Alton’s fourth team beat Fernhurst’s second team by 15 runs in Division Five of the I’Anson League on Saturday.

Alton won the toss and batted first, but the first seven wickets fell with no one reaching double figures. Debutante Howard Bayliss and youngster Oli Lynn (33 not out) started the fightback with a 49-run partnership to see the Brewers to 100. Charlie Langridge was the pick of the bowlers with four for 11 off his seven overs.

Alton knew they needed early wickets and Alex Stratford took the first four in an excellent opening spell. Langridge built solid partnerships with Abdur Rahman, Ben Smith and Zak Gelderblom. Matt Craig made the crucial breakthrough, dismissing Langridge for 33. Jamie Craig bamboozled the lower order with his leg breaks, picking up Gelderblom and Evangelos Gikas in quick succession. Gemma Porter got the final wicket with a well-executed run out and the Brewers secured 25 points.

Alton’s women’s team fell to a 41-run defeat against Wessex Women on Sunday.

Alton's women's team were all smiles
Alton's women's team were all smiles (Alton Cricket Club)

The visitors won the toss and decided to bat first. Josie Morris made an early breakthrough before Gemma Porter took three wickets in her first over. Skipper Loren Dean and Megan Bishop put on 75 for the fifth wicket before Dean was cleaned up by Jorja Wright. Bishop was eventually dismissed by Porter for an excellent 76. Wright quickly wrapped up the tail in her second spell with Ceri Harris and Keerthana Muppavarapu falling in the space of four balls.

The target of 195 looked within reach for the hosts when Wright (24) and Nic Gadsby (20) got off to a blistering start. Sara Heffernan and Abi Green kept the run rate high but when Bishop removed Green it was the partnership of Porter and Mel Vaggers that was pivotal to the direction of the match. Their partnership reached 44 before Bishop made the breakthrough, cleaning up Vaggers. With the tail exposed Muppavarapu picked up the wickets of Josie Morris and Lucy Butler before Bishop closed out the game removing Porter, Josie Wright and Florence Allhosen to secure bowling figures of five for 26.