REDLYNCH & Hale Cricket Club at last had something to celebrate on Saturday in Hants Division Two, writes Andy Church.

After a string of poor results, the side had an amazing victory over visitors Hayling Island, by seven wickets. 

Batting first, the Islanders were off to a cagey start after they lost Tony Bosustow, pouched by Dave Webber for just one, from Ben Brown (1-38). 

However, Flynn Powell (62) and Mat Colban (97) then added 137 for the second wicket, ratcheting up the scoring rate through Colban in particular, crashing 12 fours and seven maximums before finally holing out on the ropes to a fine catch by Jos Carreras just short of a ton. 

The bowlers were finding wickets tough to come by and their figures were not helped by Greg Chaplin crafting a fine unbeaten 71. 

But in the scramble to maximise their score several wickets went down including two run-outs as the innings closed on a daunting 280-7.

James Taylor clearly had given his openers clear instructions in how to go about their work as Ian Tanner and Webber, back from parental duties, set about the attack with venom. 

The 50 came up in the sixth over and the 100 in the 13th as both batsmen were striking the ball exceptionally well. 

Hayling seemed to have nothing to offer as Webber’s 50 came up after just 40 balls, with Tanner’s following after 59. With the hosts still ahead of the run rate, the opening stand went on and on, as 150 came and went. 

However with the board showing 191-0, both Tanner (78) and Webber (90) went with no further addition, setting up a clear site of victory. Will Hewlett (21) was run out, as he and Nathan Pollard (42no) added another 64 for the third wicket and it was left for Pollard and Kev Hopkins (18no) to take the team over the line with 5.3 overs still in hand.

An excellent result to set up the final game of the season next week as the team travel to Rikki Clarke’s Shrewton.

  • GOOD news too for the second XI, who posted 187 all out at Wilton, with Dom Sell (36), Stan Boardman (40) and Mick Wright (42) the mainstays. 

Ian Hattersley (4-38) was the pick of the home attack. 

In reply, the hosts were going well with Nick Hillier on 59 when Ian Dixon took a great catch off Boardman (3-22) to dismiss the former. 

Wright (3-25) was also in the thick of it as the home wickets tumbled after Hillier had departed. Tom Emm took the final wicket to leave Wilton 27 runs shy and the points coming back to Woodfalls Cross HQ.

  • FARLEY’S trip to high-flying Petersfield resulted in a late finish - after the game had to be paused for 40 minutes when a grass fire broke out on heathland behind the pavilion.

The delay seemed to disrupt Farley more than their hosts; having been well-placed at 150-3 with 11 overs to go, Farley lost momentum and finished on a slightly under par 213-7. The chase ebbed and flowed, with Farley taking regular wickets but never quite stemming the flow of boundaries, and Petersfield made it home with three wickets and 11 balls to spare.

At home, Farley’s second team were on the wrong end of a record score as table-topping Wellow racked up an enormous 441-8. 

Craig Vigar led the way with a brutal 207 not out - featuring 25 fours and 11 sixers. Ian Swain’s four wickets helped Farley gain some points, as did Pratap Rai’s unbeaten 43 which saw Farley end 120-9.