Emsworth on receiving end of TWO double centuries in amazing Hampshire Cricket League run-fest

Double century stars - Martin Blackman, left, and James Cheek. Picture by Dave Reynolds

The club’s 2nds travelled to the Isle of Wight to take on their Ventnor counterparts in a Division 4 South fixture at Steephill.

They returned to the mainland having been thrashed by 379 runs following a sensational batting display by home pair James Cheek and Martin Blackman.

Both batters blasted double centuries - believed to be the first occasion in Hampshire League history that two players from the same team have reached 200 in the same innings.

Cheek hit 209 and Blackman an unbeaten 204, the pair sharing a massive 365-run second wicket stand as part of a huge 464-2 total off just 45 overs.

Making his first league appearance of the season - indeed, only his fifth in three years - Cheek struck 26 fours and nine sixes off 134 balls.

It was the first century of his career, beating the 92 not out he had compiled in a Southern Premier League Division 2 game against Hambledon in 2011.

Blackman, who scored 701 runs for Ventnor’s 1sts in the second tier of the Southern Premier League in 2022, hit 22 fours and 11 sixes off 116 deliveries.

Unsurprisingly, that was also a career best league knock - beating the 114 he had compiled for the 2nds against Hayling Island in the HL eight years ago.

As can be expected, there were some painful Emsworth bowling figures - Ryan Agnew’s five overs went for 92 runs, while new ball bowler George Falcon-Paterson conceded 93 off six overs.

Toby Noyes then took 5-16 as Emsworth were skittled for just 85.

While a pair of double centuries could be unique in Hampshire League history, the feat has been achieved 19 times in Test cricket history.

But only once has it been done by an English pair - Mike Gatting (207) and Graeme Fowler (201) hitting double tons in the same innings against India at Delhi on the 1984/85 tour.

In the same division, there was a low-scoring affair when United Services Portsmouth were rolled over for 84 by Burridge - but still won by 35 runs!

Alex Harris and Nick Creal both took 3-24 as USP, having elected to bat, were dismissed in 18 overs - No 9 Kannan Cm top scoring with 19 not out.

Cm then made an ever bigger impression with the ball, taking a career best 5-17 as Burridge were routed for just 49.

Four of Cm’s victims were clean bowled with extras (19) Burridge’s highest score - with the bat it was Alex Brewer (7).

Additional reporting: Mike Vimpany