New Milton seal President's Cup final victory after tie with Fawley

President's Cup final
New Milton CC 116-7
Fawley CC 116-8

NEW Milton emerged victorious from a razor-close President’s Cup final, securing the win after losing fewer wickets than last year’s champions Fawley.

Having posted a below-par 116-7 off their allotted 18 overs, Fawley managed to equal the score off the last ball of the game.

However, New Milton’s late flurry of captured wickets proved the deciding factor.

Lee Beck (40) and Jack Humphrey (35) were the only batsmen to score double figures, with extras coming in at 20, while Fawley’s opening left-arm attack Adam Freeman (1-13) and Bailey Parratt (2-19) bowled two quality opening spells. However, the pick of the bunch was Sufian Munir (4-14), who kept the visitors in check along the way and was primarily responsible for giving his team a modest target, with New Milton finishing on 116-7.

In reply, Fawley were quickly in trouble when George Watts (4-16) struck with two early LBWs before Lee Beck (1-22) got in on the act.

A battling knock by Brad Merritt (53 not out) was not enough to get the Oilers home, with the next highest scorers Earl (10) and Parratt (17).

Merritt managed to drag his side to within 13 runs, with two overs remaining and only five wickets lost. Then, captain Watts stepped forward to bowl the penultimate over, conceding only four runs but, more importantly, capturing two wickets.

Fawley now needed 10 runs off the final over to win, and Ryan Beck’s delivery allowed New Milton to secure a run-out. Fawley’s Merritt then struck a four to level the scores and bring up his half century. But it was not enough to win, with New Milton losing fewer wickets.

Special mention to 13-year-old Harry Beck, who, while playing his first ever senior cup final, delivered a fine piece of fielding on the boundary to save his side from a narrow defeat.