SPCL Division Two cricket: New Milton begin life in new league with win
SPCL Division Two
Gosport Borough CC 138
New Milton CC 139-8
NEW Milton shook the cobwebs off in their first league match since being relegated, defeating Gosport Borough by two wickets at Privett Park.
New Milton made an excellent start, capturing both of the hosts’ openers with no runs on the board, and although they staged something of a middle-order comeback, Gosport reached only 138 runs.
With a gettable target, hopes were high, but as the nerves became a little frayed, the tail-enders saw their side across the line.
After winning the toss and electing to field, New Milton made excellent use of a track that helped the bowlers.
First, Ed Bartlett (4-18) captured Ollie Lunt for a duck after two balls, then Bartlett caught the next two to be dismissed, with Josh Bennett’s (2-16) deliveries ending Lee Harrop (0) and Jacob Harris (14) involvement at 19-3.
Milton veteran Lee Beck (2-26), with the help of a Joe Hall catch, kept up the pressure, with Charlie Creal walking with eight runs scored, but the Gosport batters soon found their groove.
They managed to drag themselves from 30-4 to 83-5 when Bartlett returned and captured the sixth, seventh and eighth batters.
Gosport skipper Jack Richards (15 not out) was his side’s last man standing, with Thaakier Davids catching Sampath Prathapasinghe (4) off Beck in the final over of 50.
The other New Milton wicket-takers were Joe Hall (1-12) and J. Gawler (1-19).
The visitors’ run-chase got off to a poor start, with James Adams departing with no runs scored off his third ball faced.
The miserly Gosport bowlers made it difficult for Ollie Shrubsole, who had to face 120 balls in a stubborn stand that produced 39 runs for his side’s tally.
Thaakier Davids (20), wicketkeeper Ben Griffiths (19) and Josh Parsons (18) managed to increase the run rate, but there was still work to do once they fell.
None of the following five batsmen scored more than six runs, but the final two – Hall (three not out) and Gawler (three not out) – saw New Milton across the line to start the season with a win.
New Milton host local rivals Sway on Saturday at their Fernhill Lane home at 12.30pm.
