By Eck! England youth pair hurry Havant to huge defeat
Havant were quickly brought back down to earth by Hampshire’s next generation of talent.
Following a series of close season departures, new Havant skipper Peter Hopson was ecstatic with an opening-day ECB Southern Premier League victory over defending champions Burridge.
But that was followed by a 212-run hammering by the Hampshire
Academy at Havant Park with two England youth internationals among those inflicting damage.
First, Joseph Eckland hit a SPL best 141, sharing a 207-run fourth wicket stand with wicket-keeper Andrew Macewan (107).
Eckland, who has played for England under-19s, hit 13 fours and four sixes in his 119-ball innings.
Macewan, a Berkshireraised wicket-keeper in his first year with the Academy, recorded nine boundaries in his 99-ball visit to the crease as the visitors piled up 323-5 after winning the toss.
Havant were without former skipper Chris Morgan, who had taken three wickets when Burridge were routed for 85, and included
Oliver Jones, Gareth Ransley, Matty Hayward and Tom Wragg – who all mainly played for the club’s 2nd or 3rd XIS in 2023.
Also in the line-up was opening bowler Richard Jerry, who hadn’t been expected to feature this year due to injury.
Jack, also an England under-19 international who made his Hampshire 1st XI debut in last summer’s One-day Cup, struck twice to leave Havant 38-2 in reply.
He had Hopson caught by Sam Davis for a five-ball duck while the same player bowled the skipper’s opening partner, Chris Stone, for 11.
Aussie Louis Clayton, batting at 3, top scored with 49 and took part in the highest stand of the innings, 49 for the sixth wicket with Harrison Barnard (20).
Davis, who played club cricket for west London club Teddington last summer, ran through the tail to finish with 4-17.
Indeed, after Clayton, Barnard and Stone, Havant’s next highest scorer with the bat mustered just three.
The end came with the score on 111 when Davis bowled last man Hayward. *Havant were forced to forfeit Sunday’s National KO Cup tie against Portsmouth at St Helens.
4
Sixes for Joseph Eckland in his 141
49
Louis Clayton’s top score in Havant’s thumping defeat