Ventnor began their 2025 Southern Premier League Division 1 campaign with an impressive 9-wicket victory over Waterlooville at Steephill on Saturday (3rd May).
The visitors were invited to bat first by Ventnor skipper Ben Woodhouse and lost 3 early wickets to George Watts, Dan Cox and Archie Lucy. A recovery led by Charlie Whitfield with 60 and late order runs saw the ‘Ville total 213 from their 50 overs, with Watts finishing with 3-49, Cox 2-45 and Dineth Thimodya 3-31.
Ventnor’s reply was led in spectacular fashion by Thimodya and Cox, who dominated the visitors attack as the hosts romped home by 9 wickets with 7 overs remaining.
Thimodya – the highly talented and popular Sri Lankan all-rounder who is spending a fourth consecutive UK summer at Steephill – struck 15 boundaries and 4 sixes in a terrific unbeaten 127, while Cox lent unstinting support in a fine knock of 77 not out.
During the course of his innings, “Dini” passed 3,000 runs for Ventnor, who are at home again on Saturday to Rowledge with a 12:30 start.
VENTNOR 2ND TEAM START WITH A WIN IN THE FOREST
Ventnor’s 2nd team – under the captaincy of Ben Davies for a 3rd successive season – got off to a winning start in the picturesque setting of Cadnam’s New Forest home on Saturday.
In a revamped Hampshire League set up of 10 teams per division playing each other home and away, the Islanders, promoted as Champions last season, set the hosts a challenging target of 269 from 45 overs.
Toby Noyes was the outstanding Ventnor performer, thumping an eye catching 93, including 15 boundaries and a 6, with Gary Legg (39), Martin Blackman (38) and Jack Powell (36) the other main contributors.
After the interval, Sam Read and Aussie Ethan Short made early breakthroughs for the visitors before the home team rallied with Miller (53) and Sheath (84) keeping them in the hunt. A flurry of late order wickets – including the dismissal of Sheath by Charlie Turpin – won the match for Davies’s side by 38 runs.
Next up for Ventnor in Division 2B are Portsmouth II on Saturday. The away match starts at 13:00.
YOUTHFUL VENTNOR 3RD AND 4TH TEAMS DEFEATED
Ventnor III faced Ryde II in Division 1 at Brading and were defeated by 6 wickets.
Ben Fry (29), Kayton Evans (21), Mark Price (23) and Jinu Poulose (20) helped Ventnor to 135, but 51 from Guy Bonnett helped Ryde to a comfortable win.
At Northwood in Division 2, the home side’s 2nd eleven totalled 231 against Ventnor’s 4th team.
Liam Goldsmith made 66 for the hosts but – despite 52 from Charles Andrew – the visitors fell short by 27 runs.
The 3rd team have no match this weekend while the 4th team travel to Freshwater in Division 2.
If any Isle of Wight cricket teams would like reports of their games to appear in Island Echo please send to [email protected] and [email protected]
