Tilford secured a 100-run win against Midhurst at the Green in Division One of the I’Anson League.
The visitors won the toss and asked the home side to bat first. Openers Matt Swarbrick and Henry Clinton made a solid start, putting on 49 before Swarbrick was caught for a breezy 36. Ciaran Rooney then joined Clinton and together they added 123 in a fine partnership and gradually upped the run rate.
In reply, Tilford struck early as Jason Stones took the first two wickets with only nine on the board, and thereafter Midhurst continued to struggle.
First-change seam bowler Dan Wrenn took a wicket in his first over and continued to tear through the order. Wrenn clean bowled five batters and recorded a club-best return of six for 29 off eight overs. Kieron Edwards top scored with 23 as Midhurst were all out for 106 at the end of the 27th over.
Stand-in skipper Alex Wenban won the toss and asked the home side to bat first.
Matty Hall (one for 41) and Aussie medium-pacer Dylan Harris (one for 31) opened the bowling for Headley and struggled to take key wickets.
Aided by some abject fielding, the Frensham top order regularly scored boundaries.
The bowling was chopped and changed throughout the innings. Although wickets were eked out – with Wenban picking up two for 48 off nine overs – Frensham amassed 251 for six with George Breddy top scoring with 65.
Needing to chase a sizeable score, Headley began confidently and scored well throughout their innings.
Wenban (67) and Andrew Coutts (34) were the pick of the Headley batters, but wickets fell at regular intervals.
James Goldsworth (three for 45) and Jordan Frost (three for 12) took the bulk of the wickets as Headley were bowled out for 219 in the 42nd over.
In Division Four, Headley’s second team lost by seven wickets against Frensham’s third team at the Bordon & Oakhanger Sports Club.
Frensham won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first.
Headley opener Matt Joyce made a good start and scored 27 before being caught off of a leading edge from Rob Blythe’s economical bowling (three for three from seven overs).
A succession of cheap wickets then fell. Only John Canning (15) and Adam Joyce (nine not out) offered much resistance as Headley limped to 68 all out in the 35th over.
With a small target to defend, Headley needed to bowl and field exceptionally to have a chance of victory. Frensham capitalised on any mistakes and ran quick singles well to keep the pressure on the hosts.
Headley skipper Patrick Stephens (two for 23) managed to make two breakthroughs while Canning (one for 13) took a wicket of his own when Grant Turtle edged through to debut wicketkeeper Barry Baldwin – who smartly caught behind.
However, despite the wickets, Alex Warren (21 not out) and Sam Green (12 not out) steered Frensham to a comfortable win in the 16th over.
Alton’s fourth team continued their winning ways, comfortably beating a depleted Brook second team by 187 runs in Division Five.
Batting first the Brewers built their innings steadily with Rich Housley and Jon Wills putting on 54 for the first wicket before Wills was dismissed looking to up the pace.
Alex Housley joined his father and played in a typically aggressive manner, scoring the bulk of the runs in an 89-run partnership on his way to a quickfire 76.
Nathan Vincent (63) scored his maiden half-century, and Jamie Craig (29) became the third Alton youngster to impress – putting on 84 with Vincent to put the game beyond the visitors.
Brook’s youngsters stuck at the task in hand and Alexandrina Longmore bowled Craig for her first senior wicket.
Alton’s score of 282 for five was likely to be too many for the visitors, and the Alton attack took wickets regularly.
Josh Jones, Jon Porter and skipper Martin Green took a wicket each, with Abi Green and Craig taking two apiece.
Only Duncan Giblet put up any resistance with a chanceless 59 before being the final wicket to fall as the visitors were bowled out for 95.
In Division Six, Headley’s third team crashed to an emphatic six-wicket defeat at home to Grayshott’s third team at Headley Playing Fields on Saturday. Headley’s 78 all out was chased by the away side after 15 overs.