by Mike Vimpany

New Forest club Ellingham were bowled for SEVEN runs yesterday - the lowest ever-total in a Hampshire Cricket League match.

United Services' four ‘wides’ were the highest contributor with only three Ellingham batsmen managing a run off the bat during their 12.2-over innings.

US new-ball bowlers John Parker and Fraser Quirke sent wickets crashing in the County Division 1 match at Portsmouth’s Burnaby Road.

Swing bowler Parker, who has played regularly for the British Armed Forces for the past ten years, took six of the wickets – the solitary ‘run’ off his 6.2-over spell being a wide!

The evergreen Quirke, 48, took the remaining four wickets at a personal cost of six runs, only three of which came off the bat, as Ellingham were skittled for the lowest scorein the league's 43-year history.

Formed in 1973, the Hampshire League is reckoned to be the world's largest cricket league.   

Its previous lowest team totals were 11 by Southampton Community in 2012 and 12 by Crofton back in 1975.

Jim Edwards, one of Ellingham duck makers, said: “All I can say is it was a disciplined bowling display from John Parker - with freak boomerang like bowling - and a wet pitch following a rain break which made the ball skid through at ankle height.”

United Services had been dismissed themselves for 120 – Shaun Leadbetter and Brad Hammas taking three wickets each – but Edwards didn’t fancy Ellingham’s chances of a victory.

“We were expecting a rained off fixture and went ill prepared with only 2 recognised 1st Xl players,” he explained.

“Did we fancy our chances our chances? Not really, we knew if they got four wickets there was little batting to follow.”

The trip to Portsmouth wasn't all in vain for Ellingham - they left with five bowling bonus points!

“And we stayed for a beer afterwards to drown our sorrows,” Edwards chuckled.

Ellingham (target score 116 off 46 overs)
A Jones c Akila b Parker 0
A Redfern lbw b Quirke 1
J Childs b Parker 1
J Edwards b Parker 0
C Pierson b Quirke 0
S Leadbetter b Quirke 0
T Fincham c May b Parker 1
S Stone b Parker 0
B Hammas b Parker 0
A Hough c Akila b Quirke 0
R Bull not out 0
Extras: 4 (4 wides)
Total: 7
Fall of wickets: 0-1, 5-2, 5-3, 5-4, 6-4, 7-6, 7-7, 7-8, 7-9, 7-10.

US bowling: J Parker 6.2-5-1-6, F Quirke 6-1-6-4.