Hampshire Academy Season Review

Hampshire Academy have experienced another testing season in the Southern Electric Premier Cricket League, finishing eighth in the overall standings, with five wins from their 16 games.

The next generation of Hampshire cricketers have developed under the guidance of former first-team seamer James Tomlinson, who has been captaining the side throughout the campaign.

There have been some achievements this season, with batsman Felix Organ making his first-team debut against Middlesex at Uxbridge, but here is how the season unfolded for the Academy.

They started off the season in superb form, bowling out Andover for just 76 on their way to a convincing ten-wicket win before slipping to defeats against South Wilts and Burridge.

Youngster Cole Campbell scored the first half-century of the campaign, as his 94 helped secure a draw against the Champions Havant in a high-scoring at the The Ageas Bowl.

First-team wicket-keeper Calvin Dickinson struck a half-century against Hampshire Academy as they were bowled out for 81 in a heavy defeat to Lymington in the beginning of June.

However, back-to-back half-centuries from opener Ben Duggan got his side back to winning ways, with Hampshire Academy sealing consecutive wins over Portsmouth and Alton.

Tom Scriven began July in fine form, smashing 142 but his knock was in vain as they suffered an eight-wicket defeat to their Somerset counterparts in a friendly.

Despite this, it didn’t stop their league form with youngster George Metzger (109) smashing his maiden century and Chris Sole (5-35) recording the club’s first five-wicket haul of the season in a win over New Milton.

Scriven continued his impressive run with the bat by crunching consecutive half-centuries as the Academy picked up positive results over Fawley and St Cross.

Tomlinson’s side were boosted with the addition of Mason Crane in the draw with St Cross, and continued their development by playing against first-team players such as Joe Weatherley, who struck a half-century in the draw on 15 July.

Bad weather meant that their games with Andover and South Wilts were abandoned, but that didn’t halt Hampshire’s momentum, with Scriven (4-17) starring with the ball in a 75-run win against Burridge at the start of August.

The penultimate month of the season proved to be a tricky one for Hampshire Academy, as their batting faltered on their way to successive defeats to Alton, Havant and Lymington.

Scriven (98) and Organ (94) addressed any concerns as they ended a difficult month with a 23-run victory against Alton at Jubilee Fields.

Hampshire Academy ended the season with an eight-wicket defeat to Bashley at the start of September, but despite a disappointing final month of the season, there was still plenty to be positive about.

Organ went on to make his first-class debut for Hampshire, whilst Scriven had a superb season, scoring 633 runs at an average of 45.21 as well as taking 14 wickets.

Jack Campbell was very useful with the ball throughout their campaign, claiming 42 scalps at an average of just over 23, whilst also recording his career best figures of 4-15.

Ben Duggan had a limited season, turning out just eight times for the Academy, but was still very effective, scoring 313 runs in eight innings at a superb average of 62.6.

There were also many first-year scholars playing for Tomlinson’s side, and they were be a lot of look forward ahead of the 2018 season for the next generation of Hampshire cricketers.