SPCL1 Week9 - White heroics cannot save Academy

Giles White, who has spent most of the past few seasons opening for Hampshire, emergd from the Rose Bowl Nursery Ground pavilion to hit an undefeated 68 against Bashley (Rydal).

But his unbeaten knock in a tenth-wicket stand of 96 with James Manning, was not enough to save the Academy team from a five-wicket defeat.

White and the Fordingbridge-based teenager launched their rally after John Whiting and Kevin Nash exploited a Nursery `green top' to produce a devastating new-ball and have the Academy youngsters in a terrible spin.

Whiting (5-68) and Nash (3-57) grabbed the first eight wickets to have the Young Hawks reeling at 78-8 until the tail enders launched a post-lunch fightback.

Matt Metcalfe (20) began it, but it was tenth-wicket pair Giles White and James Manning who really gritted their teech.

The pair added a record 96 for the tenth wicket, White finishing with 68 not out before Manning (25) was trapped leg before by Chris Sketchley.

But the Academy's 179 all out appeared a long way off as David Griffiths (2-28), Metcalfe and Manning reduced Bashley to 38-4.

Fortunately, Neil Thurgood survived two missed chances and, initially with Andy Neal (39), then Neil Sexton rebuilt the innings.

Neal helped the total to 117-5 before Sexton (37 not out) shared an unbroken partnership with Thurgood (69 not out) to seal Bashley's five-wicket win.

Dominic Carson cracked an unbeaten 104 as defending champions Havant thrashed Portsmouth by nine wickets after skittling the visitors for 166 (Dean Oliffe 44).

Bev Moynan (3-36) and two-wicket pair Richard Hindley (2-27) and Chris Wright (2-45) did the damage.

Carson, whose last SPL century came against Hungerford in 2000, led Havant home in style, sharing hefty partnerships with Simon Barnard (25) and Hindley (23 not out).

Andover skipper Roger Miller was the hero of his side's tense three-wicket win over basement boys Calmore Sports at Loperwood Park.

Miller hit an unbeaten 45 to guide Andover through a middle-order collapse and past Calmore's modest 128 all out.

Only Dave Rouse (37) and Gary Stinson (33) got to grips with things as Calmore gradually folded, initially against the medium-pace of Richard Taylor (2-49) and Miller (2-20), and later Gareth Tate's off-spin.

The pair lifted Calmore from an uncertain 74-7 to 110-8 before Tate concluded his telling 5-40 spell.

Andover, wobbling at 19-2, progressed to 104-4 only for Miller to lose four quick partners before seeing the visitors home.

Bournemouth moved into third spot with an easy eight-wicket win over Liphook & Ripsley.

A five-wicket haul by Dorset left-arm spinner Sean Walbridge, followed by an undefeated 88 by Tom Webley, swept Bournemouth to their Ripley Park victory.

Bournemouth hardly got off to the best of starts when Dorset all-rounder David Kidner pulled up lame with a recurring side strain after just two balls.

But seasoned duo Jo Wilson (1-21), who finished off Kidner's over, and Richard Scott (1-11) bowled tight, miserly lines, each achieving a breakthrough in the pre-lunch session.

Russell Barnes (23) and skipper Jez Bulled (61) lifted Liphook to 68-2 before Walbridge began to create inroads.

Bowling in tandem with Western Australia's Adam Voges (3-38), Walbridge took four of the next five wickets to fall as, immediately after lunch, Liphook dipped from 125-4 to an eventual 159 all out.

When Bulled (61) became Martin Miller's fourth victim, Liphook's resistance effectively ended.

The Surrey border side desperately needed an early breakthrough if they were to put Bournemouth under any sort of pressure.

But it didn't come - Matt Swarbrick (23) and Webley sharing a 64-run start before Adam Voges (26) helped the score on to 112-2.

Webley, playing his first match since returning from Cambridge UCCE, remained undefeated on 88 as Bournemouth cruised in.