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Future stars embark on pre-season tour to La Manga
Hampshire Academy have recently embarked on their pre-season tour to La Manga Club Resort.
The youngsters have already contested two T20’s and two 50 over matches against a strong Middlesex Cricket Board side which includes first team squad member Max Holden.
The first instalment, a T20, saw the academy take to the field in southern Spain for what would be their first outdoor fixture since August.
Middlesex scored 198 from their allotted overs and in reply, Hampshire had to rebuild after losing two wickets in quick succession.
A promising partnership was shared between George Metzger (40) and Fletcha Middleton (36), one that saw them add 66 for the third wicket.
Huw Wheeler arrived at the crease and struck a fluent 37* from 29 deliveries, including two fours and two sixes but the Middlesex target would eventually prove to be out of reach as Hampshire came up short, losing by 32 runs.
The second instalment of T20 action then followed where Hampshire would have been looking to avenge their earlier loss.
Batting first, Hampshire struggled to make any real inroads into the Middlesex bowling attack. A late flurry from James Trodd (18) was the highlight as he managed to push his side up to a respectable score of 129.
Having a low score to defend the Hampshire bowlers would have to limit Middlesex’s scoring from the off, and that’s exactly what they did.
Harry Broderick (3-16) and James Trodd (1-25) stood out whilst spinners Kamran Khanna and Monaam Abbas restricted the rate as Middlesex could only muster up 116 from their allotted overs, Hampshire victorious by 13 runs.
Monday saw the first of the scheduled 50 over games against the same opposition once more and the Academy’s spin twins were in full flow. Kamran Khanna (3-41) and Monaam Abbas (3-29) restricted Middlesex to 209ao.
A tough time out in the middle then ensued as Hampshire slumped to 118-9 but for a tenth wicket partnership of 48 between Harry Petrie (25) and Josh Croom (23*) propelled the Academy to a respectable 166 all out.
The final game of the tour was rain affected in a match reduced to 45 overs a side. Fletcha Middleton (74) was the shining light however, as Hampshire managed to produce a competitive 215-9 from their allotted overs.
Middlesex reached 43-3 in their reply, Trodd (3-25) the pick of the bowlers before the rain set in to cut the Academy’s tour short.
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