Alton will be within touching distance of the Southern Electric Premier League, Division 3 championship this evening if they beat Rowledge at the Jubilee Ground.
Mike Vimpany (Daily Echo)10-Aug-2003Alton will be within touching distance of the Southern Electric Premier League, Division 3 championship this evening if they beat Rowledge at the Jubilee Ground.They began today’s match against their third-placed neighbours effectively 21 points ahead and requiring a maximum 44 points from three games.Their last two matches are against relegation-threatened duo Portsmouth II and Waterlooville.A win for Rowledge will boost the Surrey border club’s credentials no end and put pressure on Ventnor, who were hosting fourth-placed Trojans at Steephill today.Rowledge also have to play two prime relegation candidates in Hambledon and Flamingo, while Ventnor visit Leckford and host Southsea on August 30.Leg weary Alton returned from a sun scorched week in South Wales to celebrate an 11th successive win by 38 runs at Hungerford.Alton’s success was built around a 121-run opening partnership between Michael Heffernan (67) and Richie Morgan (46), whose start enabled the visitors to post 239-8.Although Owen Dawkins (54) and Colin Burbidge (50) hit half-centuries, Hungerford could only manage 201 all out.Rowledge and Ventnor must have had visions of their respective championship prospects going up in smoke.Rowledge lost three wickets for four runs and later dipped to 24-4 before getting to grips with overhauling Hook & Newnham Basics’ formidable 262-5.Keith Lovelock’s 118 not out looked a winner for Hook but Rowledge, who dropped a plethora of catches, hit back with a superb 95 from Australian left-hander Justin Larrescy.Ricky Yates (46), relieved after a fortnight’s `no-hassle’ Greek plane spotter holiday, and Dave Booton (47) provided ideal support.But it still needed young eighth-wicket pair Ian Metcalfe and James Harland to get another 38 and secure victory.Runs were at a premium on the low (or no) bounce surface at The Holt, where Ventnor’s 119 all out eluded Flamingo by 11 runs.Neil Westhorpe’s unbeaten 45 proved a winner as Ventnor bowled their hosts out for 108, Andy Whyte taking 4-21.John Robinson’s 102 for Paultons against Portsmouth II at Southsea wasn’t without incident.One of his sixes struck a passing vehicle on Southsea seafront and prompted a less than amused driver to storm into the St Helen’s ground and halt play.Police had to be called to calm the situation before Paultons finished rattling up 281 and Tony Richman got an opportunity to take 7-25 and dismiss the city slickers for 214.Dean Oliffe got 118 for troubled Portsmouth, who are in desperate relegation straits with critical matches against Alton and Hambledon to play.It was a bleak day all round for the struggling sides, with Hambledon, Leckford and Waterlooville all losing.Simon Greenfield put Hambledon’s bowling to the sword at Ridge Meadow, scoring 129 of Havant’s 302-4 (Jon Owen 67). The Don’s got 242 in reply.Chris Baumann failed – and so too did Waterlooville, who were shot out for 73 by Bashley (Rydal) II pair Stuart Waite (4-19) and teenager James France (4-19), whose figures helped the visitors to an eight-wicket win.Leckford went down by 42 runs after Ryan Beck (41) and Dean Miller (35) helped New Milton reach 196-9 (Paul Bradbury 5-35).Unsettled by Lee Beck’s 4-21, Leckford rallied from 33-4 through Mark Costin (42) and Miles Bulpitt (31), but were bowled to defeat by Ben Neal’s later spell of 3-23.Recently promoted South Wilts II owed much to Chris Steedon (39) and Grant Shepherd (35) for their 202-9 at Trojans, but a fourth century of the season by Erasmus Hendrikse (103) and Mario Mohammed’s clinical 70 swept the Stoneham boys home by ten wickets.Winchester KS took a 278-5 pounding from Southsea pair Paul Dew (84) and Neil Richardson (59) before being dismissed for 164 (Chris Wheeler 67).