Match report: Amport XI vs Petersfield First XI {submitted to the Post}
Petersfield’s young opening batsmen, Gabe Broadhurst and Alex Thomas, led the way with a superb 221-run partnership as Petersfield chased down Amport’s formidable-looking 254 to win by 9 wickets in their County Division 2 encounter.
Batting first on a flat wicket at Amport’s picturesque ground, with an outfield that was lightening fast, the home side lost Stuart Woodhouse early, bowled by Blanks for nought.
When Gumbe removed Randall for 27 and Turk got Dean Woodhouse caught behind for 36, things looked promising for ‘Field, but that brought Bone and Langdown together, who batted aggressively in putting on 63 for the third wicket, before Bone was bowled by Stanley for 32.
Langdown continued to take the attack to Petersfield, completing a fine century (121), Amport finishing on 254. Blanks picked up 3 wickets, and Turk and Gumbe 2 apiece, but arguably Stanley was the pick of the bowlers, taking 1 for 29 off his 10 overs when the going was at its toughest.
Amport would have fancied defending their total but all the talk during the tea interval was, given the benign conditions – would it be enough?
The answer turned out to be – no, not nearly enough, as Broadhurst and Thomas set about the Amport bowling, which was tidy but maybe lacked penetration. However this is to take nothing away from the ‘Field openers, who showed great composure, concentration and no little skill (or stamina!) as they built their impressive partnership.
Broadhurst was fluent, scoring quickly and showing his class with shots all around the ground, peppering the boundary with 20 fours. Thomas played an excellent supporting hand, running aggressively and also hitting some powerful straight drives of his own. This was a partnership of the highest quality.
The Amport bowlers had no answer as ‘Field’s total mounted steadily, always at or around the required rate. In fact the only surprise was when Bone sneaked one through Thomas’s defence with the score on 221, bowling him for 78. Blanks and Broadhurst, now completely dominant, continued the assault, the youngster finishing on a magnificent 148 not out, his second century in successive weeks.
To provide some context to this excellent away win, Amport’s century-scoring batsman Langdown was third in the division batting averages last year and opening bowler Woodhouse fourth in the bowling averages (0-68 off 9.5 yesterday). Amport finished fifth in the division last season.
The result means Petersfield move up one place to third in the table, with bottom club Bransgore visiting the Heath next week.
Scorecard - http://petersfield.play-cricket.com/website/results/2363245
Picture of Alex Thomas 78 (left) and Gabe Broadhurst (148 not out)
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