Ventnor are the new leaders of the ECB Southern Electric Premier Division. Ian Hilsum’s emerging young team produced a superb all round performance to outplay six times champions Havant at Newclose on Saturday to go top of the league for the first time in their history.
The seven wicket hammering of Richard Hindley’s side in the opening round of nine all day format games, coupled with Lymington’s defeat at South Wilts, propelled the Islanders to the summit after a fifth win in the opening six games.
Skipper Hindley elected to bat first on winning the toss but was made to regret that decision as Ventnor’s new ball attack wreaked havoc. The impressive Adam Wilson and Mark Holmes bowled an immaculate line and length and with movement off the pitch and sharp catching assisting them, blitzed the Havant top order. The highly rated visitors crashed to 9-4 and when Rob Snell accounted for Robert Gibson, half the side were back in the pavilion with only 28 runs on the board. By lunch, only Jez Bulled of the recognised batsmen remained as Wilson, who took four wickets in the morning session and Holmes two, had the innings in tatters at 73-8. Bulled (53) and Joe Slade did add 47 for the ninth wicket in the afternoon session before Jamie Miller and Holmes dismissed them to leave Havant 143 all out.
The Ventnor response suffered an early setback with the departure of Ollie Mills before James Cheek and Travis Head took command. The teenage pair added 122 for the second wicket in a terrific partnership to take their side to the brink of victory. Cheek’s disciplined innings of 52 dovetailed perfectly with Head’s 97 ball knock of 77, the Australian hitting 12 boundaries and a six in a brilliant exhibition before Hilsum and Chris Ridley scored the handful of runs needed to complete an emphatic win.
