Ropley are the current plate holders 2008.

Semi-final - Ropley vs Holybourne at Chawton, Match Lost. Report by Martin Peters.

Ropley bowed out of the Medstead Knock out at the semi final stage after a disappointing batting performance against Holybourne.

Electing to bat first on the rain affected wicket proved the wrong choice as they lost 2 wickets inside the first over, Tom Stroud was quickly followed by Marco Teixeira as opening bowlers Parker & Edwards extracted some alarming bounce. Both Martin Peters & Alistair Cotton took blows to the hands & body as run scoring chances were restricted, Edwards conceding just 2 runs in his first 3 overs. Cotton played a couple of lusty blows from the rarely pitched up deliveries on his way to 25, but change bowlers Taylor & Rosati continued the stranglehold with tight starts to their spells. When Cotton departed with 62 on the board from 14 overs, Peters started taking the fight to the bowlers in the last 4 overs, taking 15 & 14 from consecutive Rosati overs, as the final score ended on 99 with Peters stumped off the last ball for a valiant 57.

Opening with a spin & seam combination tight lines were essential & when John Happel got a wicket in just the 3rd over hopes were high. Mark Munday bowled without luck as usual at the other end as many balls went aerial but didnt go to hand, then Happels 3rd over was belted for a crucial 17 runs by Rosati (28). Teixeira picked up a wicket in his 2nd over, but the run rate was well up as the score was 48-2 after 8 overs. Jowett benefitted from some loose bowling as he compiled an unbeaten 39, well supported by Taylor (21) as Holybourne went past the target with exactly 1 over to spare for the loss of just 3 wickets, Robert Smith 1-13 collecting a late wicket before being hit for a straight 6 by Edwards to win the game.

1st Round - Ropley vs Froxfield at Home, 6:30pm 3rd June - Match Won

Ropley & Froxfield played out a high quality & absorbing battle in the first round of the Medstead KO, where the result could have gone either way.

Ropley won the toss & batted first with new man Alistair Cotton given the task of attempting to keep up with the livewire Will Hudson between the wickets! The pair faced some good aggressive early bowling from Pearce alongside the control of Singleton at the other end. Singleton claimed the first scalp by bowling Hudson for 11 & he was quickly followed by Marco Teixeira (1) as the score struggled to 25-2 from 6 overs. Cotton was joined by Tom Wood & the pair played some elegant drives & brutal smashes to accelerate the scoring rate & put on 102 runs in just 12 overs before Cotton fell for a brilliant 82, which included 14 fours & 1 six. Wood was dismissed off the final ball of the innings for 28 by Sam Barnett, who finished with 2-18, as Ropley posted a challenging 135 run target in their 18 overs.

Froxfield openers Blanks 19 & Turner 39 gave them a blistering start, scoring 60 runs in the first 7 overs of the reply, but the introduction of evergreens Sutton & Newton saw both wickets fall & the run rate reduce. At 77-2 after 10 overs, the game was well & truly on as 58 were required from the last 8 overs. O'Mahn played some glorious shots as he edged them closer to victory, but when he eventually fell, bowled by Sutton for 38, in the 17th over the score sat at 120-6 leaving them still needeing 16 from the last over.

In gloomy light with 2 new batsmen at the crease this proved just beyond Froxfield as Teixeira conceded just 7 to leave Ropley victorious by 9 runs. Newton 3-32 & Sutton 3-27 took the bowling plaudits in a game played to a high standard & in excellent spirit.