Paultons and Sarisbury Athletic have attractive second round home ties in the Village Cup tomorrow (Sunday May 9).
Earlier wins over Overton and Oakley have earned Paultons potentially far tougher opposition in close rivals Calmore Sports at Whitemoor Lane, while 2019 semi-finalists Sarisbury Athletic line up against Hambledon at Allotment Road.
There's an all-New Forest encounter between Sway and Bramshaw, while Hursley Park host old rivals Sparsholt at The Quarters.   Parley host Shrewton.  Liphook & Ripsley host West Sussex side Balcome, whom they thrashed last season.

Heavy overnight rain had caused the cancellation of half of today's scheduled round 2 matches in the Southern Premier League, with the postponements (as at 1215) as follows -
ECB Premier Division
Bournemouth v South Wilts
Hampshire Academy v Havant
Hook & Newnham Basics v St Cross Symondians
Division 1
Basingstoke & North Hants v New Milton
Sparsholt v Calmore Sports
Division 2
Paultons v Waterlooville
South Wilts II v OTs & Romsey
Division 3
Gosport Borough v Trojans
Hythe & Dibden v Portsmouth & Southsea
Langley Manor v Basingstoke & North Hants II
* They are hoping to start the SPL 1 match between Sarisbury Athletic and Rowledge at Allotment Road by 1400.

Opener Jonty Sebborn returns from Exeter University to potentially boost the Rowledge batting against Southern Premier Division 1 rivals Sarisbury Athletic at Allotment Road, 12.30.
His inclusion is the only change in the Rowledge team which beat Portsmouth in a curtain raiser thriller last week, with teenager Ethan Martin doubtless having been on the receiving end of some leg pulls from his team-mates after being dismissed Handled the Ball !
Sarisbury were heavily beaten by New Milton, having had their top order batting seriously weakened by the flamboyant Sam Floyd’s decision to play golf instead of cricket this summer.
Rowledge: Ben Wish, Jake Wish, Ollie Baker, David Lloyd, Jonty Sebborn, Ricky Yates, Sam Plater, Ryan Littlewood, Ethan Martin, Olly Ryman, Zac Le Reux.
Portsmouth and Andover, who each lost their opening games, meet at St Helen’s, Southsea, where the pavilion and clubhouse refurbishment is well under way.
Skipper James Christian is absent for Portsmouth, while Ali Hooper misses out for the Lions.  Ben Duggan wears the city captain’s armband, while spin all-rounder Charlie Ayres comes in for the visitors.
Portsmouth: Duggan, J Marston, Hammond, T Wallis, Hirani, Smitherman, D Wallis, Woolf, McArdle, A Marston, Webb.
Opening day winners Calmore Sports and Sparsholt – both involved in Village Cup second round action on Sunday - go head to head at the Norman Edwards Ground.
Calmore Sports: Bailey, Johns, Johnson, Lavelle, Lepervanche, Moss, Parker, Perry, Taylor, West, Wright.
In the other matches, Basingstoke & North Hants host an unchanged New Milton at May’s Bounty, where the Green & Golds aim to expand on last week's Lee Beck inspired 70-run win at Sarisbury Athletic.
​New Milton: Watts, Edwards, Greig, Hall, L Beck, Golding, Hussey, Loader, Mills, R Beck, Bartlett.
Totton & Eling visit St Cross Symondians II, minus teen all-rounder Tommy Cheater, who has been called up by the Hampshire Academy.
Bashley (Rydal)’s Neil Taylor, nearing ‘legendary’ status at the BCG, is three victims shy of 1,000 competitive wickets in his career – a milestone he could achieve at Fair Oak.
Now in his mid-fifties, Taylor has enjoyed a fantastic career, having played for Middlesex, the Minor Counties, Dorset and SPL and HCB representative teams, besides his ‘home town’ clubs New Milton and Bashley (Rydal).
Bashley (Rydal) II: Francis, O’Sullivan, Morris, R Taylor, Underwood, Achakzai, Mulley, Baker, Penycate, N Taylor, Read.
South Wilts II host OTs & Romsey, their closest rivals, at Bemerton, with the visitors eager to build on last weekend’s three-wicket success over Liphook & Ripsley.
South Wilts II: Cranch, Litchfield, Pearce, Edwards, Pittman, Falconer, Pittman, Warner, Partridge, Atkinson, Brewer.
Elsewhere, Fawley host Ventnor at Holbury , both sides having lost their first match.
In Premier Division 3, Hambledon host near neighbours Purbrook, boosted by Chris Pratt's weekend return from Loughborough, but handicapped by one-time Hampshire left-arm spinner Ian Turner having a broken toe and James Marshall, who has a fractured finger. Opening bowler  James Restall has a Churcher's College match.
Neither Hambledon nor Portsmouth & Southsea got going last weekend - their match at St James's Park was rained off - so P & S look to break the ice on Waterside against Hythe & Dibden at Jones Lane.
Hythe rattled up 249-4 at Basingstoke last week, with Tom Gates and Matt Young in good nick, but they still lost in a thrilling finish.
Hythe & Dibden:T Richards, T Gates, M Young, Z Millar, S Redford, W Mckay, A Wakely, A Nicholas, D Taylor, N Vaughan, T Ndowora.
Hook & Newnham Basics II look to improve on their round one win over Gosport Borough at Langley Manor, while Gosport Borough and Trojans aim to win their first games at Privett Park.
Hook & Newnham Basics II: Light, Bruin, James, Brown, Warner, Allnutt B, Gardner, Balcombe, May, Shore, Neville.
Tichborne Park host Basingstoke & North Hants II, who pipped Hythe & Dibden in a May's Bounty thriller.

​

Bashley (Rydal) have been struck a triple blow ahead of tomorrow’s ECB Southern Premier League visit of Alton to the BCG, 11.30.
Left-arm pace bowler Brad Currie, wicketkeeper Harry Fisher and opening batsman Alex Turner are all ruled out. But to cushion things, Tom Friend, who topped the SPL batting charts in 2019, is back.
Bash skipper Michael Porter explains: “Unfortunately, Bradley has a very minor hamstring tear and  will have to miss the Alton match, which is obviously a massive blow, especially after his five-wicket haul against South Wilts last week.
“Harry Fisher and Alex Turner have important first year exams at Exeter university, so we are missing three big players.
“But having Tom (Friend) back is an enormous boost and as far as Harry and Alex are concerned, it brings opportunities to other players to come into the side and make the step up.
Left-arm seamer Ben Fletcher replaces Currie (who will play the role of drinks boy), with Rhodes Franklin, recently signed from Hook & Newnham Basics to coincide with his university studies at Bournemouth, will slip into the middle order, with Tom Jacques behind the stumps.  
Rhodes Franklin - Our new signing from Hook will also make his debut for the first team. A tidy leg spin bowler and more than useful batsmen will come into the side. 
Alton’s final selection will depend on whether Hampshire prospect Fletcha Middleton can play after breaking a finger.
Bashley (Rydal): Porter, Friend, Josh Digby, Jacob Gordon, Tom Jacques, Mitch Wilson, George Wilson, Sam Stroud, Ben Fletcher, Rhodes Franklin, Sam Crisp.
Alton:  Harris, South, Middleton/Hale, Myers, Gonella, Wright, Mike Heffernan, Mark  Heffernan, Walters, Salmon, Ballinger
South Wilts, licking their wounds from last weekend’s nine-wicket pasting by Bashley, are unchanged for what promises to be a testing visit to Bournemouth, although the Lions are without top order batsman/wicketkeeper Adam Davies.  Chris Park dons the gloves with Simon Woodruff brought in.
South Wilts: Morton, Stearman, Hussey, Hayward, Draper, Rowe, Godsal, Grant, Harries, Lewis, Burton. ​

Burridge have pulled off a marquee signing in left-hand all-rounder Will Donald, who has at last moved to the area after skippering Whitby in the North Yorkshire & South Durham League.
The 23-year old Newcastle University graduate topped the NY & SD League Division 1 batting charts in 2019 with 649 runs, including one century and five fifty-plus scores.
He also featured in the top ten bowling averages, taking 39 wickets with his left-arm spin for Whitby, who finished fourth in Division 1, the league below the main ECB competition.
In all, Donald has made 3,385 league runs for Whitby – two hundreds and 18 fifties – and taken 269 wickets, including nine five-wicket hauls.
Donald had been due to play for Burridge last season, but his move south was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He will make his ECB Southern Premier Division debut against Lymington at Botley Road (11.30) and link up with fellow leftie Matthew Norris, who made a half-century on debut at Alton last weekend.
Beaten by the Academy in a tight finish last week, Lymington continue with Terry Crabb at the helm as skipper Matt Metcalfe remains in his sick bed.
Opener Ben Rogers and island teenager Ben Attrill are added to a stronger looking Lymington team.
Burridge: Will Donald, Joe Collings-Wells, Matthew Norris, Hilio De Abreu, Chris Blake, Shu Chowdhury, Jack Paskins, James Hughes, Daniel Stancliffe, Oliver Southon, Sullivan White.
Lymington: Crabb, Mortimore, Royan, Cox, Du Plooy, Rogers, Attrill, Proctor, Wade, Edwards, Scott.

Young South African all-rounder Michael Booth is set to make his ECB Southern Premier League debut for St Cross Symondians’ against Hook & Newnham Basics at the KGV tomorrow, 11.30.
A right-arm quick bowler and hard-hitting batsman, Booth, 20, is a product of Hilton College, where he was coached by Dale Benkenstein. 
He played in the Dolphins side which won the 2019 CSA Cubs Franchise tournament, but was surprisingly omitted from South Africa’s U19 squad for the last U19 World Cup.
Booth [left] is in his fresher year at Durham University and took wickets in an early pre-season warm-up match against Worcestershire at Kidderminster.
He replaces Felix Organ, who is playing for Hampshire against Somerset at the Ageas Bowl.
A knee injury rules left-hand opener Ben Thane out of the Hook & Newnham Basics line up, so Danniel Moore gets the call up as does Shane Brewer, reward for last week’s match winning five-wicket haul against Gosport Borough.  Liam Shore drops down.
Hook & Newnham Basics: J Buckingham, Lockwood, H Robson, Thomson, M Buckingham, Love, Murrell, Watts, Divecha, Moore, Brewer.
St Cross Symondians: Mike Haworth, Tom Foyle, Came, Taylor, Ellis, Harry Foyle, Bransgrove, Booth, Beetham, Matt Haworth, Woolvine.

Hampshire Academy prospect Huw Wheeler could be out for up to two months after suffering shoulder ligament damage in last weekend’s ECB Southern Premier League victory over Lymington.
Instead of celebrating the Academy’s four-run win with his team-mates, he spent several hours in A & E at Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra hospital following an accidental on-field collision with wicketkeeper Charlie Mumford.
Wheeler (left) was fielding at point and both he and Mumford went full tilt for a catch when Lymington batsman Dan Cox went to fend a short pitched delivery from Hampshire’s Chris Wood off his gloves. 
“Neither saw the other coming and there was a shuddering crash as the pair collided,” said one of the nearby Academy fielders.
Wheeler came off worse and was immediately taken to hospital where a scan revealed a Grade 2 ligament tear.
How ironic Wheeler, with a superb 84, and Mumford (57) should earlier have shared a 145-run fourth-wicket partnership to rescue the Hampshire Academy from 13-3 and set up a winning 217-run total ?
“I feel so sorry for Huw, his 84 in the circumstances was a brilliant knock,” praised Charlie Freeston, Hampshire’s Head of Player Development.
“He’s a very talented young cricketer – our county Under 15 award winner in 2019 – who has been very unfortunate with a series of hip, back and now shoulder injuries, but he’s still very young so has plenty of time left.”
Wheeler is the second Academy cricketer to be sidelined in quick succession – 18-year old left-arm quick Josh Croom also being ruled out for the next two months with a broken right foot.
With Tom Prest and Mumford playing for their respective schools, Canford and Bedford, the Academy are set to field a weakened side against Havant, who won their opener against promoted Hook & Newnham Basics by three wickets.
Academy: H Broderick, J Eckland, T Albert, A Player, D Wood, T Cheater, L Prichard, D Kelly, J Trodd, K Khanna, M Simpson. 
Havant: Peter Hopson, Ben Walker, George Metzger, Harry Gadd, Chris Morgan, Richard Hindley, Jeremy Bulled, Freddie Gadd, Simon Loat, Alfie Taw, Richard Jerry.

Angus Brown produced a stunning all-round performance, taking four wickets before cracking a match defining century to set up Hartley Wintney’s Southern Premier League Division 2 victory over Paultons.
His 4-34 return included four of Paultons' top five batsmen and his 101, which effectively set up Hartley’s three-wicket win, contained five sixes and 11 fours and was scored off 83 balls.
Probably no surprise it’s made Angus Brown this website’s first Cricketer of the Week award – a tasteful etched mounted glass cricket ball.
Robbie Pike (60) and Cameron Grierson (44) top scored in Paultons’ 192-7, which Hartley Wintney were chasing down comfortably all the time the England PD youngster was at the crease.
But when Brown was trapped leg before at 164-2 by left-arm spinner Andrew Denney (4-35), HW went into freefall, losing five wickets for 13 runs before the promising Roy Cockram’s 28 not out got them across the line.

Waterlooville are set to play the Southern Premier League Division 2 season without overseas aid following an unsatisfactory chain of events that has led to their intended South African import playing in North Walls instead of Rowlands Avenue.
The Ville, who have recruited seasonal overseas players from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa since the mid-1970s, had lined up Johannesburg teenager Chris Taylor. 
“We made a specific point of stressing the Premier League’s long-standing requirements for foreign nationals to have appropriate coaching qualifications and police clearances,” explained Waterlooville’s Director of Cricket Andy Reynolds.
A UK passport holder, Taylor arrived in the UK last month, spent 11 nights in quarantine at a London Heathrow hotel at his parents’ expense and in late April made two friendly XI appearance for the Ville, hitting 57 in a six-wicket victory at Stirlands having made his debut against P & S the previous day.
It then came to light that the South African had arrived without the necessary coaching qualifications or SAP clearance, so was Ineligible for Southern Premier League cricket.
Taylor hot footed it to play in the North Wales Premier League, where he promptly scored a century for Pwllheli in a high scoring win for the seaside town.
                                                                                          Immense
An angry Reynolds said: “The disruption caused to the club regarding collection, accommodation, personalised kit, pre-purchased tickets for upcoming sporting and social events, not to mention the coaching and support of our thriving junior section has been immense. 
“The lesson, of course, for all clubs is regardless of guarantees from your agent, always do your own due diligence plus be very, very cautious of the players advertised profile. 
“Taylor was advertised as a keeper/batsman, which was exactly what we requested and required.
“On arrival, he explained to me he hadn’t kept for a year and only does as a stand-in as it wasn’t his strongest skill set. 
“Having watched him keep wicket, I am able to confirm his summation was correct!
Waterlooville put the irritation behind them to score a rain affected 46-run win at Fawley. Tomorrow they are scheduled to visit Paultons, who have appointed Simon Ennew as their new captain.
The hosts are without key all-rounder Tony Richman and hard-hitting left-hander Nigel Feltham as they bid to bounce back from last weekend’s Angus Brown inspired defeat at Hartley Wintney.
“It was a tale of what might have been. We should have lost the match comfortably, but it was really pleasing with the fight we showed for what turned out in the end to be a narrow defeat.
Paultons: Simon Ennew, Cameron Grierson, Lee Wateridge, Ben Rogers, Jacob Lee, Josh Metcalfe, Robert Pike, Peter Lamb, Chris Dunn, Harmon Chandhoke, Andrew Denney.
Waterlooville: Archie Reynolds, Jon Hudson, Namish Verma, Sonny Reynolds, Tim Jackson, Dan Birch, Sam Robinson, Ashan Silva, Harry McBride+, Jack Pearce, Haydn Knight.

Hampshire Seniors found a good way to keep warm on a biting cold afternoon at Oxted & Limpsfield - they chased the ball about in the field for 45 overs as their Surrey counterparts rattled up a formidable 280-2 in the National Sixties Championship.
Ashford's Chris Evans led the way with a 19-four 140 not out. At least Hampshire collected maximum batting bonus points from their eventual 56-run defeat, Chris Wheeler hitting 53, with Nick Board (30), Andy Steggall (29) and Neil Trestrial (29) in support. Hampshire closed with 226-7.

Ben Allnutt (59) and one-time Fareham & Crofton all-rounder Kevin Light (44) revived Hook & Newnham Basics II’s fortunes before Shane Brewer took 5-16 to wreck Gosport Borough’s prospects of winning their round one Southern Premier Division 3 match at the KGV.
The pair were both promoted from the Hampshire League at the end of 2019 and the victory odds were in Borough’s favour when Jacob Harris (3-16) and Ollie Creal (3-30) reduced Hook to 59-5.
Allnutt, eventually ninth out, and Light turned the tide with a century sixth-wicket stand, which helped Hook reach a competitive 183 all out.
Eight overs of Brewer (left) was more than enough for Gosport, who sank to 58-6, with top scorer Lee Harrop (41) his fifth victim.
The Borough tail wagged a bit but Harry Warner (3-21) made the necessary inroads to bowl Gosport out for 129 and leave Hook 54-run winners.
Basingstoke & North Hants seconds chased down Hythe & Dibden’s 249-4 to win by four wickets off the penultimate ball of a May’s Bounty thriller.
Hythe’s total was based on a 151-run opening stand between Tom Gates (86) and Matt Young (61), with Tom Richards (36) and Zach Millar (36) proving later support.
Teen Josh Coombs underpinned Basingstoke’s reply with a patient 81, sharing key stands with Laurence Benge (48) and Scott Dyer (32) as the Bountymen closed in.
Cal Coombs (30) did his bit before Will McKay (3-35) broke through with three quick wickets. Fortunately for ‘Stoke, Steve Bucksey (23) and Chris Chandler kept their cool and grabbed a dramatic victory off the penultimate ball.
Langley Manor were 58-4 when play was abandoned at Purbrook, but none was possible at all at St James’s Park, where Portsmouth & Southsea were due to play Ha​mbledon.

Gregor McKenzie [left] emerged from winter hibernation with all guns blazing by smashing a boundary strewn 78-ball century as Fair Oak made their long and expensive day out on the Isle of Wight worthwhile with an emphatic 93-run rain affected win over Ventnor.
McKenzie, who is studying hard at Oxford Brookes, cleared the Steephill boundary twice and struck 16 fours in his 102.
He enjoyed a 121-run opening stand with Tom Hockenhull (51) and then a second century stand with skipper Charles Gwynn (35) before becoming the first of three hard earned victims for Charlie Calloway (3-64) at 222-2.
Will Hughes (28) chipped in before late wickets tumbled as Oaks pressed the accelerator late on. None of the Island bowlers will look back on their figures with any fondness as the Oaks reached a powerful 293-7.
Rain cut Ventnor’s target to a hefty 210 off 24 overs – a task that verged on the nigh impossible as they quickly slipped to 16-3 with new ball pair Ben Smith (2-13) and Freddie Eley doing the damage.  
The Islanders salvaged some respectability with Alex Lloyd (back at Steephill after a lengthy absence) making 34 and Martin Blackman 36, but wickets continued to fall regularly to the four-pronged spin attack of Gwynn, Rhys Oxley, Sam Reed and Rufus Bullough to make it a convincing victory from the season’s most arduous away trip. 
McKenzie completed a personal triumph by claiming the wicket of Rob Snell, clean bowled first ball. 
Vickram Dawson rattled through the Liphook & Ripsley batting order with a spell of 6-32 to leave the Romsey Sports Centre visitors 83 all out.
The former Hursley Park and Portsmouth bowler removed five of Liphook’s top six with only Ryan Covey (24) and Jamie Hall, with a late 22, scoring more than six !
Bothwell Chapungu scored 39 of OTs & Romsey initial fifty, but Liphook hit back, with three wickets from Charles Janczur (3-33) causing the hosts to drop from 50-2 to 74-7 before two boundaries by Lewis Allen got them across the line.
Both sets of batsmen struggled against the new ball in the wind at Holbury, where winners Waterlooville rallied from 42-2 to post 217-8, but Fawley didn't, losing their top four for only14 and with it the match after rain intervened..
A Dan Birch (54) half-century revived the Ville, who were without South African import Chris Taylor but had Sonny Reynolds back after on-going back problems ruled him bowling any overs at Havant. But it was eighth-wicket pair Harry McBride (42) and PGS off-spinner Jack Pearce (20) whose unbroken 59-run stand led to the Ville reaching 217-8.
Fawley, significantly without run gun Sufian Munir, were rocking at 14-4 against Jon Hudson and Ashan Silva and, having been set a testing 145 to win in 22 overs, finished with 99-6 (Tom Edwards 30).
Ben Francis (54) marked his arrival from Christchurch with a half-century, but Bashley (Rydal) II had their SPL2 match with South Wilts II rained off at tea, Phil Morris (42) having also put runs on the board at the BCG.

Basingstoke & North Hants twice allowed promising situations slip from their grasp enabling an Ethan Taylor inspired Totton & Eling to record a 35-run win at Southern Gardens.
It was Basingstoke’s first match since being relegated from the top flight of Southern Premier League cricket in 2019 and prospects appeared good when the evergreen Matt Thankachan (3-17) combined with Brad and Ashley Neal to reduce Totton to 60-4.
But Ethan Taylor (36) and Sam Bracey (30) doubled the score and with teenager Tommy Cheater swatting three sixes in a quick fire 41 not out, Totton went on to reach 209-8 off 40 overs.
Basingstoke lost openers Dan Belcher and Matt Deadman cheaply, but Ash (44) and Brad Neal (26) revived their fortunes to 93-2.
Joe Oates (35) weighed in, but a key left-arm spin spell by Ethan Taylor (4-30) took out the Basingstoke middle-order and the innings subsided to 174 all out.
Double promotion winning skipper Dave Orchard had misgivings about batting first against Calmore Sports at Loperwood Park as it all began to go wrong for St Cross Symondians II once former Hampshire opener Jason Laney was bowled for a sixth ball duck.
Left-armer Steve Wright (1-11 off eight overs), who regards Laney’s wicket as the biggest scalp of his still fledgling career, and Solent University’s Yannick De Mezieres (1-9 off six) called the tune as St Cross quickly fell to 13-3 and later 52-5 (Matt Swann 22).
Radley College prospect George O’Connor (24) top scored as St Cross struggled to 121-9, Mark Lavelle sending down a typically miserly 3-10 spell and Ben Perry taking two wickets.
It was never enough.  Calmore’s third wicket pair Sam Moss (39) and Shaun Johnson (26) effectively made sure of that, but the hosts did lose five poles before the win was assured with five overs to spare.

Liam Doran shone with bat and ball as Sparsholt launched their Southern Premier Division 1 campaign with a comfortable six-wicket win over Andover at London Road.
He took 3-34 with his off-spin and later hit an unbeaten half-century as Sparsholt chased down Andover’s 195-8 with eight overs to spare.
The Lions lost their top three inside six balls and were firmly on the back foot from 22-3 (Tom Ley 2-27) onwards.
From there, it was always going to be an uphill battle for the Andover batsmen. Matt Knight (19) and Andrew Duckworth (20) rebuilt, both making positive starts, but that was to be the theme of the innings, with Andover’s middle order promising a lot but with no one going on to make that big score that they needed. 
Nathan Birks (17) and Max Souter (25) demonstrated their big hitting potential, taking the score to 120 before both falling in quick succession to leave the tail to wag. 
Skipper Matt Hooper (40*) took the game by the scruff of the neck and, with the support of Rowan Duckworth (24*), dragged the town side to a respectable total of 195-8 off their 40 overs, a total that didn’t seem possible after the poor start. 
The Sparsholt response started in electric fashion with Stuart Taylor (45) blazing anything loose to the boundary, clearing the ropes on four occasions with some lusty blows. Rowan Duckworth continued a good day for him by removing Taylor and Josh May, to get Andover back in the game. Pick of the Andover bowlers, Babu Veetill, also took two wickets to reduce Sparsholt to 145-4, but with plenty of time to spare, that was as good as it got for the hosts. 
An unbeaten 52 from Liam Doran, ably supported by Ashley Collinson (23*) and Lewis Mitchard, saw the visitors over the line, securing a comfortable 6 wicket win. 

Experienced New Milton all-rounder Lee Beck [pictured] starred with bat and ball as Sarisbury Athletic suffered a 70-run defeat in their opening Southern Premier Division 1 match at Allotment Road. 
Beck, who has been playing for New Milton since the 1990s, hit an unbeaten 81 and took five cheap wickets as Sarisbury tumbled to 174 all out and well adrift of their 244 target score.
With inclement weather about, New Milton were inserted but given a 64-run start by the flamboyant Toby Edwards (42) and Joe Hall (20).
South African import Harlan Greig hit 29 on debut before Beck, batting at four, struck seven fours and three sixes in a 74-ball unbeaten 81.
That innings helped propel New Milton to 263-6 off 40 overs - the second highest score across the four SPL divisions on opening day, which only Fair Oak, with 293-7 at Ventnor, bettered. 
All five Sarisbury bowlers were among the wickets but only Jordan Wright (2-46) bagged more than one.
Following rain, Sarisbury were set a revised target of 244 off 37 overs - a challenge quickly made more difficult when opener Ricky Rawlins (4) was trapped leg before.
Elliot Smith (37) and Jack Lovett (22) made starts before Josh Hill top scored with 59 off 44 balls with 10 fours and a six.
Sarisbury were well placed on 140-3 but the introduction of Beck - who in 2001 took 6-36 against US Portsmouth in a SPL fixture - as fourth change was the catalyst for a collapse.
Beck proceeded to take 5-20 off just four overs as Sarisbury were dismissed for 174 - losing their last seven wickets for 37 runs.   ​The News.

Eight Southern Premier League players are in the hat vying for the season's first 'Cricketer of the Week' award, promoted by www.vimpsatthecrease.com website.
The nominees are -

• ​Brad Currie (Bashley Rydal): 5-20 v South Wilts​
• Huw Wheeler (Hampshire Academy): 84 v Lymington
• Liam Doran (Sparsholt): 3-34 and 52* v Andover
• Lee Beck (New Milton): 81* and 5-20 v Sarisbury Athletic
• Angus Brown (Hartley Wintney): 4-34 and 101 v Paultons

Vikram Dawson (OTs & Romsey): 6-32 v Liphook & Ripsley
                               Gregor McKenzie (Fair Oak): 102 v Ventnor
                               Ed Berry (Tichborne Park): 76 and 5-20 v Trojans

The jury is out with the awards panel set to meet by zoom shortly.   Keep logged in to find out the winner !
[To clarify, this is not an official SPL award. First class cricketers, either home or abroad, are not eligible].

A 15-year-old Rowledge tailender produced a match-winning innings as Portsmouth lost a last-ball thriller in their Southern Premier League curtain-raiser.
They had looked on course for victory at Church Road, with the hosts still 100 short of their target when their sixth wicket fell at 119.
But schoolboy Olly Ryman - who was making his SPL Division 1 debut, having not even played a second team match - came in at eight to help rescue the situation.
He helped Jake Wish (83) to add 78 for the seventh wicket and along with 20-year-old Max Martin (10 not out) an unbroken 22 for the eighth wicket.
Rowledge required 82 off the last 10 overs and 56 off the last six. They started the last over - bowled by Hemanshu Herani - needing nine.  They only required one off the last three balls and, after two dots, scampered the winning run off the last delivery.
Ryman, who is taught maths by Rowledge skipper Ben Wish at Farnham’s Weydon School, finished unbeaten on 47 from 41 balls with six fours and a six as his side triumphed by three wickets.
Portsmouth were left to rue giving away 19 wides in a total of 33 extras.
Left-hander Wish had held the Rowledge top order together after opener (and Spurs fan) Ricky Yates and Odiham & Greywell teen Zak Le Roux had been dismissed without scoring.
Andrew Marston (2-33) and Herani (2-27) were Portsmouth’s chief wicket-takers on a scorecard where Rowledge youngster Ethan Martin was dismissed for handling the ball. 
Earlier, opener Jack Marston (53) and James Christian (39) had provided top order runs before Will Smitherman thumped four fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 56 off 46 balls.   ​The News.

Two run outs off consecutive balls in a frantic final over cost Lymington dear as the Hampshire Academy snatched a four-run victory from the snapping jaws of defeat on the Ageas Bowl Nursery Ground.
At 158-8, Lymington needed only five runs from Chris Wood’s last over to edge past the Academy’s adjusted 163-run total – but confusion reigned as both Ollie Elliott and Guy Layman were each run out, with South African Ximus Du Plooy stranded on 61 not out.
Comfortably placed at 61-2, Lymington sank to 85-6 after off-spinner Tom Prest (3-30) had cut through the top order.
But Du Plooy found two handy partners in flu-stricken Josh Proctor and South Wilts recruit James Wade, and at 153-7, it looked odds-on a Lymington victory … only for the wheels to fall off in Wood’s crucial final over.
Even without the unwell Matt Metcalfe, Lymington began the day on a positive note with Prest, Harry Broderick and Toby Albert back in the Arthur Holt pavilion before 15 runs were on the electronic scoreboard.
But Huw Wheeler [pictured](84) and Charlie Mumford (47) added 145 for the fourth wicket – Island-based spinner Dan Cox (4-36) dismissing both batsmen as the Academy moved to 217 all out – a total reduced by rain to a target of 163 for Lymington to chase off 30 overs. 
The day didn't end that well for Wheeler, who has been struggling with injury; he finished the evening in hospital after colliding with his batting partner (and wicketkeeper) Charlie Mumford in the field. Charlie Freeston was able to keep the Academy fielding as sharp as when he emerged from the sub's bench !
• Lymington’s former South African cricketer Gareth Schreuder struck a career-best 133 as Warminster scored a massive 363-4 at Calne (172-8) in the WEPL Wiltshire Division.

Hampshire’s Brad Taylor struck an undefeated century to guide St Cross Symondians to a one-wicket win off the penultimate ball of a nail biting ECB Southern Premier Division curtain raiser against Bournemouth at the Green Jackets Ground.
He hit 16 runs off Ollie Breckon’s final over to clinch a victory that appeared unlikely when St Cross dropped to 107-5 chasing down Bournemouth’s competitive 232-9.
Taylor, whose hundred contained nine four and a six, and Jack Bransgrove (38) steadily rebuilt the St Cross innings with a sixth wicket stand of 94, but when Jake Hurley (2-55) picked up a return catch to dismiss Bransgrove, the hosts wobbled.
What should have been a gentle stroll became a jittery stagger – 201-5 becoming 209-9 very quickly, courtesy of two run outs and stand-in skipper Simon Beetham holing out to Luke Matthews in the deep.
The pressure was effectively on Taylor to score 24 off 19 balls – and for last man Alex Woolvine to ensure the Hampshire man kept the strike and didn’t run himself out !
St Cross needed 13 to win off Breckon’s final over – Taylor striking 2,4,2 and another boundary to bring up his century and level the scores.
He drilled the penultimate ball of the match through the covers to win it for his new club.  

Earlier, opener Felix Organ made 39, with Adam Davies [above] taking smart stumpings to remove Harry Came (28) and Harry Foyle.  Dan Conway and Rob Pack each took two wickets.
Bournemouth’s total of 232-9 was a steady accumulation though after a sound start involving left-hander Sam Collins, Nick Park (33) and Luke Webb (29) their innings was at a potential crossroads at 114-4.
Luke Matthews (40) steadied the ship, while some lusty blows from Jake Hurley made 29 (six fours) and Robbie Pack, who launched three huge on-side sixes in making 26, they posted a competitive score.

Hook & Newnham Basics made a decent fist of it before conceding a three-wicket defeat to Havant on their rain affected ECB Southern Premier Division debut.
They appeared to have a decent first innings total in sight, but when rain interfered they lost momentum and had to be content with 240-9 – Havant knocking off a target score of 221 seven wickets down with 13 balls to spare.
Hook made an encouraging start on a heavily rolled Havant Park surface, with Sidcup recruit Sam Lockwood (36) catching the eye with several powerful square-cuts to the cover boundary before being bowled by the emerging Freddie Gadd (65-1).
Ben Thane (28), who missed what there was of the 2020 season with a torn Achilles, was the more circumspect of the pair, but at 99-2 holed out to a fine running catch in the deep by Simon Loat.
Emerging teenage left-hander Harry Robson [pictured above] followed up his unbeaten century in the pre-season friendly against Liphook & Ripsley with a mature and encouraging 70.
But his fourth-wicket partnership with Matt Love (32) was thwarted by rain - which twice caused the players to leave the field - just as Hook were looking to push on.
Robson was eventually caught off the left-arm spin of Havant skipper Chris Morgan (2-35) at 205-5.
Their innings interrupted, Hook lost some of their momentum and Havant took wickets on a regular basis, with Freddie Taw, Richard Hindley, Morgan and Freddie Gadd sharing eight of them.
Duckworth Lewis calculations (introduced into SPL cricket for the first time this summer) meant Havant required 221 to win from 42 overs - and they got off to a blistering start with Ben Walker to the fore.
The left-hander, who had six Premier Division championship winning medals in his cabinet and returned from 2019 title winners Bashley (Rydal) this season, dominated a 33-run start with Peter Hopson before the latter became Lewis Watts’s first Premier League victim.
May’s Bounty raised George Metzger (46), who makes an 80-mile round trip from his Basingstoke home to play in Havant home matches, joined Walker (59) and the pair matched each other shot for shot, running the Hook fielders ragged in a fine stand of 84.
Their partnership put Havant way ahead of the run rate before Hook fought back, breaking the third-wicket stand, and regularly taking wickets to leave the outcome in the balance at 157-5.
But Harry Gadd scored a significant 53, losing five separate partners before Havant got home with 13 balls and three wickets to spare.
Hook skipper Josh Buckingham reflected: “We have to learn fast at this level but were very happy with certain aspects of the performance at Havant."

South Wilts found Bashley (Rydal) left-armer Brad Currie too hot to handle as they crashed to 79 all out and a thumping nine-wicket defeat in their ECB Southern Premier Division opener at Bemerton.
Exploiting the damp conditions to the full, Currie whipped out openers Tom Morton and Jack Stearman before getting James Hayward first ball to have South Wilts rocking at 26-3.
He later came back for a second spell to remove top scorer Peter Rowe and Will Harries to finish with match defining figures of 5-20.
Only Raff Hussey (15) and Rowe (17) got into double figures as the South Wilts wickets tumbled and the side was bowled out in the 28th over.  Bashley, the defending Premier Division champions, cantered to victory.
Shell shocked South Wilts captain Ben Draper reflected: “Obviously, it was not an ideal start for us. Unfortunately, the batting which was our strength in the pre-season games did not go to plan, but credit to Brad (Currie), who bowled well and put us up against it early doors.
“We’ve definitely some things to work on before we play away to a much improved Bournemouth on Saturday.”
Discussing his five-wicket haul, Currie said: “I got my rewards from bowling in the right off-stump area and the first three wickets were all nicks behind.
“Harry Fisher took Tom (Morton) down the leg side. Stearman’s was a regulation edge, while Ports (Michael Porter) juggled with Hayward’s a bit at first slip before clinging on to it.”

​The rest of the South Wilts batting went under to Josh Digby (3-8) and Mitch Wilson (2-8).
​Bashley had 53 runs on the board before Arthur Godsal trapped Digby (39) leg before. It was to be South Wilts’ only success as Alex Turner (21 not out) and teenager Jacob Gordon completed the formalities.

Captain Ed Berry played bridegroom on Friday and was Tichborne Park’s best man against Trojans 24 hours later.
A day after marrying his long-time sweetheart Daisy, Ed starred with bat and ball as Tichborne opened their Southern Premier Division 3 campaign with a 38-run victory over Trojans.
With the wedding bells still ringing in his ears, Berry struck 76 in a match defining 141-run opening partnership with Ed Primmer (70) as Tichborne posted a heathy 213-4 off 40 overs.
Having tied the knot the previous day, Berry then tied the Trojans batting in knots with a 5-20 return with the ball.
Success wasn’t immediate, however, as Nigel le Bas (42) and Oli Kelly (40) took Trojans reply to 92-1 before spinner Berry, coming on as fourth change, ripped through the Stoneham top order, as the visitors slipped to 175-9 by stumps.

Skipper Hilio De Abreu heaped praise on opening bowler Oli Southon after the Fareham & Crofton raised paceman’s five-wicket haul pointed Burridge to a handsome 96-run win over Alton at the Jubilee Ground.
Southon took 5-35 as the Brewers collapsed from 106-2 to 155 all out after Burridge had posted a tidy 251-5.
“Oli bowled very well. He was in good rhythm and bowled with nice pace,” said De Abreu, who has replaced Rick Ankers as Burridge captain.
“In his opening (two wicket) spell he used his shape well, while mixing his lengths to good effect. His second spell was disciplined, where he finished the game off, with three more wickets.”
Southon had both Tom South and Ryan Hale (replacing Hampshire teen Fletcha Middleton) caught behind to leave Alton 26-2 before skipper Dan Harris (left below)(51) and Scott Myers, right (51) added 80 for the third wicket to put the Brewers firmly in the box seat.

​The departure of Harris unsettled Alton, who went on to lose their last six wickets for 20 runs, Dan Stancliffe and Brad Griffiths taking two each before Southon mopped up the tail to celebrate his second nap hand haul in Premier Division cricket.
Earlier, Burridge lost their first two wickets to Toby Salmon (3-28) before their two former Cape Town CC cricketers Matt Norris (53) – who has been playing for Newport in the South Wales Premier League – and De Abreu (33) lifted the total into treble figures.
Both left-hander Norris and Chris Blake, who finished 64 not out, batted steadily to ease Burridge towards their winning total.

​Hampshire Academy left-arm fast bowling prospect Josh Croom will be sidelined for possibly eight weeks after fracturing the third metatarsal in his right foot.
The 18-year old from Stratford-sub-Castle, near Salisbury, who enjoyed such a fantastic last winter in Australia at the Darren Lehmann Academy, taking over 30 wickets and breaking into First Grade cricket in Adelaide, has to wear a size 14 Moon boot for at least the next month.
Croom revealed that he had been in pain since playing for Hampshire Seconds against a combined Kent & Sussex XI at Canterbury last month.
He explained: “I can remember the last over of my spell I bowled a ball in which my right (front) foot went into a foot hole awkwardly.
“I felt in discomfort for the remainder of my bowling spell but adrenaline got me through the pain. I can remember being moved to a different fielding position and I was limping.
“Then I played for the Hampshire at South Wilts in a friendly and felt fine bowling with the adrenaline kicking in, but was in some discomfort in the field if I was to run after the ball.
“The next day I played for Wiltshire against Oxfordshire and again felt fine bowling with the adrenaline getting me through it - but the moment I started fielding I was in a serious amount of discomfort, so I went to A & E for an X-ray.
“Initially, they thought it was serious bruising, but a subsequent MRI scan diagnosed the fracture.”
The injury is an untimely blow for the 6’4” left-arm quick.
He added: “But I’m young and have plenty of time to fully recover. My body took a pounding in Australia, so may be the rest will do me good ?”

ECB SOUTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE
RESULTS – ROUND 1 [May 1]

ECB PREMIER DIVISION [50 overs]

Burridge 251-5 (Blake 64*, Norris 53, De Abreu 33, Salmon 3-28) Alton 155 (Harris 51, Myers 51, Southon 5-35). Burridge won by 96 runs.

Hampshire Academy 217 (Wheeler 84, Mumford 57, Cox 4-36) Lymington 159 (target score 163 - 30 overs)(Du Plooy 61*, Prest 3-30). Hampshire Academy won by four runs.

Hook & Newnham Basics 240-9 (Robson 75, Thane 36, Love 32) Havant 221-7 (target score 221 – 42 overs)(Walker 59, H Gadd 53*, Metzger 46). Havant won by three wickets.

South Wilts 79 (B Currie 5-20, Digby 3-8) Bashley (Rydal) 75-1 (target score 74 – 43 overs)(Digby 39*, A Turner 21*). Bashley (Rydal) won by nine wickets.

Bournemouth 232-9 (Matthews 40, N Park 33, Webb 29, Hurley 29) St Cross Symondians 233-9 (Taylor 105*, Organ 39, Bransgrove 38). St Cross Symondians won by one wicket.

DIVISION 1 [40 overs]

Andover 195-8 (M Hooper 40*, Souter 25, R Duckworth 24*, L Doran 3-34) Sparsholt 196-4 (L Doran 52*, Taylor 44). Sparsholt won by six wickets.

St Cross Symondians II 121-9 (Connor 24, Swann 22, Lavelle 3-10) Calmore Sports 122-5 (Moss 39*, Johnson 26). Calmore Sports won by five wickets.

Portsmouth 218-6 (Smitherman 56*, J Marston 53, Christian 39, Baker 3-25) Rowledge 219-7 (J Wish 83, O Ryman 47*). Rowledge won by three wickets.

New Milton 263-6 (L Beck 81*, Edwards 42, Greig 29, F Hussey 28) Sarisbury Athletic 174 (target score 244 – 37 overs)(J Hill 59, Smith 37, L Beck 5-20). New Milton won by 70 runs.

Totton & Eling 209-8 (Cheater 41*, E Taylor 36, Bracey 30, Thankachan 3-17) Basingstoke & North Hants 174 (A Neal 44, Oates 35, B Neal 26, E Taylor 4-30). Totton & Eling won by 35 runs.

DIVISION 2 (40 overs)

Bashley (Rydal) II 204-8 (Francis 54, P Morris 42) v South Wilts II. Match abandoned, rain.

Waterlooville 217-8 (Birch 54, McBride 42, Silva 31) Fawley 99-7 (target score 145 – 22 overs)(Edwards 30). Waterlooville won by 46 runs.

Paultons 192-7 (Pike 60, Grierson 44, Brown 4-34) Hartley Wintney 196-7 (Brown 101, Cockram 28*, Denney 4-35). Hartley Wintney won by three wickets.

Liphook & Ripsley 83 (Covey 24, Hall 22*, Dawson 6-32) OTs & Romsey 86-7 (Chapungu 39, Janczur 3-33) OTs & Romsey won by three wickets.

Fair Oak 293-7 (McKenzie 102, Hockenhull 51, Gwynn 35, C Calloway 3-64) Ventnor 107 (target score 210 - 24 overs) (Blackman 36m Lloyd 34). Fair Oak won by 93 runs.

DIVISION 3 (40 overs)

Hythe & Dibden 249-4 (Gates 86, Young 61, Richards 36, Millar 36) Basingstoke & North Hants II 250-6 (Josh Coombs 81, Benge 48, Dyer 32, Cal Coombs 30, McKay 3-35). Basingstoke & North Hants II won by four wickets.

Hook & Newnham Basics II 183 (B Allnutt 51, Light 44, Harris 3-19, O Creal 3-30, Taylor 3-41) Gosport Borough 129 (Harrop 41, Brewer 5-16, Warner 3-21) Hook & Newnham Basics won by 54 runs.

Langley Manor 58-4 (Browne 24*) v Purbrook. Match abandoned, rain.

Tichborne Park 213-4 (Berry 76, Primmer 70) Trojans 175-9 (Le Bas 42, Kelly 40, Berry 5-20). Tichborne Park won by 38 runs.

Match postponed: Portsmouth & Southsea v Hambledon.