Kerala’s opening day Joy as Gosport are defeated
Kerala lifted the curtain on a new Hampshire League season with a comfortable victory over Gosport Borough 2nds at Rugby Camp.
Opening bowlers Jithin Joy and Jinoy Mathai shared six wickets as the Portsmouth-based club bowled Borough out for 151 on the opening day of the Division 3 South campaign.
Joy returned figures of 3-24 off nine overs - and seven of the runs he conceded were wides. Mathai bagged 3-25 off eight overs as Gosport’s last seven batters compiled just 23 runs between them.
Robert Wood (41) and teenage opener Ephraim Royle (32) were the only ones to reach doubles - a whopping 40 extras, including 33 wides, boosting Boro’s total.
It was still nowhere near enough, though, as Kerala romped to a seven-wicket success. Presh Prasad (42) and No 3 Pradeesh Nair (26) helped Kerala to 100-1, with Prajun Kallidil (23 not out) and skipper Dawn Ambi (16 not out) unbeaten as the hosts won with almost 14 overs in hand.
They were the only side in the division to start the 2022 season with a 24-point maximum victory.
Opener Joe Baker scored his second successive unbeaten century as Locks Heath got off to a winning Division 3 start.
A week after hitting an undefeated 112 in a friendly against Lyndhurst & Ashurst, Baker struck a career best 118 not out against Cadnam.
He still wasn’t his team’s highest scorer, though - skipper Andrew Booth plundering an unbeaten 127. Together, the pair added an unbroken 265 for the second Locks wicket.
Helped by 27 wides, Locks finished on 276-1 with Booth equalling his second highest innings - he had previously hit 127 not out against Sarisbury 2nds two years ago. His career best remains his 140 for Locks 3rds four years ago.
Cadnam never looked like chasing down their daunting target, finishing on 143-7 off 45 overs, Andy Newland (219) returning the best figures.
Opener Ryan Fitsell (42) top scored as Fareham & Crofton 2nds were dismissed for 136 by Shanklin & Godshill. No 6 Peter Briggs (27) was next highest.
James Lucy hit 46 in reply as the islanders collected a comfortable six-wicket victory at Bath Lane.
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