CRICKET VENTNOR’s poor start to the season continued on Saturday when they suffered an 118-run defeat against Hampshire Academy.
Asked to bat first by the Islanders, Hampshire were given a fine start by Oliver Green (67) and Ventnor product Jake George (48) before Mark Holmes (2-50) made a double breakthrough.
Hampshire progressed to 176-2 before a spirited Ventnor fight back, led by leg spinner Jamie Miller (5-81), pegged them back to 257 all out from 58.4 overs.
Set to score 258 from 62 overs, the visitors lost early wickets to the pacy Academy attack and despite a determined knock of 48 from Adam Hose and 23 from Neil Westhorpe, slumped to a disappointing 139 all out inside 40 overs.
The five bowling points gleaned from the game was enough to lift Ventnor off the foot of the table after Bournemouth’s defeat to League leaders South Wilts.
Meanwhile, Andy Whyte produced an inspired spell of seam bowling as Ventnor II hammered previously unbeaten Compton and Chandler’s Ford by ten wickets in Saturday’s Hampshire League Division 2 clash at Steephill.
Whyte, bowling as tightly as ever, took 4-17 from a fine ten-over spell, and with brother Mark taking four catches in an ultra sharp performance behind the stumps, Ventnor dismissed the visitors, who had started brightly, for just 94 (Charlie Calloway 3-29, Rob Snell 1-7 from seven overs).
The meagre target posed no problems for the home team with George Hatt (42 not out) and Billy Clarke (39 not out) completing the formalities in impressive style from less than 15 overs.