Mudeford CC 2nd XI vs New Milton CC 2nd XI
Hampshire Cricket League, Division 5A – Mudeford Recreation Ground
Result: New Milton won by 5 wickets
New Milton 2s produced a confident all-round display at Mudeford, securing a five-wicket win with plenty in hand—but the game really turned on a single, standout moment in the field.
After winning the toss and choosing to bowl, New Milton made early inroads. Harry Beck set the tone with two early wickets, including Mudeford skipper Ravin Ramtohal for a duck, leaving the hosts under early pressure.
Mudeford rebuilt impressively through Dan Vines, who played the innings of the day for the home side. His 47 from 50 balls—featuring seven fours and a six—was full of intent, and with support from Simon Mapstone (a lively 31 from 22), Mudeford looked to be building something more threatening as they moved past 90 with wickets in hand.
Then came the moment that changed everything.
With Vines approaching a well-deserved half-century and looking set to push Mudeford towards a big total, Elliott Bennett produced a superb piece of fielding from the boundary. Picking up cleanly and firing in a direct, accurate throw, Bennett caught Vines short of his ground in a brilliant run-out. It was one of those efforts that lifts a side instantly—and you could feel the momentum swing straight back to New Milton.
From that point on, Mudeford never quite recovered. George Beck (3 for 25) and Grace Keating (2 for 19) tightened things up, picking off wickets at regular intervals. Despite a patient unbeaten 24 from Neil Squire, the lower order couldn’t build on the platform, and Mudeford were bowled out for 157 in the final over—competitive, but suddenly looking a little light after that key breakthrough.
New Milton’s chase began with a brief wobble—Joe Wooster was bowled for a duck, and Chris Eastment followed soon after, leaving the visitors 30 for 2—but any thoughts of pressure quickly faded.
Grace Keating once again led from the front, anchoring the innings beautifully with a composed 62 not out from 70 balls. Calm and measured, she kept things ticking while punishing anything loose.
She had good support along the way. Ben Griffiths added a quick 20, and R. Howard chipped in with a lively 13 to keep things moving. Then Jamie Gawler arrived and put his stamp on the game, finishing unbeaten on 46 from just 36 balls, including two sixes, to accelerate New Milton towards the finish line.
The unbeaten partnership between Keating and Gawler ensured there were no further hiccups, as New Milton cruised to 158 for 5 in just 26 overs.
For Mudeford, Rob Stansfield impressed early with two wickets, while Vines picked up a couple himself, but ultimately they were left to rue that turning point—the run-out that removed their set batter at exactly the wrong time.
In the end, this was a polished and professional performance from New Milton 2s. Solid with the ball, sharp in the field—highlighted by Bennett’s game-changing moment—and then clinical with the bat. A win built on key contributions at exactly the right time.