SPCL 2 - Merry hat-trick keeps Academy on track
Luke Merry celebrated a hat-trick before Jimmy Adams hit a match-winning 48 not out to seal the Hampshire Academy's four-wicket win at Rowledge - a result which keeps the county youngsters at the top of Southern Electric Premier League, Division 2
Mike Vimpany (as published in Daily Echo)
21-Jul-2002
Luke Merry celebrated a hat-trick before Jimmy Adams hit a match-winning 48 not out to seal the Hampshire Academy's four-wicket win at Rowledge - a result which keeps the county youngsters at the top of Southern Electric Premier League, Division 2.
Merry, gradually being nursed back to fitness after suffering shin splints, removed Chris Yates, cousin Ricky and Australian Jeff Anning in a three-ball burst as Rowledge tumbled from 46-1 to 61-8.
Steve Woodhouse (40) and Chris Yates senior (20 not out) revived the flagging Rowledge fortunes as the Surrey border club recovered to reach 145 all out.
The total tested the Academy youngsters, who dropped from 55-2 to 126-6 - left-arm spinner Yates senior taking 5-44 - while Adams remained ice-cool to steer the county home.
Easton & Martyr Worthy lie just off the pace, three points behind, after hammering Old Tauntonians & Romsey by six wickets.
OTR got away to a catastrophic start with Max Smith run out of the first ball of the match, but Charles Forward (82) batted quite superbly, leading his side's recovery.
But, after Paul Longland (35) and Mike Trodd (28), OTs fell to pieces against Steve Green (4-30) and were dismissed for 193.
Easton dropped to 35-2 and 68-3, but unbeaten half-centuries by Shaun Green (58) and Francis Gill (59) swept them home.
Trojans, meanwhile, are back in serious relegation strife after losing by nine wickets to Hungerford.
Only Nigel le as (24) and tailender Charlie Prendergast (25) made much of a fist of it as Trojans slipped to 135 all out - a total Hungerford polished off through Hampshire's Jason Laney (75 not out) and Owen Dawkins (41 not out).
An unbeaten 61 by Paul Baker guided Winchester KS to a four-wicket win over city rivals Sparsholt at River Park.
Spin duo Raj Naik (3-30) and Rhys Oxley (3-32) did the damage as Sparsholt were dismissed for 146 - a total WKS polished off after Ian Ellis (3-14) had got amongst the batsmen.
Winchester tumbled from 52-0 (Paul Marks 27) to 79-5 before Baker found an ally in Nigel Bungay (20).