Here's a face you didn't expect to see playing cricket locally .... 

Sparsholt maintained their winning start in Southern Premier Division 3 by chasing down Fareham & Crofton's 262-3 at Bath Lane to record a four-wicket victory.
Aussie Joe Merlino (72) and Tom Berzins (54) paved the way with an opening stand of 111, which provided the platform for Callum Doran to smack a quick-fire 55 and ease Sparsholt home with an over to spare.
Earlier, Jez Bulled (92*) came within eight runs of a century, sharing a hefty stand with Craig Jeffery (70) .  Teen left hander Robbie Brightwell (41) caught the eye, as did young inswing bowler Toby Rayner. 
Callum's brother Liam was also in the runs, scoring 77 as Odiham & Greywell nicked a one-wicket win off the first ball of the final over against Hursley Park, who posted 253-6 at King Street, mainly on the back of half-centuries by Paul Davies and Will Flynn and Oli Green's 41 not out.
Doran hit four maximums and six fours and was supported in the run chase by Aussie Gary Sharp (43), Scott McGaughrin (28) and Darren Turner (31). 
Tom Saunders produced a timely spell of 5-26 to thwart Alton IIs bid for victory over Parley at The Jubilee, where Oli Green, with a well timed 58, strengthened the visitors' middle-order.  Alex Nippard and Kieron Laird each made 44 as Parley totalled 236.  Alton progressed to 102-2 (Mike Heffernan 33) and were odds-on later at 201-5 when Matt Crane (31) fell to Saunders.  The last four Alton wickets fell for 18 runs and the side to 219 all out.

Harry Warner’s century ensured Gosport Borough’s losing start to the new Southern Premier League season continued.
The Hook & Newnham Basics IIs opener thumped 145 as his side rattled up 297-4 in a Division 3 fixture at the KGV
That probably wasn’t what Boro skipper Craig Stares had been imagining when he won the toss and chose to field!
Warner struck 21 boundaries in his career best score before he was run out.  
By then, though, the damage had already been done – Warner sharing a 93-run opening stand with Jaiden Hall (22) and a 147-run second wicket partnership with James Watterson (75*). 
Boro dipped to 73-4 in reply, before Max Martin took the fight back to Hook with a 74-ball 75.
Jack Richards (27) and Stares (26) also provided lower order runs, but both of them – along with Martin – fell to man of the match Warner.
Introduced into the attack as his side’s sixth and final bowler, Warner ended with 3-40 off 8.1 overs as Boro' were bowled out for 241 to lose by 56 runs.

Ben Johns, with a second consecutive unbeaten century, and Aussie Liam O'Connor starred as Calmore Sports beat New Milton by six wickets at Loperwood Park to chalk up back-to-back Southern Premier Division 2wins.
Johns is on fire, having made a pre-season century against Hythe & Dibden and followed it up with 126 not out at Hartley Wintney and now 115 off the Milton attack.  O'Connor, back for a second Calmore season from Casey South Melbourne, took 7-48 before scoring a handy 41.
Minus South African Thaakier Davids (twisted ankle), New Milton got off to a flier and were 70-0 courtesy of James Adams (68) and Oli Shrubsole (31). But then Calmore turned to their very effective spin.
New Milton skipper Ed Bartlett said: “The runs dried up, and we struggled to rotate strike for a period. When they came off, we looked to rebuild the momentum, and a few batters managed to get going again, particularly Ed Denham with a quickfire 37, but we kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
“We eventually posted 243 from our 50 overs, a total we felt was competitive, but probably 20 or 30 short of what we were aiming for given our start."
O'Connor, who took 35 wickets for Calmore in 2023, certainly made his presence felt, taking the last seven wickets to finish with his best figures on UK soil.
New Milton made a promising start with the ball by taking two early wickets – Will Brewster (0) and Matt Taylor (5) – to leave them at 0-1 and then 19-2, putting Calmore under some pressure.
But Ben Johns batted superbly for the second week running, notching up back-to-back hundreds and anchoring their chase. He played with great composure and allowed the rest of their batting lineup to play around him while registering a scorching 115 runs.
“Despite our best efforts in the field”, said Bartlett. “They reached the target with six wickets in hand and just under three overs to spar, Johns hitting a six and 15 fours.
He shared important partnerships with Rahim Mangle (41) and later O'Connor, also 41. ​Lymington Times

​Sway skipper Dave Steadman was named round 2 Cricketer of the Week after his stunning individual performance swept the New Forest club to a 66-run win over promoted Trojans at Stoneham Lane.
With Sway reeling at 63-6 against the pace and guile of the promising Tim Felstead (4-42), Steadman hit an innings calming 58 and with Tom Richards (36), the scurrying Tom Burton (33) and John Walter (26) in support, raised the Sway total to 247.
Leading the attack after a full of wholesome Trojans tea, Steadman’s fiery spell of 5-30 was simply devastating, castling Nigel Le bas with first ball of the Trojans’ reply and taking four more successive scalps: the hosts 22-5. 
Full marks nevertheless go to Rahul Bhome’s defiant and often free scoring 73*. However, having lost partner Tom Boyd (46) lbw Tom Richards 2-36, Bhome was left short of effective partners, the Trojans eventually dismissed for 181 in the 49th over.

​Jack Davies was one big hit away from a century as Portsmouth & Southsea defeated Southern Premier Division 2 newcomers Fawley.
Batting at No 4, he struck 12 fours and a six before being dismissed for 94 off the 101st ball he faced. It was Davies’ highest SPL innings since blitzing 133 against Basingstoke & North Hants II in August 2022, and allowed P & S to post 287-6.
Davies shared a 130-run fourth wicket stand with keeper Alex Davidson, who with seven fours in his 52-ball 51 actually scored at a quicker rate than his partner.  No-one was quicker than No 6 Tom Benfield, though, who smacked four fours and three sixes in racing to 40 off just 22 deliveries.
Bailey Parratt (62) and opener Mohammad Saif-Ul Islam (41) top scored as Fawley were restricted to 225-9. Fawley were going well on 176-4 when P & S skipper Ben Saunders had Parratt caught by Tom Benfield.  The hosts then lost skipper Callum Earl (28), run out by Benfield to put P & S firmly in the driving seat.
George Blest hit an unbeaten half-century to snatch a dramatic last ball one-wicket win for Hartley Wintney over Andover - the hosts being dismissed for 186 with 22 overs unused !
No Andover batsman seemed to have any stickability with all looking to attack and play their shots.  Brandon Smith top-scored with 33 for the town side and there were a pair of 29s for Nathan Birks and former Ventnor ace Rob Snell on debut.
The only other batter to get past 20 was skipper John Nyumbu (21), but none were able to convert their start into a match-defining contribution.  With such a low total on the board, Andover knew they had to bowl well. 
Hartley started brightly with all top five batsmen making starts, but Andover fought hard with Nyumbu, the former Zimbabwe spinner, bowling superbly to record figures of 3-12 from his ten overs.  He was ably supported by opening pair Mike Adams (3-44), Babu Veettil and Nathan Birks. 
Blest was still there when it came down to the last over with Hartley needing seven to win and when the first ball of Matt Hooper went for four the writing looked on the wall.  Hartley then needed two from four balls and one off the last ball. Hartley tailender Wajid Ali did his job. 
Liphook & Ripsley are last in the log after successive defeats - even the return of Pompey fan Ryan Covey at Langley Manor was unable to turn their fortunes.
Fratton end bugle and drum stored away for the summer, Covey duly made 51 and alongside Kyle Nelson-Esch (41) and Sean Burton (38*) eased Liphook to 198-8, left-arm spinner Toby Green and Simon Peters sharing six of the scalps.
Promoted to open, little Tommy Spencer (44) produced a muscular knock and with Nick Dobell (44) making handy runs, the Manor were twice in  promising positions. Two untimely wobbles left Langley 135-7 and with plenty to do. Green and Peters combined again with an unbroken 64-run stand and the Manor got home. 

Fair Oak claimed their maiden Southern Premier League Division 1 victory, celebrating their success on the newly laid square at Lapstone Park, where they beat Totton & Eling by one wicket off the last ball, courtesy of Rhys Oxley and James Gradwell.
Gradwell and Ben Smith had given Oaks the ideal start, sending both Totton openers back to the pavilion for ducks.  The visitors recovered steadily, but none of their batsmen could go on to the major contribution they needed.  The next seven batters all scored 15 or more, but Fair Oak kept chipping away.  Smith took 2-27 and Oxley 2-21, while Billy Lightfoot (45) and Josh May (28*) responded to boost their side from 103-7 to a competitive 183-9.
Oaks, in turn ,started uncertainly, and were in trouble at 21-3 with all three wickets falling to Matthew Simms (3-26).  Sam Reed (20), Monty McKenzie (36) and Tom Clark (41) then made important runs before Brighton Mugochi (3-35) swung the match back in the visitors’ favour.
When Smith was caught by Jimmy Taylor off Lightfoot from the last ball of the penultimate over, Totton were definitely favourites.  But Oxley relieved some of the pressure by smiting the first ball of Kegan Holzmann’s final over for six over mid-wicket.  With three balls gone Oaks still needed five, but Gradwell crafted two 2s and a single from the final ball of the match to send his team-mates into dreamland. 

​Richard Logan possibly thought he had played for the last time when he helped Berkshire to one of their numerous NCCA Knockout Cup successes back in 2013 but, now living locally in Park Gate on the outskirts of Fareham, he's back playing regularly again with Southern Premier Division 1 leaders Sarisbury Athletic.
A former pro with Northants and Hampshire, Logan is the NCCA's Operations Director. His son's involvement in Sarisbury's ever expanding youth set-up persuaded the former county seamer to dust off his kit and start playing again.
He has played in both of Sarisbury's wins, removing both Waterlooville openers at Allotment Road before former South Wilts off-spinner Rob Franklin took 4-22 to dismiss the visitors for 147.  Unbeaten knocks by Ricky Rawlins (43) and Nathan Feltham (36) swept Sarisbury to an eight-wicket win, Village Cup centurion Tom Morton having made 36.

​Opener Max Martin and evergreen spin all-rounder David Lloyd starred as Rowledge pulled off a 40-run win over Southern Premier Division 1 rivals Ventnor, which had beaten Waterloovill a week earlier.
Max Martin (88) batted superbly in the Steephill bowl, initially sharing a stand of 90 with sibling brother Ethan (47) and then a century-plus with Lloyd (65), who has turned back the clock with the willow. Batting positively, he created the platform for a sizeable 261-5 before a final flourish from Ollie Ryman (16) and Ollie Baker (14*). 
Sri Lankan left-hander Dineth Thimdoya (42) and Ben Woodhouse (22) started Ventnor reply with a quick fire stand of 72 and things looked good for the hosts. However, the cunning Lloyd took both their wickets in an over and forced Ventnor on the back foot.
Dan Cox (42), who had earlier taken 3-42, and Josh Carpenter (43) successfully put Ventnor in a strong position and at 159-2 hey were well placed with overs to spare. But scrapping for wins is Rowledge's strong point and a superb fielding performance and tight bowling created the pressure and once again the two batsmen fell quickly together and from there on no Ventnor batsman could go on to change the game.
The bowling figures for Rowledge of Ollie Baker 3-38, Dave Lloyd 2-30, Ollie Ryman 2-36 and Max Martin 2-37 showed the intensity of the fielding and tightness of the bowling which squeezed the run rate of the Ventnor innings. An excellent performance from the mainland side with so many positives to take from the game.

There was high drama at Havant, where skipper Chris Morgan played the key role in a thrilling five-wicket win over Old Tauntonians & Romsey, achieved off the last ball courtesy of a dropped catch ! 
He made his highest SPL score as Havant collected back-to-back wins, having won their curtain raiser at Rowledge on May 3.
Having first captained the club in 2021, the spin all-rounder has taken on the role for a second time following the club’s shock relegation from the top flight. He is Havant’s third skipper in as many years, following in the footsteps of Bashley (Rydal) all-rounder Ben Walker and Peter Hopson.
More noted for his bowling – 386 league wickets since his Hampshire League debut for the club’s 2nds in 2023 – Morgan is also no mug with the bat, though he has arguably batted lower in the order than he might have done in recent seasons.
Asked to chase 231-9, Havant got home off the last ball – Warren Turner taking the match-winning single off the bowling of Rhys Wathan, who saw a catch spilled at mid-on.
Morgan had been dismissed off the fourth ball of the penultimate over for 85, having shared two crucial partnerships. First, he put on 81 for the fourth wicket with opener Harrison Barnard (53) and then 84 for the fifth wicket with the evergreen Richard Hindley.  Morgan hit nine fours in his 92-ball innings before he was caught and bowled by Harry Tulk, having beaten his previous best league score – made against the Hampshire Academy in 2020 – by one run.
Hindley – who last month celebrated his 50th birthday – was still there at the finish, unbeaten on 43.
Having won the toss, OTs were going well on 178-3 with 12 overs remaining – Charlie King and Hampshire’s T20 specialist Chris Wood having shared an unbroken 77-run stand.  But King departed for 79, leg before to Morgan, before Wood (43) was bowled by Turner (3-43). Oliver Jones, who didn’t bowl at all in league cricket last year, then ran through the OTs tail, bagging 4-21 as the last six wickets fell for 36 runs.

​Charlie Neville continued his rich early season form with the bat by scoring 71 for Hook & Newnham Basics, the embryo Southern Premier Division 1 leaders, who beat promoted Hambledon by 49 runs at Ridge Meadow.
Neville, who has been promoted to open the batting, made an unbeaten 60 in the previous week's win over Fair Oak.
He top scored as Hook posted 200 before Cam Hall took 4-32 as Hambledon, going nicely at one stage through Justin Behrens (52) and Chris Pratt (47), lost their last six wickets for 14 runs and were all out for 151.

​Hampshire's Academy side suffered its first loss since being crowned 2024 ECB Southern Premier League champions when Bashley (Rydal), tipped as one of their title pretenders, beat them by 37 runs in a Nursery Ground batting fest.  
The game produced 547 runs, with Bashley defending 292-5.
A century second-wicket stand between Ethan Baker (71) and Jack Stearman (65) set an ideal platform for Jacob Gordon [pictured] to hit an undefeated 98 (two sixes and ten fours) and so effectively bat the county youngsters out of the game. 
The Academy lost opener Sam Ashman cheaply, but Finn Gordon (64) and Joe Eckland (68) shared a 138-run stand, but timely breakthroughs by Dan Goodey (3-49) and Jacob Stevenson (2-40), who also grabbed a run-out, were invaluable.
Eddie Jack (28) kept he Academy in the hunt and was the tenth wicket to fall with his side 37 runs adrift. 

Inayat Ullah and young Australian Toby Snell hit half-centuries as Burridge celebrated a seven-wicket win after bowling visitors Alton out for 197 at Botley Road.
Ullah, a key player in the club's 2023 Premier Division title win, made an unbeaten 53, with the Queenslander Snell scoring 54.  
Alton began confidently through Dan Harris (46) and Abhay Gonella (33) but Jude Wright (26) apart the middle-order didn't fire.  Tom South (29) and Mark Heffernan (20) rallied before Dan Stancliffe (4-39) produced another fine return.  
​Azim Chowdhury (45) enjoyed a matchg deciding stand with Snell, pictured left.  Photo Howard Gadsby.

South Wilts have been left propping up the ECB Southern Premier League table after suffering a four-wicket defeat by Portsmouth - their second consecutive loss in front of their own Bemerton followers.
Beaten by the Hampshire Academy in their St Helen's curtain raiser, Portsmouth were carried home by left-hand opener Ben Duggan, who made 81.
South Wilts began confidently enough with a half-century start between Matt Falconer (31) and James Degg (25) but fell away to 109-5, teenage left-arm spinner Charlie Collins (4-52) and Rak Rao (3-32) making inroads.

​Left-hander Archie Fairfax-Ross seized the initiative and fought back for South Wilts, hitting seven fours and a sikx in a fine 61 which, with support from ex-Fawley cricketer Trishwan Francis (37), saw the Salisbury club to 227.
Duggan [below] really got his head down, losing several partners as Portsmouth closed in on a first Premier win. He struck only five boundaries, but with Dan Wimble (31) and Joe Kooner-Evans (29 not out) in support, the formalities were completed with  an over to spare.

Ed Ellis and Kamran Dhariwal each hit unbeaten centuries but St Cross Symondians suffered losses in both the ECB Southern Premier League and National Club Championship.
Ellis hit 102 not out in the three-wicket SPL defeat by Basingstoke & North Hants at May’s Bounty, while Dhariwal made an unbeaten 114 before Bristol pulled off a thrilling one-wicket cup win at the Green Jackets.
It was only the second time Ellis had scored a Premier League century, his previous triple figure score coming on his 21st birthday in his days at Lymington.
Ironically, the 102 he made against Basingstoke coincided with his 30th birthday celebrations !
St Cross weren’t best placed at May’s Bounty, but Ellis and Dom Kelly (60) rebuilt the innings and, with the aid of Rory Acheson-Gray (28), eased the visitors to 243-8.
Ellis struck two sixes and 13 fours in his maiden Symondians century.
Basingstoke responded purposefully through George Metzger (41), Abid (32) and teenage Kiwi Ethan O'Donaghue (30) but at 157-6 and after a three-wicket spell by Callum Willock (3-42), the game was in the balance.
But Basingstoke found a match winner in Dean Nurse (54), whose unbeaten half-century, supported by Joe Oates and Matt Donaldson, secured a three-wicket win with an over to spare.

​St Cross Symondians were reflected on what might have been after losing to WEPL side Bristol in the ECB national club championship.
Dhariwal’s 114, which contained a six and 13 fours, underpinned a St Cross total of 258-4 (Charlie Gwynn 43) against Bristol, who were second favourites at 87-5.
But a sparkling century stand between Jake Carstens (78) and Josh Dinan (43) turned the tide and took Bristol past 200.
As St Cross continued to make inroads, the Bristol total gradually grew and in the end the visitors reached 259-9 courtesy of a wide off the fourth ball of the final over.  Former South Wilts cricketer Miles Kantolinna hit 25 not out.  

​Teenager Connor Smith, Dorset’s seven-wicket bowling hero against Wiltshire in the NCCA  Trophy at Wimborne on Sunday, has celebrated two career-best performances in consecutive days.
His match winning 7-24 return against Wiltshire was a personal best with the ball, as was his battling 75 runs in Bournemouth’s eventual three-wicket defeat by embryo ECB Southern Premier League leaders Lymington.
Smith, who has been developing his all-round game in Melbourne’s sub-district cricket arena during the past two winters, arrived at the Sports Ground crease with Bournemouth reeling at 49-7, Gareth Berg, Australian Ed Withington and Alvin Cameron having exploited favourable swing conditions with a brace of scalps each.
Bournemouth, who thrashed Basingstoke & North Hants by nine wickets in their opening match, were in grave danger of being skittled for a meagre total.
But Smith, with a thoroughly responsible knock of 75 which contained nine fours and a six, and Cole Rushforth (38) added 100 for the eighth wicket to point Bournemouth in the direction of 185 all out.

​Simon Woodruff (3-38) struck three times, including the wicket of Moham Abbas (40),  but Berg (38), who has injected positivity into the Lymington ranks, and Ryan Scott (27) consolidated the hosts position.
Two more blows by Smith (2-41) left the door ajar for Bournemouth, but with seven wickets down Withington hit a timely 21 not out to secure Lymington a second victory which puts them top of the log.

​ECB CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP 

Bashley (Rydal) 125 (Wilson 47) Bishopston 126-5 (Jungbauer 41, O’Brien 30*). Bishopstone won by five wickets.

OTs & Romsey 237-9 (George 46*, Newman 45, Vaughan 42) Potterne 238-3 (Afridi 110*, Burgess 55*, Akram 30). Potterne won by seven wickets.

St Cross Symondians 258-4 (K Dharilwal 114*, Gwynn 43) Bristol 259-9 (Carstairs 78, Dinan 43, Kantolinna 25*, Gwynn 3-57). 
Bristol won by one wicket.

VILLAGE CUP

Bramshaw 192(Arnold 91, Dickety 4-32) Easton & Martyr Worthy 194-3 (Boulton 108). Easton & Martyr Worthy won by seven wickets.

Sarisbury Athletic 265-5 (Morton 102, Pascoe 59, Orr 38) Calmore Sports 206-9 (Butcher 50, Greasley 34, Taylor 30). Sarisbury Athletic won by 59 runs.

Sparsholt 252-6 (Berzins 85, Robbins 46) Cadnam 206-9 (Causer 38). Sparsholt won by 46 runs.

ECB SOUTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE

RESULTS –ROUND 2 - 10 MAY 2025

ECB PREMIER DIVISION

Alton 197 (Harris 46, Gonella 33, South 29, Wright 26, Stancliffe 4-39) Burridge 201-3 (Snell 54, Ullah 53*, Chowdhury 45).  Burridge won by seven wickets.

Bashley (Rydal) 292-5 (J Gordon 98*, Baker 71, Stearman 65) Hampshire Academy 255 (Eckland 68, F Gordon 64, MacEwan 29, Jack 28, Goodey 3-49). Bashley (Rydal) won by 37 runs

Bournemouth 185 (Smith 79, Rushforth 38) Lymington 188-7 (M Abbas 40, Berg 38, Woodruff 3-38). Lymington won by three wickets.

South Wilts 227 (Fairfax-Ross 61, Francis 37, Falconer 31, Degg 25, Collins 4-32, Rao 3-32) Portsmouth 228-6 (Duggan 81, Wimble 31, Kooner-Evans 29*). Portsmouth won by four wickets.

St Cross Symondians 243-8 (Ellis 102*, Kelly 60, Neal 3-41) Basingstoke & North Hants 244-7 (Nurse 54*, Metzger 41, Abid 32, O’Donaghue 30, Willock 3-42). Basingstoke & North Hants won by three wickets.

DIVISION 1

Hook & Newnham Basics 200 (Neville 71, Behrens 3-46) Hambledon 151 (Behrens 52, Pratt 47, Hall 4-43). Hook & Newnham Basics won by 49 runs.

Old Tauntonians & Romsey 231-9 (King 79, Wood 43, Jones 4-21, Turner 3-49) Havant 232-5 (Morgan 85, Barnard 53, Hindley 43*). Havant won by five wickets.

Rowledge 261-5 (M Martin 88, Lloyd 65, E Martin 47, Cox 3-48) Ventnor 221 (Carpenter 43, Cox 42, Thimodya 42, Baker 3-38). Rowledge won by 40 runs.

Totton & Eling 183-9 (Lightfoot 45, May 28) Fair Oak 184-9 (Clark 41, M McKenzie 36, Simms 3-26, Mugochi 3-35). FairOak won by one wicket.

Waterlooville 147 (Anderson 28, Hudson 23, Frankland 4-22) Sarisbury Athletic 151-2 (Rawlins 43*, Feltham 36*, Morton 36). Sarisbury Athletic won by eight wickets.

DIVISION 2

​Andover 186 (Smith 33, Snell 29, Birks 29, Barnard 3-42, Williams 3-48) Hartley Wintney 189-9 (Blest 54, Nyumbu 3-12, Adams 3-44 ). Hartley Wintney won by one wicket.

New Milton 243 (Adams 63, Shrubsole 31, Griffiths 31, Parsons 29, Bartlett 28, O’Connor 7-48) Calmore Sports 244-4 (Johns 115*, Mangal 41, O’Connor 41). Calmore Sports won by six wickets.
​
Portsmouth & Southsea 287-6 (Davies 94, Davidson 41, T Benfield 40, Rockett 30, Singh 3-39) Fawley 225-9 (B Parratt 62, Islam 41, Stanley 3-43). Portsmouth & Southsea won by 61 runs.

Liphook & Ripsley 198-8 (Covey 51, Nelson-Esch 41, Burton 38*) Langley Manor 199-7 (Spencer 44, Dobell 44, Peters 24*, Neave 3-65). Langley Manor won by three wickets.

Sway 247 (Steadman 58, Richards 36, Burton 33, Walter 26, Felstead 4-42) Trojans 181 (Bhome 73*, Boyd 40, Steadman 5-30). Sway won by 66 runs.

DIVISION 3

Fareham & Crofton 262-3 (Bulled 92*, Jeffery 70, R Barnwell 41, Kent 28, Fuller 3-62) Sparsholt 265-6 (Merlino 72, Doran 55*, Berzins 54). Sparsholt won by four wickets.

Hook & Newnham Basics II 297-4 (Warner 145, Watteson 75) Gosport Borough 241 (Martin 75, Chapman 50, Dovey 3-45). Hook & Newnham Basics II won by 56 runs.

Hursley Park 23-6 (Davies 58, Flynn 52, Green 41*) Odiham & Greywell 255-9 (L Doran 77, Sharp 43, Turner 31). Odiham & Greywell won by one wicket.

Parley 236 (Green 58, Nippard 44, Laird 44, Appovo 3-35) Alton II 219 (Heffernan 33, Crane 31, Savage 5-62). Parley won by 17 runs.
​
St Cross Symondians II 253-6 (Harden 113, Laney 64, Swann 30) Paultons 198 (Pike 58, Drake 45, Trussler 3-21, Laney 3-45). St Cross Symondians II won by 55 runs.

​Top order pair Sam Ashman [left] and Ben Mayes are expected to return for the Hampshire Academy against Bashley (Rydal) on the Utilita Bowl Nursery Ground (1230), with the New Forest visitors sending out an SOS for evergreen gloveman Dan Friedman to keep wicket.
Joe Oates is back for Basingstoke & North Hants against St Cross Symondians while opener Dan Harris is named for Alton at Burridge.  Lymington and Bournemouth, who both began with wins, meet at the town Sports Ground, while Portsmouth go to South Wilts.
Stu Ransley, Pete Hopson and fractured fingered Aussie Kieran Abrams all miss Havant's home SPL1 game with OTs & Romsey, who are in ECB Cup action at Potterne tomorrow.  Hugh Bernard plays for Sway at Trojans, with award winning Tom Kent returning for Fareham & Crofton against Sparsholt, an SPL3 match sponsored by www.vimpsatthecrease.com.  Max Southgate, match winner against Odiham & Greywell last week, is absent.

Odiham & Greywell won the Hampshire League at a canter last season and, with hosts Sparsholt 61-5, they looked set to begin life in Division 3 on a triumphant note.
But it didn't quite turn out like that as debutant Max Southgate (85), a Portsmouth University student, and Fred Gurney (68) shared a 141-run stand to point Sparsholt to a winning 221. Odiham collapsed from 156-5 to 182 all out, Southgate taking three wickets and Callum Doran four.
Sparsholt 221 (Southgate 81, Gurney 69, Duckworth 4-45, Hawk 3-29) Odiham & Greywell 182 (Hawk 43, Sharp 34, L Doran 29, Collins 29, C Doran 4-35, Robbins 3-58). Sparsholt won by 39 runs.
Alton seconds, promoted alongside Odiham, trimmed Hursley Park by 101 runs, teenage opener Ethan Van Der Linde and Joe Paul each making 73.  Alton's 232-9 was far too many.
Alton II 232-9 (Van der Linde 73, Paul 73, Bishop 3-31, Green 3-36) Hursley Park 131 (Khurana 26, Bishop 25*, Prendergast 25, W Bridger 3-22, Tank 3-36).  Alton II won by 101 runs.

​Cape Town spin all-rounder Craig Jeffery hit a maiden 107 as Fareham & Crofton's 286-7 proved beyond reach of neighbours Gosport Borough.  Teen left-hander Robbie Barnwell got a maiden 54.
Fareham & Crofton 286-7 (Jeffery 107, R Barnwell 54) Gosport Borough 227-7 (Adams 59, Creal 45, B Barnwell 3-32). Fareham & Crofton won by 59 runs.
Sam Collins top scored with 73 as Parley's 219-8 proved beyond visiting St Cross Symondians II
Parley 219-8 (Collins 73, Savage 35, Huns 29, Powell 28*, Orchard 4-16) St Cross Symondians II 162 (Laney 51, Howarth 25, Huns 5-7, Green 3-31). Parley won by 57 runs. 
Hook & Newnham Basics II eased to a 49-run win at Paultons.
Hook & Newnham Basics II 156 (T May 48, Warner 31, L Longland 3-36, Dawes 3-23). Paultons 107 (P Longland 22, Hall 3-28, O May 3-37). Hook & Newnham Basics II won by 49 runs.

Chasing a massive 345-2 in 45 overs probably wasn't what Andy Steggall had in mind when he invited Sussex to bat in the Hampshire Seniors' opening National Sixties Championship match at Sparsholt.
Gordon Morgan (174) and Martyn Ford (128) filled their boots as 41 fours and three sixes were struck in a batting bonanza. 
Geoff Beale, with 105, responded in Hampshire's 244-5 reply, Alan Whitman (62) and Keith Harsham (42) gave support, Hampshire cutting the margin of defeat to 101 runs in a match which yielded one shy of 600 runs for the loss of only five wickets.   Not a bad track : no wonder Sparsholt won the 2024 Southern Premier Ground of the Year award in 2024 !
Next up for the Sixties is Middlesex at Southgate on Tuesday.

Andover all-rounder Babu Veetil sent Portsmouth & Southsea reeling with a devastating batting and bowling display to get the Lions' Southern Premier Division 2 challenge up and running at St James's Park.
He savaged four sixes and six fours in a breezy 66 before joining left-armer Matt Jansen (3-17) in a five-wicket spell which left P & S 46-8. Tailender Tom Wheeler's late lifted the hosts to 117 all out but a crushing 92-run defeat.
Andover 209 (Veetil 66, Hooper 42, Goddard 3-37) Portsmouth & Southsea 117 (Wheeler 50, Veetil 5-19, Jansen 3-17). Andover won by 92 runs.
Ben Johns launched another run getting season with an unbeaten 126 which enabled Calmore Sports to cruise past Hartley Wintney's 245, of the returning Ben Williams made 107.
Hartley Wintney 245 (Williams 107, Munt 34, Rasheed 3-39) Calmore Sports 246-3 (Johns 126*, Brewster 34, Taylor 31). Calmore Sports won by seven wickets.

South African Thaakier Davids [pictured] cracked an unbeaten 198 as New Milton went on a 322-run spree against visiting Liphook & Ripsley at Fernhill.  He hit 29 fours and five sixes, dominating a 188-run stand with Josh Parsons. 
New Milton 322-5 (Davids 198*, Parsons 75, Neave 3-58) Liphook & Ripsley 176-8 (Neave 55*, Nicklin 45, Denham 3-19). New Milton won by 146 runs. 
Sway's bright start continued with a 73-run win at promoted Fawley, where Thor Harradine and Alex Hall both hit fifties.  Bailey Parratt got 51 for Fawley.
Sway 278-7 (Harradine 64, Hall 54, Crossley 32, Young 31) Fawley 205 (B Parratt 51, K Earl 37, Singh 30, C Earl 28, Thomas 3-23, Grasham 3-36). Sway won by 73 runs. 
Trojans, surprise SPL3 winners in 2024, made 289 at Knellers Lane, but it wasn't enough to prevent Conor Browne (114) and Sean Ervine (74) from sweeping Langley Manor to a seven-wicket win. 
Trojans 289 (Khan 91, Perrara 89, Khaneja 37, Ponting 4-49) Langley Manor 292-3 (Browne 114, Ervine 74, Budd 50). Langley Manor won by seven wickets.

Stu Ransley and Pete Hopson used their experince to nurse Havant through an awkward period and to a five-wicket win over Rowledge, for whom victory in their first match outside the Southern League to sphere in over 50 years was important.
Inexperienced alongside the former champions, Rowledge were disappointed to have twice surrendered the initiative, initially with the bat at 117-3 and later when they had Havant four down and Bayswater Morley import Kieran Abrams in Haslemere General A & E with a broken finger.
Rowledge lost a couple of early wickets to the pace of Rob Woolley (4-40) but opener Max Martin (48) glued the innings together. A fourth wicket stand between Martin and Olly Ryman (28) put the hosts at 117 -3 after 28 overs in a very strong position to post a very high total.
The fall of the pair to Woolley and then Ollie Baker for a duck in the space of three overs turned the game on its head and the score at 126-6 looked precariously in danger of a score less than 200 on a solid School Lane track which played well after the dry weather.
Evergreen David Lloyd (38) and the young pretender Ryan Littlewood (24) recovered the situation and runs chipped in by debutant teen Hayden Ewing (15*) and Jonty Seeborn (15) at the end saw the total rise to a par 223 score. 
Rowledge were disappointed most of the batsmen got themselves in but no one went on to place a big score which could have won the match for them.
Havant got off to a flyer with opener Harrison Barnard (46) blasting their reply score to 59 without loss after 9 overs before falling to a return catch by Ollie Baker, who finished with 4-36. Hopson (59) continued to play a solid role, keeping the innings together role and at 103-1  and Chris Stone (35) going nicely things were looking bleak for the hosts. 
A mini collapse reducing Havant to 115-4 with Lloyd and Baker taking wickets gave Rowledge hope but Hopson remained and with Ransley (62*) slowly regained control of the game and an 88-run  partnership between the two gave the visitors the match.

There are a number of local ties in the ECB national club championship and Village Cup on Sunday, 1pm -
ECB Club Championship
Bashley (Rydal) v Bishopstone, Potterne v OTs & Romsey, St Cross Symondians v Bristol.
Village Cup -
Bramshaw v Easton & Martyr Worthy, Cadnam v Sparsholt, Calmore Sports v Sarisbury Athletic, Shrewton v Box.

Ventnor have conceded their second round tie at Hambledon.