Charity 'bash' nets 729 runs and thousands of pounds for good causes (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Charity 'bash' nets 729 runs and thousands of pounds for good causes

8:40am Tuesday 7th July 2009 in

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A STRONG Hampshire team did not disappoint a bumper crowd at Hartley Wintney on Friday afternoon as the ball was launched to every corner of the picturesque ground.

The visiting county stars scored 374-9 and a valiant effort from the village side saw them finish 19 runs short on 355 in the 30-over match.

However, the real winners in this money-spinning charity match were Multiple Sclerosis Society (Island and Hampshire branch), Maple Ridge School in Basingstoke, which is a special needs school, and The Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust who will all benefit to the tune of thousands of pounds.

Organiser Bob Jeavons-Fellows said: “Once again it has been a brilliant event with fantastic support and we will have raised a nice sum for the three charities which is very nice.”

As to a game in 2010, the organiser said: “If we can fix up a date for the game for sure we would like Hampshire here again as it is such a great day for the village.”

On a beautiful Friday afternoon, the village green setting was lined with gazebos as fans got the chance to meet and get autographs from their Hampshire heroes.

It was county stars who batted first with Michael Carberry starting the ball rolling with an entertaining innings, retiring after making a century.

He was supported well by Dave Griffiths (50) who was quickly followed by Michael Lumb (1), stumped by Gaz Phillips off a Mark Teale ball.

Captain Dimi Mascarenhas smashed 56 – the innings certainly giving him a big appetite judging by the amount of ice creams he ate before fielding.

The Hampshire skipper’s dismissal was one of strangest of the afternoon, as he smashed the ball towards one of houses, but in the progress knocked off the bails to give young Tommy Flanders the wicket.

Giant Chris Tremlett then set about the bowling, often with one hand, and his monster hit over the top of the sight screen was one of two catches by spectators on the day.

The big man was finally dismissed for 82, stumped by Dave Arnold who had taken over from Phillips behind the wicket.

Sean Ervine (40) was a man in hurry as he clubbed five sixes off one Will Phillips over, before the Cockram brothers combined, as Roy took the catch off Jack’s bowling for one of his three wickets.

The wickets were starting to tumble, thanks to two more great catches from Roy Cockram, including one as he slid across the grass to give Richard Norris, who had started the innings behind the stumps, a rare wicket.

In reply, Gaz Phillips (23) and Lee Wood (22) got the village side off to a good start.

Then Norris (68) and Roy Cockram (136) entertained the big crowd with a century stand for the third wicket.

Norris helped himself to four sixes in his innings, but the stand-out performance on the day was Cockram as he hit seven sixes and 16 fours in his superb innings.

The entertainment was then left to teenagers Will Phillips (51 not out) and Chris Jolley, who hammered England star Mascarenhas for three sixes in the final over of the match, as Hartley just fell just short of their target.

Talking after the game, Hampshire captain Mascarenhas said: “It has been another great day here. We have enjoyed it and I hope everyone else has. It is good to play some fun cricket once in a while.”