Sam hits century on first appearance of the season for Sarisbury Athletic in entertaining Hampshire League win

Sam Floyd hit a century on his first appearance of 2023 for Sarisbury Athletic. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

Sam Floyd scored a century on his first appearance of the season for Sarisbury Athletic.

Playing for the club’ 2nds in an entertaining Hampshire League Division 3 South fixture against Langley Manor 2nds, he hit 101 off 96 balls.

Floyd, who put on 105 for the second wicket with opener Simon Orr (72), hit 11 fours and a six as Sarisbury amassed 282-8 after winning the toss at Allotment Road.

He also added 70 for the seventh wicket with skipper Michael Bond, who came in at No 8 and pressed the accelerator with an 46 off 32 balls.

It was Floyd’s first HL century since hitting 152 against Burridge 2nds eight years ago.

Faced with a daunting run chase, Langley gave it a go - only falling 10 runs short of their target.

Opener Nick Jenkin (63) and Todd Garner (51) helped them reach 192-3.

Big drama arrived when Langley, having reached 203-4, promptly lost four wickets for no runs in the space of six balls.

Jon Floyd dismissed Luke Terris, Lewis Browne and Jamie Brown with the third, fourth and six balls of the 37th over.

Then, with the first delivery of the 38th over, Jed Bradley removed Ethan Terris.

That didn’t signal game over for Langley, though, with ninth-wicket duo Alex McCreath and Jamie Terris doing their best to swing the momentum back the visitors’ way.

They put on an unbroken 70, with Terris ending unbeaten on 33 off 26 balls and McCreath 30 not out off 22.

The pair needed 19 to win off the last over, but David Banks conceded just nine runs.