INDOOR CRICKETTITLE rivals Newport and FSC maintained the pressure on league leaders Ventnor last Sunday with victories in the Harwoods Renault Indoor League, at Fairway Sports Complex.
Last season’s champions Niton continued to show relegation form and could only muster a low total of 69-4 from their 12 overs, easily chased down by Newport for the loss of two wickets (Tom Dye 30 not out).
FSC were made to work a little harder for victory by Ryde Cavaliers who posted a modest 107 all out (Chris Higgins 31 not out). The FSC reply got off to a shaky start losing both openers in the first over, and at 36-4 the Cavs were in a strong position, until an unbeaten stand of 73 from Phil Mew and Paul Biddlecombe secured the points with ten balls to spare.
GKN edged away from the relegation scrap with a crushing win over Island Bakeries, who were never in danger of chasing down GKN’s 171-4 (Ben Wadmore 61 not out, Darren Ringer 37, Liam Ringer 29 not out), and were bowled out for 95.
St Helens coasted to victory after bowling out Ryde Cavaliers II for just 84 (Steve Wright 40), needing just 7.2 overs to chase down the target (Marc Allen 25 not out).
In Division 2 at Ryde Sports Centre, Ryde Cavaliers III blew the title race wide open again with a last-ball victory over the previously undefeated Ryde Cavaliers IV.
A solid bowling display limited the usually free-scoring Cavs IV batsmen to just 123-6 (Pete Dickenson 36).
The Cavs III chase started slowly before recovering to 101-5 with two overs remaining, opener Andy Loudon (42 not out) seeing them home off the final ball (Richard Turner 38).
Northwood pulled level at the top of the table, hammering IW Health Associates, who were never in with a chance after being bowled out for just 57 (Simon Goldsmith 3-3), Northwood easily knocking off the runs with five wickets in hand.
Shanklin joined the league leaders on 16 points with another narrow win, against Cowes Centurions.
All the Shanklin batsmen contributed to their 125-3 (Tristan Eccott 31 not out, Simon Mead 26no, Hugh Calloway 3-36) and, despite an unusually wayward bowling display, conceding 58 extras, Shanklin bowled out an under-strength Centurions with nine runs to spare and an over remaining (Pat Morris 27).
IW Prison Officers took the points from an out-of-form Godshill side with some belligerent batting from openers Jon Turner (77 not out) and A. Wilson (42) driving the total to 146-5.
Losing wickets at regular intervals, Godshill were unable to build any momentum, eventually falling to 79 all out.