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Never-give-up Hook blast Hursley after dodgy start
Mike Vimpany - 1 July 2001
Most teams would feel fairly comfortable after posting 298-3 in 50 overs - but not if you are Hursley Park and the opposition is Hook & Newnham Basics !
Hursley were optimistic their worrying Premier Division 3 standing - they have only won twice in six attempts - might be boosted after John Harris carried his bat for 124 to lead them to 298.
And, when Basics promptly dropped to 10-2, Hursley Park skipper Rob Lowe thought he'd cracked it.
But, when burly South African Janusz Kaminski joined Hook heavyweight Keith Lovelock - Basics reckon there's 35 stone of batting muscle at the crease when the pair are together ! - the game changed dramatically.
While left-arm spinner Chris Westbrook waited impatiently for a bowl, Hursley's hopes disappeared in a crescendo of boundaries.
Cape Town-based Kaminski smashed 11 sixes in his 147 out of a third-wicket stand of 220 with Lovelock, who went on to make 105 and carry Hook home at 301-3 - with eight overs to spare !
Apart from Bashley (Rydal), who beat Waterlooville by 81 runs, it wasn't a terribly successful day for the eight sides languishing in the lower echelons.
Seemingly doomed United Services, without a win in seven tries, were blasted to defeat by Gosport's Australian import Nathan Collins (6-30), while Winchester KS proved predictably too strong for Leckford.
The Stockbridge club notched a season's best 173 - Scotsman Mike Howard (61) top scoring - but Paul Marks (54) and Dave Parsons (43) swept WKS to the verge of a sixth straight win.
Flamingos captain Gary Fenigan felt like jumping off the nearby South Parade Pier after Portsmouth II rallied from 57-7 to reach a winning 202-8 on a poor St Helen's surface.
"I honestly didn't sleep all night, agonising on what went wrong," said Fengian, whose 30th birthday co-incides with today's visit of high-rising Alton to the Holt.
Aussie teacher Shane Merkel (84) propped up Flamingos uncertain batting, but when Crestwood old boy Nick McMurray (5-35) reduced Portsmouth to 57-7, Fenigan thought his birthday had come a week early.
But, as Flamingos 'switched off' in the field, so local university student Steve Mitchell (94 not out) and Gary Rogers (42 not out) turned the match on its head.
Their unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 108 swept Portsmouth to an unexpected two-wicket win - and dumped worried Flamingos further into the mire.
It wasn't the first time Portsmouth's lower order had sparkled this season - Rogers having featured in a last-gasp 161-run stand against Winchester KS earlier in the month.
Equally beleaguered Lymington II copped an ill-timed run blast from Tony Richman, who smacked 103 off just 53 balls (32 scoring shots) - he hit six sixes and 11 fours - as Paultons piled up 329-8 (Duncan Park 51).
A five-wicket spell from Peter Lamb and a 3-56 return by Paul Wilde sent Lymington sliding to 177 all out.
After finishing fifth last season, Purbrook expected to feature in the promotion hunt.
Instead, two wins - and four defeats - out of six has left them precariously placed.
They did, though, show commendable spirit against St Cross Symondians after Brian Lipscombe (3-52), Jimmy Adams (2-40) and Matt Perry-Lewis (2-36) had Purbrook tottering at 137-8
St Cross thought they were on an easy thing after posting 229-9 (Mark Parker 41), but Purbrook hit back to finish only two runs short at 227-8 after a 90-run stand between Graham McCoy (65) and Mark Stanley (36).
But at least Bashley (Rydal) had something to celebrate - their 81-run victory pushed one-win Ville deep in trouble, just above United Services.
Joe Hall's unbeaten 82 and a typically flamboyant half-century by Iain Britton (52) sent Bashley to the home comforts of 265-6 (Matt Slater 5-62) before Martin Shephard (75) stiffened Ville's resistance after four new-ball breakthroughs by John Marsh (4-50). Ville reached 184.
It's unusual for any of the Yates family to feature in a Rowledge victory - and sure enough Chris and cousin Ricky were to the fore in the 44-run defeat of New Milton.
Ricky hit 74 (his best score for several years) as Rowledge reached 227-5 and Chris christened his return from Cardiff University with figures of 5-53.
Hampshire YCs prospect David Wheeler hit a splendid 94 for New Milton, but with Aussie Tim Bott injured, the visitors fell 44 short at 183 all out.
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