28 August 2006 12:02

Put the date in and then had to get going again.

28 August 2006 15:26

The sun is shining with a light breeze and we look set for a good finish to the day.

Cheriton beat Tichborne Park earlier.  There have been some huge sixes.  Many attempts at run outs, stumpings and catches have been messed up on the first ball of the innings.

I can't commentate, play the team tunes and do a match report all at the same time. So I have given up until later with the match report.

1462 for 73 off 143 overs, with 98 4s and 24 6s!!  the Final decided off the last ball for the third time in four years!  The 13^th Cheriton 6s again provided exciting non-stop cricket on Bank Holiday Monday.  After 15 matches, and over 10 hours action it was hosts Cheriton who reclaimed the Trophy for the first time since 1998 with victory over local rivals and holders Tichborne Park. 

In the highly competitive group stages 7 of 12 matches went to the last ball!  In the Green Group Fair Oak topped the group after wins against Compton & CF, last years runners-up by 5 runs and Westbourne by 4 wickets.  They were joined by Berkshire outfit Shinfield who having beaten Fair Oak by 2 runs and Westbourne off the penultimate ball early in the day were themselves beaten by Compton to end up second on bonus points. 

In the Gold Group Cheriton and Tichborne Park played out a tight group game with the hosts edging it by 8 runs and each brushed aside the challenge of newcomers Steep and The Wild Things to take their places in the final four.

In the semis, Shinfield’s 56 for 1 was not enough to beat Cheriton, ending the Berkshire club’s campaign, while Tichborne cruised past Fair Oak’s 27 all out with an over to spare. 

The scene was then set for a high quality final with a ‘local derby’ flavour, and the two teams did not disappoint the large crowd, who also enjoyed the Flower Pots Inn Beer Festival, hog roast and other refreshments throughout the day.  Batting first Cheriton made 48 for 3 off their 5 overs with Andy Goff top scoring with 25 not out.  In reply only Tom Allam got going with the bat in the Park’s reply, but his 27 not out was not enough and Cheriton had done enough, winning by 5 runs to bring the cup back home! 

    

The Complete Property Best Batsman Award was won by Andy Goff of Cheriton; the Windwards Bananas Best Bowler Award went to Gary Sharma of Fair Oak; the Cheriton Computers Catch of the Day was won by Derek Manning the Fair Oak skipper for holding onto a boundary one-hander up the hill; Tim Marcon of Shinfield won the Wilds Sports Biggest 6 and Zaheer Ahmed of Shinfield won the Knight Frank Champagne Moment for his sportsmanship when out-foxed by the slowest of slow balls!

Teams interested in playing in the competition in 2007, Hampshire’s longest running 6-a-   side, should contact Philip Housden on 01962 771371.