PCA Masters v Hampshire Academy
The teams arrived to find the Rose Bowl in superb condition and bathed in sunshine. for this keenly anticipated game between the elite of Hampshire youth cricket and the Professional Cricketers' Association Masters XI, sponsored by Sodexo.
The evening started with a community cricket coaching session, sponsored by Sodexo, involving sixteen enthusiastic pupils from the Thornhill Primary School in Southampton. The PCA Masters were on hand to offer expert advice and the benefit of their cricketing experience. Both Hampshire CCC and the Masters would like to thank Sodexo for their sponsorship of junior cricket through the PCA Masters.
Former Australian international player Ian Harvey was again captaining the Masters ahead of making his debut the following day for the Hampshire Hawks in their Twenty 20 encounter with Middlesex Crusaders. And on winnings the toss, he chose to bat.
Openers Martin McCague and Tim Hancock struck impressive boundaries early on but had both departed with only 37 on the board in the 4th over, following impressive opening spells from Academy bowlers Hamza Riazuddim and Chris Wood. Harvey came in at first wicket down and played a well-constructed innings of 53, but it is a credit to the junior team's bowlers that 25 of those runs came in singles, on a ground with a relatively small boundaries and a lightning fast outfield.
During Harvey's innings, wickets fell regularly at the other end with Mike Burns and Keith Dutch falling cheaply. Stronger resistance was provided by former Somerset ‘keeper Rob Turner (29), Paul Prichard (13) and Martin Bicknell (14 not out). The Academy bowling remained consistent and the Masters ended their 20 overs on 144 for 7. The pick of the bowlers were Hamza Riazuddim (2-29), Chris Wood (2-9) and Chris Morgan (2-20).
In their response, the Academy XI openers Benny Howell and Liam Dawson coped well with the extra experience of the Masters bowlers. They shared a fifty partnership from only 38 balls and looked well-set to complete the innings together until former Essex and England off-spinner Peter Such had Dawson stumped for a composed 37. Howell was then joined at the crease by James Vince and together they overhauled the target with four balls to spare; Howell's innings particularly caught the eye, ending on 80 not from 54 balls with 6 fours and 4 sixes, despite some economical bowling from Martin Bicknell and Keith Dutch.
The Hampshire Academy won the game by 9 wickets and showed great maturity and promise with Benny Howell certainly standing out as one to watch for the future. The PCA Masters, sponsored by Sodexo, would like to thank Hampshire County Cricket Club for their fantastic work in hosting this event and wishes the Academy players all the very best for the forthcoming season and beyond.
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