Welcome to the Wessex Scene’s live coverage of the Varsity cricket games. Live updates will appear hear from 9am starting with the Women’s 1st XI game, continuing throughout the day live from the Old Sports Hall on Highfield Campus.
Now, for the official roundup of results:
Ladies’ 1st XI: Southampton win by 35 runs
Mens’ 3rd XI: Southampton win by 26 runs
Mens’ 2nd XI: Portsmouth win by 2 wickets
Mens’ 1st XI: Southampton win by 5 wickets
As I type, Southampton lead by 120 to Portsmouth’s 28, requiring just 61 more points to win.
Thank you all for joining us this morning, and stay tuned to Wessex Scene for Varsity updates all day!
After Southampton’s 3-1 victory over today’s series of indoor cricket games, the home side’s lead in today’s Varsity competition (100-24 last time I checked) grows ever greater.
Apologies for the intermission! While we were suffering technical and vertical difficulties, Southampton came out on top and easily chased their target of 76 with three overs spare and only one wicket lost along the way.
Now for our final game of the day, between the Men’s 1st XIs.
PORTSMOUTH WIN! Penultimate ball heroics from our old friend leg byes sees them past the hometown seconds.
2 to win from as many balls…
WICKET! Stumps go flying and set up a tense finale.
Length is good but line is less so. Into the final over with controversies aplenty after repeated scoops into the netting.
Portsmouth just 15 short now with less than two overs to go.
WICKET! After a flurry of runs, Southampton crack through once again.
65 the current score, but Southampton were unlucky not to claim another as a sliver of premature celebrations saw the bowler put down a return opportunity.
WICKET! The ceiling is acting as an extra fielder for the hosts but they don’t need it, with the long-off taking sharp catch on the ground.
We have a broken light in the Old Sports Hall! File this under bizarre delays.
Updates aplenty! A late schedule change seems to have caught us out (pun very much intended) and that was in fact the 3rd XI that took victory. The seconds, currently playing, accumulated 99 in their 10 overs and the Portsmouth chase is about to begin.
Unfortunately that’s it for cricket coverage live from the OSH, but stay tuned to Wessex Scene all day for Varsity news as it happens.
Portsmouth once again in the field to start, conceding 7 from the placid first six deliveries.
They step out to the field to a chorus of ‘Jerusalem.’
THAT’S THE GAME! Southampton take another cricket victory after a top edge.
WICKET! That’s surely the game as a long off drive falls into the hands of the man deep. 56/5 now.
Athletic fielding keeps the eighth over to just 4 runs. 32 to win from the final 2 overs.
Excellent seventh only yields two. 36 to win from 18 balls.
50 off 6 and Homer Simpson’s baseball distractions are being implemented.
Great showing from all supporters down here!
43 for Pompey at half way. It’s poised perfectly, as they require 45 from the second leg.
WICKET! Game on with another run out by a flailing keeper.
48/3 off 4. Southampton need another magical over here.
Another one launched straight and high! Portsmouth’s new pair are settling in ominously.
Another maximum to end it! 17 off the third over leaves Portsmouth needing 61 from 7 overs.
Portsmouth already on the comeback trail as Stansfield is driven impeccably for 6 to start the third.
10/3 after two overs of chaos.
WICKET! It is three in four! Portsmouth collapsing behind square, this time.
No hat-trick for the hosts.
WICKET! A huge appeal sees bowler Wright almost back right into the batsman. He’s rewarded for a comfortable LBW call.
WICKET! A calamity for Portsmouth as the batsmen are caught at the same end having a chat and watching the keeper casually get a dismissal.
The final ball looked to bring the hosts their first scalp from my (albeit dreadful) angle, but no luck. Just 6 from the first over.
A thunderous inswinger to start from left arm quick Stansfield clatters the pads fruitlessly. Another loud shout goes up for a perceived edge behind.
Surge has no presence in the Old Sports Hall today, but amateur radio is still out in force. SUCC’s team have been gifting us their finest Test Match Special audition tape, including shipping forecasts for Radio 4 LW listeners, and are now playing some lovely ‘Soul Limbo.’
6 off the final ball, including a frantically-run second, sees Southampton finish on 87/5. Portsmouth’s chase will be with you next.
WICKET! The final over starts with Stansfield edging it into his own face. He finds the front wall for 6 soon after, before being stumped.
Despite its wicket, that over brings 10 more. Southampton looking more steady now at 65/4 after eight.
WICKET! The day’s biggest shot yet ricochets off the side and front walls into a fielder’s mitts.
The seventh is the most lucrative yet, bringing the hosts to 55/3. The opening bowler returns.
Leg byes are impressing if nothing else. Another 10 runs come from the sixth.
Southampton reach the half way point at 33/3.
25 after 4, and the new bowler seems to be having no ball issues.
Alex Stansfield, Southampton’s new man in, seems to be our first southpaw of the day. The fielders adjust accordingly.
WICKET! 19/3 as running falls apart again on the over’s first ball. Southampton looking in trouble.
18/2 after three overs now.
First ball of the third is fired back to the bowler but trickles through for 4 more.
WICKET! Slick glovework from the Pompey keeper standing up to some rapid pace sees Southampton at 11/2 after 2.
WICKET! Jonny Wright departs off the second over’s first ball after a cancelled run falls apart.
The saxophone is out to accompany Portsmouth’s opening bowler. The batsmen were almost drawn to the same end but escape without difficulty. 9/0 after 1.
Straight into our second game of the day as the men’s 1st XI take to the arena.
WICKET! It’s all over as Southampton pick up another run out off the final delivery. The women’s 1st XI are victors by 34 runs!
WICKET! Almost touches of Bodyline in Speake’s approach as she gets the batsman caught behind square.
34 to win from 2 balls
Make that 34 off 3, as it is the square leg umpire’s turn to shake his head at a stumping attempt.
The first two balls yield 5, with the bowler’s end umpire turning down run out attempts on each. 34 to win off 4
Davenport, after her miserly figures at the top, is trusted with the penultimate over. 19 come from it, leaving a near-impossible 39 to win from the final over.
58 to win from 12 balls. A reminder, before the hosts get complacent, that Southampton scored 53 in that same period…
Portsmouth are 76/3 off 7 overs. That is only 5 behind Southampton at this stage…
WICKET! Both batsmen ended up at the striker’s end, a recipe for inevitable doom. Despite apparent best efforts to be benevolent, the bails were knocked off in time.
64/2 from 6 overs, leaving Portsmouth with another 20+ to score each over.
ANOTHER WICKET! With the remaining opener caught behind off Speake’s bowling, Portsmouth look overwhelmed.
Somehow she manages to lodge it inside the batsman’s helmet! We’re back under way immediately as these aren’t hard balls in play today.
Speake’s loopy moon balls are up next.
At the halfway stage, Portsmouth are on 54/1. 92 required from 30 balls.
Waves of disbelief at the umpires as Davis’ first ball turns off the square (slash mat) without being called wide.
Wides are beginning to escalate for the home side. They’re the main contributor to the score reaching 46 from four overs.
9 coming from that one, bringing Portsmouth to 24/1.
15 after two overs. The required rate is now over 16, and Davenport is back for a second over. So far, it’s much like the first.
WICKET! Portsmouth’s captain edges through to the keeper and the umpire raises his finger of doom. Silence falls over the purple end of the gallery.
Kirsten Davenport opens the bowling with a dot followed by one that just beats the keeper in her runout attempts. Two swings and misses follow to conclude a fine over, conceding just 5.
Whoever is connected to the speaker is subjecting us all to Wiz Khalifa in this delay, so I shall do the same to you, dear readers.
You’d never get this at Lord’s.
The umpires aren’t happy about the lack of a functional scoreboard. It certainly is making my job harder, too. We’ll be set to resume as Portsmouth chase 146 when this is resolved.
While we wait for the Portsmouth batsmen to emerge, Southampton are practicing for a bowlout. The skipper’s slow left arm moon balls are my favourite so far.
“If you’ve got BTECs, stand up.”
And we finally get a wicket! Miscommunication between runners sees a runout, but not before Southampton reach 145 from their over allocation. Second innings coming right up.
Make that a hat-trick of wides…
A caught-and-bowled opportunity for Portsmouth is put down and followed by another pair of wides. Southampton’s score is looking quite formidable.
Portsmouth vs. Southampton has now turned into trumpet vs. saxophone. It’s a raucous wind orchestra up here.
Davis departs with her 25 thanks to her fourth six. Close to the proverbial rope, but the umpire was eventually satisfied.
3 off the second ball for Davenport with a little off drive.
The final over starts as you might expect. Wide.
Kirsten Davenport joins the party! The ninth over goes 6 6 3 6 3 6 to bring Southampton to 122 with one over remaining.
The first sixes of the day! Davis launches the first two deliveries of the ninth over high over the bowler’s head.
With two overs go, the new batsman is Rosie Davis. She comes in with the score on 92.
Three more from Dennison is greeted with warm applause. Her retirement comes with the score on 91.
That over only yielded Southampton a further 4 runs. Opener Sarah Dennison, still at the non-striker’s end, is two runs from enforced retirement.
Portsmouth’s new bowler isn’t having the same problems. After beating each edge, she gets one in that is unlucky not to be given LBW.
The most expensive over yet ends in one that dribbles along the ground for more extras. 77 after 6 overs.
That renowned yet explicit song about Mitchell Johnson’s erratic bowling from the Barmy Army is getting an airing for the Portsmouth bowlers. A wide and loopy beamer soon after doesn’t help the case.
The growing Southampton contingent now has a speaker and a theme tune. We may hear a lot of ‘When The Saints Go Marching In’ throughout the morning, as another set of wides brings the score to 59 after 5 overs.
Drama! The first ball after the retirement is a large LBW appeal, and the second sees the new batsman almost run out before facing a ball. A sprawling dive at the wicketkeeper’s end saves her.
And just like that, the captain reaches her milestone. She retires on 25.
Southampton’s openers Speake and Dennison are still going strong after 4 overs. The score’s up to 47 without loss now, and they may soon be forced to retire.
The spirited Portsmouth choir has been joined by the uniformed cricketing men of Southampton up here in the balcony. 37/0 after 3, including 4 wides as the bowling slipped slightly off line.
A better over from the fielding side followed. Southampton’s openers are still looking strong, but dot balls are creeping in. 26/0 after 2
Portsmouth’s fielding is already showing signs of the early start. 16 runs off the first over, with most opportunities being fumbled.
And it’s a lovely little glance behind square that goes for 4 overthrows!
Southampton’s openers have taken to the pitch. Louise Speake, their captain, will face the first ball.
Our games today will be 10 overs per side, with batsmen forced to retire if and when they reach 25 runs. The umpires are currently setting the bails and marking out creases with the finest white tape to a soundtrack of Portsmouth chanting.
After all that cricketing goodness, the Old Sports Hall will host some dodgeball, futsal, and Tchoukball. For all that and coverage of all today’s happenings, stick with us on the Wessex Scene website, on Twitter, and all over your favourite social media platforms.
Our fixtures for the day are as follows:
Good morning, everyone! I’m here up in the rafters of the Old Sports Hall on Highfield Campus to bring you live coverage of everything cricket-y here during Varsity 2016.
And, my parting gift: The official scorecard from the 1st XI encounter. Thanks for tuning in!