Emsworth pull up trees in New Forest ... Salthill are on a roll

Hythe & Dibden v Emsworth

Hampshire League div four south

On a blistering hot day, Emsworth travelled to Hythe & Dibden for what proved an entertaining spectacle.

Winning the toss and electing to bat, Mark Martin chose correctly on a pitch that was hard and fast. Emsworth reached 24 before the loss of the first wicket, Khalid Al-Safi pulling a short ball straight to square leg, the opener departing for five.

This brought in man in form James Swaine and he was in superb touch again, with classy drives and sublime shots peppering the boundary. Alongside Jack Mason, after the loss of Will Pitts for 25, Emsworth began to pile on the runs.

Mason reached 49 before being trapped lbw and Swaine departing for 104 off 94 balls, his innings including 17 fours and two sixes in the process.

With valuable late-order hitting from Joe Scott, who reached 40 from 41 balls, Emsworth made 281 for five - the highest total in the division that day.

Emsworth opening bowlers Martin and Lee Gray kept the score to a minimum in their first spell. Both generated pace and bounce, with Martin snaring the first wicket - the ball crashing into the base of off-stump and the Hythe & Dibden captain departing for 12.

Gray bowled their No3 with an in-swinger crashing into the middle of middle stump. Mick Offord immediately forced a run-out, Offord collecting and throwing down the stumps to dismiss Hythe & Dibden’s No5.

The opposition scored freely in the middle overs, but Emsworth prevailed, with regular wickets soon being taken to dismiss their opponents for 214 in 43.4 overs.

Emsworth have won three from three and face Ellingham at home this Saturday.

Emsworth seconds scored 262 for six - R Windebank hitting 61 - then bowled out Portchester’s third XI for 40, D Pitts taking six for 13.

Salthill v Friends

Hampshire League regional three south east

At home to the top side Friends at Blackboy Lane, Salthill won the toss and elected to bat on an excellent track.

Both A Wallsgrove and N Bishop played sensibly, slowly putting a good score together until Wallsgrove fell for 31, bowled by Spence. Bishop continued to pile on the pressure on the Friends bowlers until a poor call led to him being run out for a fine 43.

The prolific Ashley Court came to the crease and soon set about the bowling, taking 18 runs off one over before retiring hurt while on a excellent 73.

Salthill finished their innings on a challenging total of 204 for six.

J Choucan was the pick of the Friend bowlers with the figures of three for 26 off ten overs.

Court and Bishop opened the Salthill attack, bowling tightly and making the batsmen toil in the sun. Bishop struck twice in quick succession, leaving Friends eight for two.

The slow-scoring Ramush, dropped on seven, was finally caught for 22 - one of Bishop’s three catches.

Friends finished on 132 all out with Steve King the pick of the Salthill bowlers with a fine four for 24.

This was a disciplined performance leading to an excellent victory against a very good side - giving Salthill a well-deserved 24 points. They’re now undefeated in four home games and are moving up the table.