Petersfield 2nd XI vs Silchester

The seconds kick-started their season with an exciting 117-run away win over Silchester.
Losing the toss and put into bat, ‘Field’s young openers, Friend (15) and Thomas (22), built a solid foundation, putting on 42 for the first wicket setting up the middle order for an onslaught on the Silchester attack.
Silchester’s joy at the double breakthrough was short-lived because this brought Billy Maisey (69) and Shaun Blanks (90 n.o.) to the crease. Maisey, on loan from the firsts, and vice-captain Blanks put on a blistering 146-run partnership for the 3rd wicket in just 16 overs with seven sixes (one of them, from Blanks, a monster effort that cleared the sight-screen a good 90m away). The innings closed on 230 for 4.
Silchester got off to a brisk start in reply, but were pulled back superbly by Blanks (3 for 9 off 4 overs) and John Maguire (3 for 11 off 5) before finally limping to 113 all out. Special mention for u15 colt, Alex Squires, who took his first wicket in Saturday league cricket and was unlucky not to have had a couple more.
This was a spirited effort by the seconds to record their first win of a rain-disrupted season. They will come up against better opponents than a side which is rebuilding after a turbulent winter, but this is a young, developing ‘Field side, who will have gained a lot from this convincing display.