’s ground a mere 10 minutes before start time. Losing the flip further compounded matters, as the hosts elected to field in helpful bowling conditions, amid most of the visiting top-order scrambling to get padded up.
If the game plan was ink preservation of the scorer’s pens, then The Unicorns batting line-up followed it to the letter. Openers Wyatt and Mitchell, who had combined for 1,000+ runs last summer, managed just the 2 between them (and they only came about thanks to a misfield), setting the tone for a procession of people walking in and walking straight back out again, much like a group of first-time patrons entering Kingsleys.
At the end of the carnage, only Rich Locke (22) and Jordy Betts (13) offered anything resembling resistance, in posting a face-palmingly inept 53 all out inside 16 overs. With tea still a mirage on the horizon, the teams turned straight around for the change of innings.
Harlan Randall took the new nut for Portsmouth, and in his first couple of overs, briefly made it a two-sided contest by accounting for Ferndown’s openers. However, despite a late scalp for the evergreen Rick Marston, some missed chances rounded off a wretched day for Pompey, as their hosts sauntered to victory.
This Saturday will see the Div 2 newbies host title favourites Bedhampton at St Helens HQ. Hopefully the creature comforts of home will lead to a vastly improved showing.
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Fixtures 12th May
The 1st XI travels to Ventnor (12:30pm start)
The 2nd XI welcomes Bedhampton to St Helen's (1pm start)
The 3rd XI welcomes Challengers to St John's College, Farlington Playing Fields
The clubhouse at St Helen's will be open.
New Shirt Sponsors for 2018
| U15A Sponsored by Woodgate & Co Traditional Solicitors |
U9A - Supporting Rowans Hospice |
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As per usual training for u9's and younger will be on Friday as will the 'TCIF Social' when all are welcome!!
And Finally
It is great that many of the club players return to St Helen's to celebrate / commiserate with fellow players on a Saturday night. We would rather you take advantage of parking on the ground than drive off... even after one shandy!
However, all we ask is to park vehicles away from the pitches...there are often colts matches early Sunday morning and it could be difficult explanation to the insurance company why the back screen is smashed!
Thank you for your continued support
Portsmouth Cricket Club