Ventnor’s second team saw their hopes of promotion to the Southern Electric Premier League end in disappointment on Saturday.
In a nail biting climax to their Hampshire League Division 1 campaign, the Steephill club were defeated by one wicket by local rivals Ryde. Wins for Lymington II and Gosport Borough meant Ben Woodhouse’s side finished in fourth place while leaders Portchester saw their game at Purbrook cancelled because of a waterlogged outfield.
Ventnor were invited to bat first on a damp Harding Shute surface and lost Rob Snell and Ben Herridge early on to Harry Bradley and Lawrence Tolfrey respectively. George Hatt (24) and Hugh Calloway (23) helped the score past 100 but with Tolfrey finishing with 4-43 and Bradley 4-21, the visitors were dismissed for 158 with five of their 50 overs remaining, Woodhouse top scoring with 28.
Ryde were given a 57 run start by Sam Rockley (26) and Ben Wadmore and seemed set for a comfortable win as they reached 105-3 (Hugh Calloway 2-28). However, leg spinner David Beven (3-25) made middle order in-roads and at 117-7 the outcome was suddenly in the balance. The impressive Wadmore continued to nudge his side nearer their target and when he survived a caught behind appeal, the home team looked favourites again. The match took a further twist as off spinner Herridge accepted a sharp caught and bowled chance to dismiss the hosts’ left hander for a 116 ball 63 and when the 15 year old accounted for Ben Gregory the very next ball, Ryde needed two runs to win and Ventnor one wicket.
The match was finally decided in the 47th over as Stuart Robertson, who had earlier provided crucial support to Wadmore, turned Charlie Calloway into the leg side to win the match for his side in a decisive unbeaten knock of 18.
Despite missing out on promotion, Ventnor can still reflect positively on a campaign during which an often youthful second team won ten out of fourteen games and improved on last season’s sixth place finish in the top division of the Hampshire League.
