After leaving Sussex at tea time on Tuesday I took the early evening short ferry crossing from Lymington to Yarmouth in the Isle of Wight. This route well known to me for many years after regular holiday visits to Lymington and the New Forest area.
By Wednesday morning, 15th July, I was in situ at the recently created Newclose County Cricket Ground just south of Newport, Isle of Wight. I did visit three or four years ago in the hope of seeing a three day match involving MCC Young Cricketers, but the whole match was washed out by rain. Fortunately this time the weather was fine and the two day game between Isle of Wight under 17s and Dorset under 17s got underway.
Newclose Ground Isle of Wight
I learned that it was some years since Isle of Wight won a game in this competition, but at several times during the two days they were in a position to win. They won the toss and put Dorset into bat. After an opening stand of 30 the decision paid off and wickets began to tumble 30-0 soon became 54-6 and Dorset were in trouble. Opening bowler George Willis took three of the early wickets and it was not until the appearance of the rather large figure of Robert Pack at number nine that things moved back in Dorset's favour.
Even at 115-9 Cornwall were still on top but Pack started to hit out and with number eleven Ross Tooley giving him good support Dorset added a further 37 runs for the last wicket. Pack hit four fours and two huge sixes to finish on 53 not out, while Tooley was finally bowled for only one. Second highest scorer was extras with 25 and Dorset finished on 152 all out in 44 overs.
Runs hard to come by at Newclose
Games in this competition are normally high scoring affairs with each side batting for only one innings and first innings points are usually the main concern. This game seemed headed for a proper two innings match and so it turned out. Three of the Island's four top batsman made good scores after the loss of an early wicket, Ben Herridge with 48, captain Jadon Buckeridge with 42 and top scorer Marcus Horton with 72. None of the others reached double figures and it was left to Horton, the last man out to see them into the first innings lead and a total of 194 in 63.1 overs
Very efficient scoreboard at Newclose
Dorset's best bowlers were the two left arm spinners, Clutterbook with 6-66 and Pack a miserly 0-31 off 15 overs. So with a first innings lead of 42 the Island team were full of confidence at the start of day two and with George Willis working up a good head of steam, wickets fell at regular intervals. When Dorset's star man Jamie Price, who has already played Minor Counties cricket, was out for 34 you could feel the Island sensing victory. At 59-4 Dorset were only 17 runs ahead. Wickets continued to fall with spinner Buckeridge taking three and Dorset were almost down and out at 151-9, only 109 ahead.
However enter the big man, Robert Pack, yet again. Another last wicket stand this time with runs from number 11 Tooley as well, saw Pack take the bowling apart with five fours, four sixes and several lost balls. He top scored again this time with 61 not out and partner Tooley had 25 not out when Dorset finally declared on 240-9. They had felt at the start of play that a lead of 200 should see them home and Isle of Wight now required 199 to win.
Dorset's last wicket pair - Robert Pack on the left
Dorset set off in fine style when Owen Morris took two early wickets, but the Island side then dug in, happy to play for a draw and take the first innings points. At this point I had to leave to catch my evening ferry back to the mainland, but apparently I missed very little as the Dorset bowlers could not clinch victory. After 48 overs of defensive batting the Island total was 125-4 and the game ended in a draw.
Wicketkeeper Ben Baker batted 115 balls for 25 not out during an innings which contained 16 maiden overs, so a bit like watching paint dry for the handful of spectators. No doubt the Island were content with what amounted to a moral victory for them. So another splendid ground, with excellent facilities and one which hopes to stage Hampshire second XI games and possibly a one day first team fixture in the future.
Beyond the boundary - not sure whether they are llamas or alpacas
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