Team Solent's cricketers recorded a famous and moraleboosting 34 run victory over the Hampshire second XI, a team that featured first team players Kabir Ali and James Tomlinson.
Team Solent coach Dave Yelling was proud of his players: "There’s not many sides who come here and get a big win. It was a really strong performance by a really strong university side."
Solent captain Will Adkin lost the toss and was invited to bat first by Hampshire skipper Tomlinson.
Mindful of the difficulty pacing a 50 over innings, openers Morton and Hill forged a solid opening stand, taking the score to 97 and seeing off the opening spell from one-time England Test player Ali.
Morton, something of a veteran in the Solent side, gave an excellent demonstration of his ability with a series of confident shots against the new ball.
He holed out for a splendid 66 soon after his partner had been trapped LBW but wicket keeper Cater arrived at the crease and played a calm innings, sharing fifty stands with skipper Adkin and middle order batsman Mohod.
He ground his way to an invaluable 69, mixing big shots with sensible running and drove Solent on to a hugely competitive total of 279-6.
Kabir Ali found himself in the unfamiliar position at the top of the order for Hampshire as they set about chasing 280 to win and immediately gave an indication of his class as he set about the wayward Solent new ball bowling. 10 extras were conceded in the first four overs of Hampshire’s reply and the fielders did not assist matters with a succession of dropped chances.
The partnership was broken by Morton with the score on 96, bringing regular number eleven Tomlinson to the crease at first drop. The established pair set about counter attacking Solent’s bowling with a series of explosive and assured shots.
More poor catching threatened to hamper Solent’s chances of victory but when Ali was dismissed 19 short of a hundred, Solent were back in the hunt.
As the required run rate skyrocketed, Hampshire players proceeded to throw away their wickets. Spinner Afzal picked up a match winning 3-47 as he dismissed Ali, Tomlinson and tailender Haggaty and also contributed a spectacular run out.
Skipper Adkin chipped in with three wickets, running through the Hampshire middle order and Solent bowled out their opponents for 245 with just under four overs to spare.
Opener Morton was immensely proud of his team’s accomplishment: "The future students at Solent will see that we play matches against Hampshire and it will attract them to the university.
"Comparing now to what it was four or five years ago, we have many more cricketers that come to the university then what we did back then."
(Solent Speaker Online, 2010)
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