1st XI Continue Fine Form With Dominant Performance Against Fair Oak

As Liphook & Ripsley’s Man of the Match Sean Burton ran through the Fair Oak middle and late order, with seam figures of 10-4-21-5, victory became assured: the visitors slumped to a meagre 96 all out , 131 adrift of the 227-9 Liphook target.

Electing to bat first, Liphook’s 1sts batting was something of a pendulum. Losing the normally reliable Harry Munt and Rob Nicklin for 5 and 9 respectively, it was down to a typically flamboyant 65 in even time from No 4 Suman Ganguly to set up the basis for a challenging Liphook total. Ganguly was well supported by opener Chris Martin 40 who may be disappointed not to have recorded the half century he deserved.

Suman may have seemed set for a ton when he played a loose shot and was bowled by Gwynn, settling for just ten fours and a six, the score on 151-7. George Neave, Ric Williams and Jonny Price had all fallen cheaply, with Asad Abbas 2-39 and notably Charlie Gwynn 3-13 re-establishing some control. It was therefore more than welcome that Andy Barnes 40 not out and the patent Sean Burton 19 could put on a vital 63 for the 8th wicket.

In reply, George Neave struck early, bowling opener Asad for a first ball duck and trapping skipper Ed Kemp lbw for 27. No 1 Will Hughes batted slowly for an 86 ball 35 but none of the other Fair Oak batsmen got into double figures, thanks largely to Burton’s excellent spell. Chris Martin had two stumping victims. Suman Ganguly and Jonny a Price each held on to claim fine catches. With three wins in four, Liphook remain in second place in the southern Premier Cricket Aleague Div 2 table behind leaders Totton & Eling.