SPCL1 Week8 - BAT dispatch Liphook in fine style
Damian Shirazi and Neal Parlane shared a double-century opening partnership as BAT Sports cemented pole position in the ECB Southern Electric Premier League leadership race with a 63-run win over Liphook & Ripsley at Southern Gardens.
Mike Vimpany (Daily Echo)
22-Jun-2003
Damian Shirazi and Neal Parlane shared a double-century opening partnership as BAT Sports cemented pole position in the ECB Southern Electric Premier League leadership race with a 63-run win over Liphook & Ripsley at Southern Gardens.
The pair put on 206, with the in-form Shirazi - fresh from a breezy 70 for the MCC YC's against Surrey last week - cracking 122 and the New Zealander, Parlane hitting 92.
BAT posted a towering 275-4 declared off 52 overs before a three-wicket burst by Dan Goldstraw (3-68) reduced Liphook to 78-5 (Jez Bulled 34).
Duncan Berry (54) and George Tyler rallied, but after they had been parted, Liphook's tail collapsed to 170-9 before Tyler (65) was caught off Terry Rawlins at 212 all out.
Former Hampshire bowler James Schofield made his debut, but restricted his activities to 11 not out with the bat.
Australian Brad Thompson cracked 132 to lead Bashley (Rydal) to a three-wicket win over South Wilts, who have dropped to third place behind BAT Sports and Havant.
Thompson, who has been appointed to replace Hampshire's Paul Terry as coach of top WACA Grade club Melville in Perth this autumn, hit his century after Bashley had lost two early wickets chasing South Wilts' 248 all out.
Surving an edged chance to slip early in his innings, Thompson hit two sixes and 18 fours and shared in a 133-run third-wicket partnership with Chris Sketchley (51).
He later enjoyed another significant fifth-wicket stand of 76 with Andy Neal (26) as Bashley closed in on the visitors total..
The Western Australian, eventually dismissed at 29-5, struck so many boundaries that the ball was continually being lost in the undergrowth and foliage around Bashley's ground.
"It kept taking so long to find the ball in the bushes we were out in the field until 8.30pm.
"In the end, we were penalised for our slow over-rate," moaned South Wilts captain Rob Wade, who plans to appeal against the one-point deduction.
Bashley, whose only previous victory this season came against Calmore Sports on May 3, had played the match - and the 2nd XI game at New Milton - against the backdrop of Dale Middleton's tragic death the previous evening.
"It was very hard for everyone at the club, but we got through it and won. I was really proud of everyone for the tremendous effort they'd put in under very difficult circumstances," said Bashley skipper Matt King.
"Dale was a very popular lad at the club - and a talented all-round player, both at cricket and football with Pennington, and had been due to play for the seconds at New Milton."
King (5-40) and Sketchley (2-62) earlier broke the back of the South Wilts innings after the Salisbury club appeared to have taken charge at 221-3.
Rob Wade (80), Jason Laney (37) and Tom Caines (37) steered the visitors into a strong position - but King's second five-wicket spell sent South Wilts spiralling from 221-3 to 228-9.
"The lower order completely gave way once Tom and myself were out in quick succession," Wade said.