Winterbourne II v Amport II.

A well judged and calming 30no from Matt Whitwell ensured Amport II recorded their fourth victory of the summer A lost toss condemned Amport to an early fielding stint under the hot sun and an uncharacteristally wayward opening spell saw the first ten overs pass without concern for the hosts' opening pair. However the breakthrough arrived when a Ben Black full toss was lost in the trees by Arnold resulting in the dismantling of the stumps. A second wicket was to follow soon when was bowled by the deserving Jack Kent.

On what looked to be a true batting surface skipper Darren Goacher snared another victim to leave the hosts' 80-3 after 23 overs.

The fourth wicket pair then occupied the crease for the next 16 overs only adding a further 50 before returning Black claimed a wicket finishing with fine figures of 2-39.

All bowlers contained the batsmen to such an extent that after the 42 overs Winterbourne could only total 156-4, James Fern being especially economical with 9-1-29-0.

Despite the odd early alarm openers Martin Randall and Dan Cartridge seemed to be making easy progress and 61 were on the board in the 14th over when Cartridge feathered an for 16. At the other end Randall made the most of an early life and a first league 50 of the season was on the cards until a poor shot at a poor ball cost him his wicket for 41, including nine boundaries.

Then followed a mini Amport collapse and suddenly the score was 112-6 and the victory target looked a long way off. Fortunately Matt Whitwell and Tom Startup had other ideas. Playing with sensible aggression and Yorkshire grit Whitwell took the game away from Winterbourne. Playing impressively straight and timing the ball well on the leg side the target came down. An injured Startup played for his partner and ran hard to get the required target to less than ten before skying to mid on. Skipper Goacher clumped a four over mid wicket to then allow another Whitwell boundary to take his own score to 30 and to seal a tense three wicket victory.

Harder work than it should have been but another win maintain a position towards the top of the table. The local derby v Thruxton is next on the cards before a month of away fixtures means no home games until August.