Crushing wins for all of Hampset’s Saturday sides, Sunday XI lose

Round-up of Hampset Cricket Club’s matches – Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th July.

Hampset’s 1st XI and 3rd XI were both 10-wicket winners on Saturday 25th July, when the 2nd XI romped to victory by 130 runs

Reports by Hampset Cricket Club

Failand & Portbury 1st XI v Hampset 1st XI

Hampset 1st XI produced a dominant all-round display to blow away hosts Failand & Portbury 1st XI by 10 wickets on Saturday 25th July and strengthen their push for the Bristol & District Cricket Association Division Three title.

The Scorpions won the toss and elected to field at Horserace Lane.

Despite the good batting conditions, Hampset’s bowlers showed great discipline from the outset.

Failand made a positive start and looked well set at 59-1, with James Ball anchoring the innings, but the visitors remained patient and waited for their opportunity to strike.

That breakthrough came courtesy of Freddie Hiscott, who turned the game on its head with a superb over, removing two batters in quick succession to reduce the hosts from 59-0 to 60-2.

After the drinks interval, Ethan Silcox piled on the pressure with two more wickets in the same over, leaving Failand reeling at 81-4.

From there, wickets continued to tumble as Hampset seized control.

James Dorey then produced a brilliant double-wicket maiden as the innings collapsed to 118 all out.

The standout bowling figures came from Hiscott (4-28), Silcox (4-36) and Dorey (2-0).

Hampset approached the chase with confidence and intent.

Openers Ashton Wright and Isaac Bogg quickly settled into their work, punishing anything loose and ensuring the required rate was never an issue.

Boundaries flowed throughout the innings, and by the 10-over mark Hampset had raced to 75 without loss, putting the result beyond any real doubt.

The pair saw the chase through with an outstanding unbeaten opening partnership, reaching 119-0 in just 15.4 overs to complete a convincing victory and ensure Hampset claimed the full 20 points.

Bogg led the way with an excellent 69 not out from just 49 deliveries, and Wright provided the perfect support with an unbeaten 41 from 43 balls.

This was a complete team performance from the Scorpions, with a devastating bowling display setting up an emphatic win that underlined their strength in every department.

Hampset 2nd XI v Taveners 1st XI

Hampset 2nd XI slaughtered Taveners 1st XI by 130 runs at Bloomfield Rise in Bristol & District Cricket Association Division Seven East on 25th July after clocking up an imposing 271-8.

Taveners came to Bath as the only team to have beaten the Scorpions in the league this year, winning by three runs in May.

However, Hampset went into the return fixture on the back of a seven-match winning streak, and the home side were keen to keep the pressure on Bristol Mavericks at the top of the table.

With the toss won, Hampset looked to put a big total on the board batting first, but lost opener Oscar Costello early to what he felt was the best ball he has faced this season.

Rich Holmes (30) and Charlie Dolman went in quick succession, leg before to the visitors’ leg spinner.

But Sam Taylor-Weekes and Adam Kaby pushed on, reaching 107-3 at the halfway stage.

Taylor-Weekes departed two balls later for a well-made 48. But Fergal McDonald (20) and Jacob Marquiss made handy runs alongside Kaby, who fell for 50 chasing a wide one from the first ball after drinks.

With no partnership yet to better 40, Willis Skardon and Jon Hart took 82 off the final eight overs.

Skardon batted exceptionally well for 69 – with two sixes and nine fours – off just 35 balls, and Hart finished with 21 not out.

Skardon (6-1-2-19) made the first breakthrough when Taveners came out to bat.

In his first over he clean bowled the opener beautifully, having set him up perfectly with the three previous balls.

A second wicket followed in his next over with a dangerous full toss, before other opening bowler, Kit Pearson, got in on the act by taking a fantastic reaction caught-and-bowled.

The introduction of James Boyle (7-0-3-46) and McDonald (8-2-2-28) kept the wickets falling regularly in the middle overs, before Taylor-Weekes (4-0-2-14) finished off the innings, Taveners all out for 141.

Man of the match was comfortably Skardon. He not just batted and bowled well but was also the standout fielder, which included somehow getting round from long-off to deep cow to save a boundary.

An artificial track awaits Hampset in the next game, at Stapleton 3rd XI, with the Scorpions still looking to close a 14-point gap on first-placed Bristol Mavericks.

Hampset 3rd XI v Timsbury 3rd XI

Hampset 3rd XI skittled visitors Timsbury 3rd XI for a paltry 66 at Odd Down Playing Fields and completed a 10-wicket success in Bristol & District Cricket Association Division Nine East on 25th July.

With a recent development in the league structure meaning that Hampset have no fixture on Saturday 1st August – scheduled opponents Bristol Lions 2nd XI have left the division – they were keen to secure a good win to keep themselves near the top of the league.

Timsbury won the toss and elected to bat.

Hampset opened their attack with the Mahar brothers, Saf and Shan, and they looked to make early inroads.

Saf Mahar took an early wicket, bowling the Timsbury opener. Not to be left out, Shan Mahar then took two wickets in two balls, a bowled for his first and then a catch down the leg side by keeper Ollie Hutchings securing him his second scalp.

Soon, Hutchings showed great awareness to stump the visitors’ number three for nought to bring Saf Mahar another wicket. Timsbury were now 18-4.

Shortly afterwards, Saf Mahar had his third victim of the afternoon, Fin Richards holding a good catch at mid-on.

A double bowling change saw the Mahars replaced by skipper Jack Hughes and vice-captain Tom Hutchings.

Tom Hutchings was soon in the wickets, thanks to another Richards catch at mid-on.

Hughes then bowled the Timsbury skipper to leave them 53-7.

Tom Hutchings and Hughes then each got their second wicket. Louis Bishop took a catch off the former at square leg and then, with the highlight of the innings, Ollie Hutchings completed a very sharp stumping, standing up to Hughes’ pace and whipping off the bails.

Tom Hutchings completed the innings a few balls later, bowling the Timsbury number 10 for 1.

The bowling figures were: Saf Mahar 5-0-13-3, Tom Hutchings 7.2-3-14-3, Jack Hughes 8-3-17-2 and Shan Mahar 5-1-17-2.

The chase was brisk and efficient. Chris Kindon and Gary Peters opened the batting and played carefully for the first few overs before accelerating.

The 10-wicket win arrived in good time, just shy of 12 overs, with Kindon finishing on 37 not out – with six fours and a six – and Peters on 18 not out, with two fours.

Man of the match was Ollie Hutchings for his superb afternoon behind the stumps.

Leema 1st XI v Hampset Sunday XI

Hampset Sunday XI’s bid for the North Somerset League Sunday Conference Division Three title suffered a big blow as they were beaten by Leema 1st XI in a top-of-the-table tie at Hobbs Lane, Barrow Gurney.

Leema’s four-wicket success on Sunday 26th July meant they leapfrogged the Scorpions and took over in second place in the standings.

Hampset are now in third spot, 33 points behind league leaders Bristol Gladiators Sunday 1st XI.

Asked to bat, Hampset were bowled out for 171 in 32.2 overs.

They lost opener Ashton Wright for a duck but second-wicket pair Oscar Costello (37) and Wishal Henry (26) fought back.

However, the third-biggest score came from extras (28).

Of the other batters, only skipper Jon Dolman (23), Saf Mahar (23) and Willis Skardon (18) reached double figures.

A wicket apiece from Jack Hughes and Steve Aust reduced Leema to 43-2 in the reply. But a third-wicket stand worth 51 got the home side back on track.

A home victory was achieved at 172-6 off 29.2 overs, Mahar the most successful Hampset bowler with 3-55 in seven overs.

Forthcoming fixtures:

Saturday 1st August:

Bristol & District Cricket Association:

Division Three: Hampset 1st XI v Frampton Cotterell 1st XI (at Bloomfield Rise, 1pm).

Division Seven East: Stapleton 3rd XI v Hampset 2nd XI (at Coombe Dingle, 1pm).

Sunday 2nd August:

North Somerset League:

Sunday Conference Division Three: Hampset Sunday XI v Clevedon 3rd XI (at Bloomfield Rise, 1.30pm).