4th Round - Sunday 22nd June

KIBWORTH EASE PAST WALMLEY’S CHALLENGING TOTAL
Last year’s beaten finalists from Leicestershire played host to Walmley from the Birmingham Premier League. On a bright day the match was played in an extremely strong wind which caused the bowlers a number of problems throughout the match. Kibworth won the toss and invited their visitors to bat. An aggressive innings by opener Mohammed Usman (24) was brought to an abrupt halt by a stunning caught and bowled by Simon Renshaw with the score on 36. Then Captain Chris Howell came in to play a superb innings anchoring Walmley’s effort and then producing a dazzling array of shots as he accelerated at the end of the innings. At the end of the 45 overs he was just 5 runs short of a deserved century. Howell and Adam Breakspear (46) added 102 for the 5th wicket as Walmley closed on a challenging 247-5. Kibworth were always well up with the run rate with opener Sunny Patel scoring 42. A couple of quick wickets in the middle of the innings left them on 163-5 and the match looked to be finely balanced as Simon Renshaw (60*) joined skipper Andy Smith (64*) at the crease. Both batted well in their unbroken partnership worth 90, although Renshaw tended to try to hit the ball too hard at times but with 5 overs remaining he took 17 off an over and then finished the match in style with a six straight over the sight-screen into a car parked, so the owner thought, in safety behind the structure.

Last year’s winners, Bromley, won easily at Hartley Country Club by 100 runs in a match that had been expected to be tight.

Preston Nomads won the toss and batted against Walton-on-Thames, amassing 250-8 in their 45 overs. Michael Gould was top scorer with 86, Rob Wakeford hit 43 off 35 balls and Joe Gatting 36. For Walton Giles Henderson took 3-59 and Ed Senneck 3-53. The Walton reply of 67 all out was not helped by 3 run outs. Owen Kernan took 2-10, Nick Hobbs 2-23 and Henry Gane 2-26.

The biggest totals of the day were those by St Lawrence & Highland Court and Havant. St Lawrence & Highland Court scored 308-5 with Charlie Hemphrey (108) and Dominic Chambers (78) added 173 for the 1st wicket. David Smith then scored 50 to add further impetus to the innings. In reply Terry Wyatt scored 92 but Ciaran Morgan picked up 5-31 as Upminster were bowled out for 226.

Havant's tie with Basingstoke at May's Bounty produced a 591-run fest, with the reigning Southern Electric Premier League champions looking decidedly uncertain at one stage of a pulsating evening session. Laurie Prittipaul led Havant's run charge with a blistering 100, which contained a six and 17 fours. He dominated a 141-run opening partnership with Ben Walker (32) before Stuart Ransley (77), Richard Hindley (33), Ollie Jones (36) and an important late cameo from Chris Morgan powered the visitors to 318-5. If Havant thought they were home and dry, they were sadly wrong. Led by Mitchell Stokes, who made a quick fire 38 (he was caught at third man !), Basingstoke got off to a real flier and were scoring at ten runs an over through Russell Droy (31) and Academy starlet Chris Wood (63), who batted with a real freedom. With Lee Nurse (42) at the crease and the total a daunting 201-3, Basingstoke were threatening an incredible victory, but the introduction to the Havant attack of Morgan's left-arm spin proved decisive. Morgan removed both Wood and Nurse and Basingstoke, though never at any stage giving up the chase, were dismissed for a creditable 273. Morgan finished with 6-46.

Hampshire YC's Neil Marsh was Cove's match winner against Bashley, who were dismissed for 172 at Grasmere Road. Bashley lurched to 24-3 and later 104-7 before Gavin Bailiff (22) and Mike West (29) improved things. They made 172 - a total Cove polished off, with Marsh hitting 51 not out. Marsh was a member of Hampshire's ECB Under-17 County Championship winning side last season

The closest match was at Lullington Park where the hosts scored 161-9 to squeeze past Himley’s 160 with one ball and one wicket to spare.

Hindley St Peters looked in trouble at 66-6 at home to Farnworth Social Circle but recovered to 163 thanks mainly to Marc Birch’s 59. In reply Farnworth Social Circle looked to be cruising at 125-3 but were bowled out for 160 – just 3 runs short of their host’s total. Marc Birch struck with the ball as well as he took 3-6 and there were contributions from Paul Mather (3-36) and Kevin Anderson (3-30) as well.

Papplewick & Linby scored 220-4 thanks in no small part to a 2nd wicket partnership of 115 between Phil DeFreitas (71) and John Wakeling (66) as they overhauled Elsecar’s 219-8 to win by 6 wickets.

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