Liphook and Ripsley III v Headley
Pope Cup
Tuesday 1 June 2021
Match played at Ripsley Park, Liphook
Headley won by 5 wickets

I'Anson Division 3 side Headley won the toss and invited Liphook to bat first. Opener Will Quinnell was out for 4 which brought Liphook's in form batsman Rich Jarrett to join skipper Al Lewis at the crease. The Liphook batsmen were immediately on the offensive and took the game to their opponents from three leagues above them. An exhilarating partnership of 86 was ended when Jarrett was caught by Paul Ingram in the deep from John Canning for 41. Jarrett was replaced by Billy Allcock who scored 9 from 11 deliveries, but it was Lewis who continued to assault the Headley bowlers and finished unbeaten on a brilliant 56 from 45 deliveries. Liphook had finished with what was thought to be a competitive 117 in their 16 overs.

Luke Anstey (2/30) opened the bowling for Liphook and in a devastating opening over claimed two Headley wickets with Jez Done clean bowled and Tim Canning lbw. At 6/2, Liphook felt they had a chance of causing a major upset. Headley started to rebuild and a third wicket partnership of 42 between Captain Ben Homewood and Matthew Joyce saw them rally. Richard Grimes (1/12) removed Canning with the score on 48 and this brought Paul Ingram to the crease. Homewood and Ingram were taking the game away from Liphook until an astonishing catch from Jordan Henderson removed Ingram for 23 with the score on 94/4. Henderson ran a full 50 yards out in the deep to make up the ground to reach the pitch of the ball, and with the low sun streaming into his eyes, managed to take Liphook's catch of the season to date. Headley required a further 24 runs from 21 balls to win the game. Cansfield (2/18) bowled the dangerous Homewood for 40 with the score on 106 and the equation had moved to 12 runs required from the final over. Andy Coutts (10 not out) hit two fours at the beginning of the over and Anstey responded with 3 outstanding deliveries which yielded just two runs leaving Headley two runs to score from the final delivery. Sadly for Liphook the ball bounced off the bat into the only area on the ground not taken by a fielder and by the time the ball had been collected by wicket-keeper Mick Poore and the stumps broken, the Headley batsman were home and had won the match by five wickets. Liphook will hold their heads up high knowing that they took their opponents from three divisions higher to the final ball of a highly entertaining game of cricket.

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