Another superb weekend for South Wilts Cricket Club saw three emphatic victories and one defeat where, despite another spirited display, the opposition proved just too strong. All four senior sides continue to compete strongly heading into the closing weeks of the season.

The 1st XI kept the pressure firmly on Southern Premier League leaders St Cross with a commanding victory over Bournemouth, while the 2nd XI continue to set the pace at the top of County Division 2A after another dominant display.

The young 3rd XI bounced back impressively to remain firmly in the promotion picture, and although the 4th XI came out second best against promotion-chasing Farley, they continued to show plenty of character with another determined batting performance.

With only four weeks of league cricket remaining, every point is becoming increasingly valuable, and South Wilts remain well placed across all four senior sides.

1st XI – South Wilts 100-1 (18pts) beat Bournemouth 98 all out (0pts) by 9 wickets

Pascoe Produces Spell of the Season as 1st XI Cruise to Victory

It wasn't a particularly long afternoon for the excellent crowd at Wilton Road, with the contest lasting just 44 overs as South Wilts produced one of their most complete performances of the season to comfortably defeat an in-form Bournemouth side.

Bournemouth elected to bat first but very quickly began to wonder whether they had made the right decision after Matt Falconer removed opener Ben Rogers with the score on just 2, Archie Pascoe took complete control.

Producing arguably the spell of the season so far, Pascoe ripped through the Bournemouth top order with immaculate line, length and pace. His outstanding figures of 5 for 21 from 13 overs, including five maidens, barely told the full story. A superb caught-and-bowled was taken so casually it looked as though he was shelling peas, and by the time his spell ended Bournemouth had collapsed to 28 for 7.

Tom Cheater, James Degg and Ben Jack tidied up the tail as Bournemouth were dismissed for just 98 there was no need for an early tea.

James Degg and Harry Broderick strode out to begin the chase immediately, and "Deggy" was in absolutely no mood to hang around or allow Bournemouth even the slightest sniff of a comeback.

He blazed his way to a spectacular 72 from just 33 balls, striking 11 fours and four sixes in a breath-taking display of clean hitting, while Harry Broderick calmly supported with an unbeaten 28.

Degg eventually departed with the score on 92, but by then the game had long since been decided as South Wilts completed victory in just 9.3 overs for the loss of a single wicket.

The rapid finish not only secured another valuable victory but also allowed the squad some rare time together after the game, while several players stayed behind to support the young 3rd XI on the Academy Ground.

Confidence will be high ahead of next weekend's huge trip to league leaders St Cross.

2nd XI – South Wilts 283-6 (24pts) beat Longparish 124 all out (5pts) by 159 runs

Cordle Falls One Short... but Promotion Moves Ever Closer

Another week, another commanding performance from the 2nd XI as they edged another step closer to an immediate return to County Division One.

Winning the toss once again, Tom Pearce wasted little time in choosing to bat.
Openers Liam Vermeulen and Max Cordle continued to look one of the strongest opening partnerships in the division, putting on exactly 100 before Vermeulen missed one of those tricky straight ones and was bowled for an excellent 43. Gabriel Williams maintained the momentum with an attractive 34, Max simply carried on accumulating runs.

Lawrence Yeo and Tom Pearce both came and went, but Cordle looked destined to score three consecutive league hundreds. Cruelly, it wasn't to be. On 99, he was trapped LBW by one that stayed a little low, bringing to an end another magnificent innings. Three weeks, 316 runs and two centuries — what an outstanding run of form from the 16-year-old.

Late fireworks arrived courtesy of Will Musgrove (29) and Rob Pittman, whose entertaining 38* helped lift South Wilts to an imposing 283 for 6.

Longparish reply never really threatened. Jasper Blackwood produced another superb opening spell, removing the top three batters before Marc Burton added the fourth to leave the visitors reeling at 30 for 4.

Captain Tom Pearce then demonstrated once again why he is one of the division's finest all-round cricketers, collecting four wickets through his customary accuracy and control, while Kevin Chidrawi and Rob Pittman chipped in to complete another convincing bowling display. Longparish were eventually dismissed for 124.

Another maximum 24-point haul leaves South Wilts ever closer to promotion. With four games remaining, surely another couple of victories may just be enough... but nobody around the club will be counting chickens just yet.

3rd XI – South Wilts 351-8 (24pts) beat Mottisfont 82 all out (5pts) by 269 runs

Rowe and Allom Star as Young 3rds Bounce Back

The 3rd XI fielded another remarkably youthful side, with only two players over the age of 19 — skipper Matt Anderson-Emm being one of them.

Having won the toss, the skipper asked fellow senior player Joe Crouch to open the batting.
Joe (11) and Freddie Jones (24) made a lively start before both departed with the score on 43. Ivo Leyland (9) and the in-form Alex Vincent (30) also made starts before several others took responsibility.

Thomas Barrett produced an energetic and busy 59 from 58 balls, George Nash entertained with a rapid 40 including three sixes, but the standout innings belonged to Jacob Rowe.

The talented youngster compiled a superb unbeaten 97, finishing just three short of a deserved century only because South Wilts ran out of overs. Another exciting home-grown player continuing to develop impressively, this time with the bat. Skipper Anderson-Emm added a lively 32 as South Wilts closed on a formidable 351.

Mottisfont never really recovered, but made it difficult. Asher Osborn removed the opening pair before George Gundill and George Nash kept the pressure firmly on.

Then it was Charlie Allom's turn. The 18-year-old quick found his rhythm beautifully this week and produced the finest spell of his young senior career with South Wilts, ripping through the middle and lower order to finish with outstanding figures of 5 for 20.
The final wicket summed up the afternoon, with Charlie quite literally snapping the middle stump in half.

An outstanding all-round performance keeps the 3rd XI firmly in the promotion race.

4th XI – Farley 377-5 (22pts) beat South Wilts 210-6 (9pts) by 167 runs

Young 4ths Show Character Against Powerful Farley

The 4th XI travelled to promotion hopefuls Farley knowing they faced one of their toughest assignments of the season. Farley won the toss and understandably chose to bat first on their own surface.

Opener De Weymarn laid the platform with 52 before Adam Thompson compiled an excellent century. However, it was debutant Kashav Kastri who completely changed the complexion of the afternoon with a breath-taking 147, taking the game away from South Wilts with a remarkable display of strokeplay.

It proved a difficult afternoon for the bowlers, with Jonas Ball the pick of the attack finishing with 2 for 64. Facing almost 400 in reply was always going to be a huge challenge, but South Wilts responded positively.

Ollie Wright and Jonas Ball both impressed enormously, each making an identical 83 each before departing, while Jody Everett anchored the innings late on to ensure South Wilts passed 200 and, crucially, denied Farley maximum points.

Some days you simply have to acknowledge an outstanding opposition batting display.
For South Wilts, however, there were still plenty of positives to take away, particularly the continued development shown by another young side against one of the strongest teams in the division.