South Wilts and Ventnor, the ECB Southern Electric Premier Division’s lead pair, go head-to-head at Bemerton tomorrow – with both captains endeavouring to play down the importance of the occasion.
The top two swapped places last weekend – South Wilts’ successful 256-run chase at Bashley (Rydal) coinciding with an unexpected slip up by Ventnor against the Hampshire Academy, writes MIKE VIMPANY.
It’s left South Wilts, the defending champions, with a slender two-point lead at the top – an advantage they can extend if they beat the Islanders.
“The match is hugely important, but so is every other game. The championship won’t be won or lost tomorrow,” South Wilts skipper James Hayward said.
“We’re in a league where every team has the capability to win matches – as Bournemouth proved against St Cross Symondians a fortnight ago – and tomorrow is another game against a good side and one in which we need to perform as a unit.”
Ventnor suffered a crushing defeat when they visited Bemerton in the corresponding match last season and, like South Wilts, send an unchanged side into the fourth round of Time pennant games.
“As a team we’ve enjoyed our successful start to the season but we’ve kept our expectations realistic,” Ventnor’s Ian Hilsum said.
“We haven’t got too excited about the games we’ve won and we certainly won’t get too down about losing to the Academy last weekend.
“Having said that I have set the team a target of winning as many games as possible and it would be good to get back to winning ways at South Wilts.
South Wilts have opener Tom Morton back in form – his 122 against Bashley being followed up by more runs for Wiltshire in Minor Counties Championship cricket this week.
Beaten by the Academy and knocked out of the Southern Electric twenty20 Cup by New Milton a day later, Ventnor need to regroup, with the emphasis on South Australia’s Travis Head and Hampshire prospect Jake George to score runs.
South Wilts: Riddle, Abel, Burl, Morton, Hayward, Hibberd, Cranch, Franklin, Pain, Warner, Sheppard.
Ventnor: George, Mills, Cheek, Head, Ridley, Hilsum, Westhorpe, Miller, Snell, Wilson, Holmes.
Full SEPL preview in today's Daily Echo
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