A BUMPER crowd was treated to a feast of big hitting, as the Lashing All-Stars made up of many old Test player made their first ever visit to Odiham and Greywell Cricket Club, writes STUART HULSE.

The visiting side featured several world-class legends and in the end easily defeated a plucky Odiham and Greywell side by 81 runs, in a very entertaining clash at the village ground last Friday in a special T25 duel.

Batting first, the Lashings All-Stars started with a useful stand led by West Indies’ big-hitting Kirk Edwards who did not vote for Brexit, until he had made 101.

He was well supported by some smooth batting from former Indian Test player Wasim Jaffer’s 62.

The Lashings side continue to send the ball in every corner of the ground on their way to a total of 230-6 from their 35 overs.

The likes of former West Indian opening batsman Gordon Greenidge and South Africa’s accumulator Herschelle Gibbs adding value.

Ashes winner Phil DeFreitas (20) demonstrated his all-round qualities with thunderous boundaries, in spite of a sharp covers catch by Odiham skipper Phil Thomas.

The pick of the host’s bowlers was the steadfast Kerry Hartnett, who plays for Hampshire Ladies, taking two wickets for ‘not many’.

A non-playing star of the show was BBC’s voice of cricket Henry Blofeld who commentated over the PA system, spotting the flight of his usual pigeon, as well as that of an RAF Odiham Chinook.

After a faltering start, the Odiham reply was given respectability by two young players Kyran Munt making 32 runs and 15-year-old Alex Brown 30, including a towering six.

There was some hostile left-arm pace to face, delivered by former Basingstoke and North Hants and Somerset bowler Charl Willoughby.

Perhaps even more challenging was the combined spin attack of evergreen John Emburey and a revived Monty Panesar, both leading Test wicket takers for England. They were supported behind the stumps by Greenidge.

The home side finished 149-6, helped by a six off the last ball by Tom Wiltshire.

There had been nearly 400 scored on the day at about eight an over, a generous reward for the keen crowd of over 400.

All in all, it was one of the best days in the local club’s 252-year history and a useful contributor to the charity work of Lashings.