Hampshire League Division 6 SE round-up – Community back into promotion places while Denmead are dismissed for 85 but still win

Opener Jamie Nottage struck an unbeaten 67 as Community defeated Portsmouth & Southsea 4ths by five wickets at Cockleshell Gardens.

Batting first after winning the toss, P & S posted 138 on a sluggish outfield, opener Danny Fry Sperring anchoring the innings with 45.

No 9 Harry Yard (29) provided late innings support with 29 and Community conceded 26 wides in a total of 33 extras.

Community's leading wicket taker, Jack Whiteaway, recorded 4-30, including two catches off his own bowling, after Dave Going (2-23) and Den Housley (2-35) had dismissed the P & S top four.

In reply, Nottage and skipper John Creamer (20) put on a 50-run opening stand.

Matt Wheeler (2-27) was the visitors’ chief wicket-taker, but Community triumphed off the second ball of the penultimate over to move above Waterlooville 3rds in the third promotion slot.

The day after the game, five of Community’s members completed a 20-mile sponsored walk, starting at Cockleshell at 8.30am and returning just after 5pm.

Monies raised have gone towards the club’s chosen charity for 2021, Wave 105’s Cash for Kids.

Jamie Nottage, Matt Davies, Jonty Colman, Dave Going and Jack Whiteaway completed the 20 miles with chairman Matt Barber and his wife Sally, the club secretary, joining them at intervals along the route.

Community have already raised £450 of their £500 target.

Waterlooville 3rds entered their game against Clanfield having skittled Sarisbury 5ths for 27 and Gosport 4ths for 18 in their previous two outings.

But this time the boot was firmly on the other foot as Ville, replying to Clanfield’s 151-7 total, crashed to 47 all out.

Nick Sawyer was the destroyer in chief with a sparkling 5-8 off eight overs.

Sawyer bowled opener Stan Reynolds (0) and skipper Charlie Ellis (2) as Ville lurched to 2-2.

It was 6-4 when Tom Vetcher and Luke Owen also failed to trouble the scorers.

The Ville innings went from bad to worse, careering to 25-8.

Dean Rockett (12) and Osama Sohail (10) added 20 for the ninth wicket, but Ville were finally put out of their misery in the 25th over.

Steven Graham (2-13) and Adam Smith (2-16) gave Sawyer good support.

Clanfield’s score had been based around another fine knock from opener Alex Andrews. In his first HL innings since blasting 184 against Fair Oak 4ths, he hit 70 - skipper Matt Bradley (32) was the only other batsman above 18.

Rockett, who had taken a combined 11-12 in his previous two league games, took 3-36 on this occasion.

Grant Reeves claimed career best figures as Denmead won a low-scoring fixture against lowly Fair Oak 4ths.

Denmead were shot out for 85 - but still won after routing Oak for 63!

Brian Marsh (3-19) dismissed the first three Oak batsmen, but after that - barring a wicket for Nick Betteridge - Reeves tore through the order.

It was his second batch of cheap wickets this season - he had taken 4-3 against Purbrook 3rds in June.

Extras (22) had been Denmead’s top scorer, with Betteridge (19) and Craig Skeggs (14) the only two batsmen in double figures.

Prasad Panicker cleaned up the tail as leaders Kerala 3rds maintained their 100 per cent seasonal winning streak against Bedhampton 3rds.

He bagged a HL best 4-14 - just a few weeks after taking 4-19 against Fareham & Crofton 4ths.

Asked to chase 158 for victory, Mariners could only manage 118-9 off their 40 overs with Pradeesh Nair taking 2-16 off eight overs as Kerala completed their seventh successive victory.

Earlier, No Pradheesh Panamchickal (46) had top scored as Kerala were dismissed for 157, Mariners skipper Josh Quade claiming 4-14.

Tailender Freddie Steele struck a half-century as Hayling Island 2nds remained in second place.

He hit eight fours and a six in his 50, sharing a seventh wicket stand of 59 with Pete Rowson (20) as Hayling were dismissed for 133 (Stuart Bogg 3-12) by Gosport 4ths.

Steele is no mug for someone who batted at No 8 - two years ago, batting at No 3 for Hayling 1sts, he compiled what remains his only HL century.

Gosport were set a revised target of 112, but with Roland Barnard (3-11 off eight overs) impressing, they were restricted to 77-6 off 31 overs.

Oliver Challis mopped up the tail to record his career best haul as Sarisbury 5ths edged a tense finale against Portsmouth 4ths.

Asked to chase 169 for victory, Portsmouth were 157-7 - before losing two wickets, both to Challis, for no runs.

Challis (5-21 off eight overs) then bowled George Hill for a duck to leave his side three-run victors.

Edward Holmes (42) and Tom Vaughan (33) top scored for Portsmouth.

Opener Richard Norton (47) and No 10 Richard Cox (26 not out) had helped take Sarisbury to 168-9 after they had been inserted.

Jason Manning also took career best figures as Fareham & Crofton 4ths thrashed Hayling 3rds.

Manning bagged 5-8 in 21 balls as Hayling were routed for 63.

Jon Glen (3-25) had removed three of Hayling’s top four, including top scorer Steve Green (25).

Hayling had earlier contributed a staggering 39 wides - in a total of 52 extras - towards Fareham’s 160-4 total after the visitors had opted to bat. Danny Baxter (34) was top scorer with the bat.