A LOW-SCORING affair it might have been, but the I’Anson’s annual representative match at Ripsley Park finished in dramatic fashion as Liphook number 10 Charles Janzur hit the winning six in steady rain.

Liphook won by just one wicket, having earlier threatened to turn the fixture into a mismatch after dismissing the league side for a meagre 82.

I’Anson captain Aks Ilyas decided to bat first and George Neave, leading Liphook, bowled Ashan Ahmed in the first over.

Amongst his scatter-fire wides (13 in all), Neave also castled the Melhuish brothers, Will and Peter, in the first seven overs.

Australian Rhys Dodson was caught and bowled by Janczur and the visitors were in disarray at 35-4.

George Ellis hit out for 23 and James Wood helped add 26 before a further collapse to the spin of Andy Barnes (3-13 in 6 overs) and Dave Elliott reduced the representative side to a seemingly inadequate 82 all out in the 25th over.

The I’Anson, facing humiliation, responded by snapping up three wickets for 11 runs. Chiddingfold’s Paul Hundley, who was awarded his I’Anson cap before the match, removed Rob Nicklin – a centurion the day before – with only two runs scored, and Ilyas, a real threat with the new ball, bowled Tom May and Grant Rouse.

Hundley (3-26) took two further wickets, his second victim being Barnes who had just rung the bell on the pavilion with a six off the new cap. Hundley proceeded to ring Barnes’ bell by knocking back his leg-stump two balls later. A friendly discussion ensued between them as to the relative merits of each action. Meanwhile, a fine run-out by Ashan Ahmed had accounted for the solid Gabe Broadhurst.

At 46-6, the game was in the balance. David Oliver (a resolute 20) and Neave rallied the home side before Huw Town-Jones and Ahmed put the result in doubt again, with Liphook nine wickets down and still requiring nine runs.

As the rain grew heavier, Iain Jackson missed a sharp chance off Elliott and, with five runs wanted, Janczur ended an enthralling game in style with a six off Dodson.