CAN VENTNOR MAKE IT FIVE?

Friday, May 9, 2008

Ventnor’s Charlie Freeston celebrates taking his first wicket of the season. Congratulations come from skipper Mark Whyte and the rest of the team. Picture by PETER BOAM.

Sport/Cricket
VENTNOR began their latest defence of the Southern Electric Premier League Division 2 title with a 117-run thumping of Purbrook on Saturday.
The Islanders, aiming for a unique fifth successive championship, may have several influential players from last year’s winning side but they still proved far too strong for the side from Portsdown Hill.
The home side lost Mark Fletcher to the lively Sam Pearce without scoring but Danny Briggs — surprisingly made available by the Hampshire Academy — and Ian Hilsum led a recovery before teenager Briggs departed one short of a fluent half century.
Hilsum was out for 30 but Neil Westhorpe (37) and South African Zanzima ‘Nono’ Pongolo (39) pushed the score to 187-5 before a late flurry of wickets saw the innings end 195 all out. Purbrook struggled to make any impression as Charlie Freeston (2-12) and Mark Holmes (1-15) took charge.
Andy Whyte, making a welcome return after missing most of last season through injury, inflicted further damage with two wickets before left arm spinner Briggs (2-18) helped round-off a comprehensive victory as the Hampshire side crashed to 78 all out.
Pongolo, bowling at a brisk pace, completed a highly promising debut by taking 2-27.
Mark Whyte’s side are likely to face a stiffer task on Saturday when they make the short trip to Lymington.
• The life of former Ventnor batsman Will Wesson, who died earlier this year aged 46, is being celebrated at a memorial service in London today (Friday) with a number of his team-mates attending.
• More pictures in the Friday, May 9, County Press.

CAN VENTNOR MAKE IT FIVE?

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