S9 Regional, South East
Compton & Chandlers Ford CC
Sunday 02 July 2023
Match Details:
Toss: Hampshire won the toss and elected to bowl
Result: Essex Kestrels 189-5 (30.0 overs)
Essex Kestrels 67-8 (14.1 overs)
Essex Kestrels won by 122 runs
Match Report:
Essex Kestrels kept up their S9 Regional, South East challenge with an emphatic victory over Hampshire at Compton & Chandlers Ford Cricket Club.
After losing the early wicket of James Cole, Phil Law and Jack Flowers carried Essex to 55 for one before a flurry of wickets left the visitors floundering at 72/5.
However, Steven Denham joined Flowers in the middle. The pair both hit unbeaten half-centuries – Flower 50* and Denham 52* (both retired not out), before Alex Seaton came to the middle, adding further runs as Essex posted a healthy 189 for five.
The impressive Essex attack got to work with Harry Willis and Oliver Kennedy taking wickets in their respective first overs.
Hampshire’s J Clements carried the fight by hitting four 4s in one over, but his innings came to a conclusion when he was brilliantly caught by Seaton for 16.
Willis finished with three for 35 and Kennedy 2/14 from their opening spells. Alex Myles (1/11) and captain Bradley Donovan (2/13) ran through the rest of the hosts’ batting order quickly to confirm a sizable success for the Kestrels.
Essex now needs to beat Middlesex in their last game to set up a place in the final.
Thank you to our long-standing partners Allen Ford for their continued support of the Essex Ability Team and kindly providing a mini-bus for team travel to away fixtures this season.
