Hampshire Cricket League - County Div 4.

South Newton (206-8) tied with Mottisfont (206-9).

On a glorious sunny day for cricket, Mottisfont ventured into Wiltshire to play against South Newton on their picturesque ground by the River Wyle.

Home skipper Tim Moulding won the toss and asked the Font to bat on a greenish looking strip. Despite the seamer-friendly appearance of the pitch Font made a good start with a new opening pair in the shape of in-form Richard Blake and Kevin Barnes who was dismissed for eight after they had put on 45 runs off nine overs for the first wicket but his fellow opener soon followed after a quickfire (29) eight runs later.

This brought skipper Paul Fielder to the crease and he soon moved on to (11) before he was caught with a fine catch low down by fellow skipper Tim Moulding.

The Font then lost two more quick wickets and looked in some trouble with half the side out for 89.

Terry Byrne then joined 18-year-old Mark Allen who was carefully accumulating a good score and put the Font right back into the game with a stand of 56 for the sixth wicket before Byrne, with an almighty swing, was bowled for (31), including a magnificent six straight back over the bowler's head.

Graham Collins then joined the fray and helped to put 21 on for the seventh wicket before Allen was caught on the boundary for a fine half century having been the mainstay of Font's recovery.

However Collins continued the good work with a very assured knock of (32no) backed up by Steve Godwin's 10 runs, enabling the Font to finish on 206 for 9 wickets off their 45 overs - Shepherd finishing with 3 for 57.

After an excellent tea, the home side started their quest to reach a not so easy total of 207 and soon lost in-form opener Partridge lbw to David Barnes for one and had moved on to 34 when Byrne caught Stefan Madzarevic off the bowling of Barnes. He soon took his third wicket with the dismissal of Chris Moody (15).

The hosts added 34 for the fourth wicket when Penny pulled up sharply with a suspected torn calf muscle and had to be carried off retired hurt.

Soon after Font fielder, Graham Blake, fell awkwardly chasing a ball and damaged his back and also had to be helped off. Substitute fielder, young Daniel Collins took his place and fielded excellently.

There was another retirement soon after when N. Moulding damaged his back which raised the comment that this was more like a series of "Casualty" than a cricket match.

South Newton then made a good recovery with a stand of 86 for the sixth wicket with skipper Tim Moulding (47) and hard hitting Shepherd (40) both being dismissed by Richard Blake.

The visitors' fielding became very erratic and ragged with three chances put down with the home side within sight of Font's total.

The game started to become very tense and it was even putting pressure on the scorers not to make any mistakes. However, the result of the game came down to the injured Penny needing three runs off the last ball for victory but he was only able to score two for the game to end in a dramatic tie. The pick of the Font bowlers were David Barnes (3-39) and Mark Allen (2-29).