
The two-horse race for the Southern Premier Division 1 title featuring Portsmouth and Sarisbury Athletic - and promotion into the top tier of Hampshire recreational cricket - will come to a head at Allotment Road on Saturday July 27.
That's when the top two go head-to-head for a second time, Portsmouth having won the first and now carry a 15-point lead into the 'back nine' beginning against Andover at Southsea.
Stand-in captain Dan Wimble was in a hurry as Portsmouth remained top with a seven-wicket win at mid-table Rowledge where, in the absence of Ben Duggan, he promoted himself to open alongside Carlin Joy.
Asked to chase a Rowledge total of 184-9, Wimble and Joy shared a rapid century stand. They put on 107 in just 10.3 overs, with Aussie spinner Justin Felsch targeted for major punishment.
A week earlier, the Bankstown NSW spin all-rounder dismissed the entire Andover top five as his club recorded a fourth straight Division 1 win. But introduced into the attack for the seventh over, Joy hit his second ball over the School Road boundary rope.
And after Felsch conceded 17 off his first over, Wimble hit four boundaries – including three in a row – as his second cost 18. the Fareham & Crofton raised Wimble was first to go, having hit eight fours and a six in a 33-ball 46.
Joy was second out, with the score on 126, having belted nine fours and four sixes in hitting 76 at a rate of exactly two runs per ball. Mohammad Ashraful (35 not out) and Harry Gadd (12) added 49 for the third wicket as Portsmouth eventually won by seven wickets in the 25th over.
That's when the top two go head-to-head for a second time, Portsmouth having won the first and now carry a 15-point lead into the 'back nine' beginning against Andover at Southsea.
Stand-in captain Dan Wimble was in a hurry as Portsmouth remained top with a seven-wicket win at mid-table Rowledge where, in the absence of Ben Duggan, he promoted himself to open alongside Carlin Joy.
Asked to chase a Rowledge total of 184-9, Wimble and Joy shared a rapid century stand. They put on 107 in just 10.3 overs, with Aussie spinner Justin Felsch targeted for major punishment.
A week earlier, the Bankstown NSW spin all-rounder dismissed the entire Andover top five as his club recorded a fourth straight Division 1 win. But introduced into the attack for the seventh over, Joy hit his second ball over the School Road boundary rope.
And after Felsch conceded 17 off his first over, Wimble hit four boundaries – including three in a row – as his second cost 18. the Fareham & Crofton raised Wimble was first to go, having hit eight fours and a six in a 33-ball 46.
Joy was second out, with the score on 126, having belted nine fours and four sixes in hitting 76 at a rate of exactly two runs per ball. Mohammad Ashraful (35 not out) and Harry Gadd (12) added 49 for the third wicket as Portsmouth eventually won by seven wickets in the 25th over.
Rowledge earlier lost wickets at regular wickets. Local legend David Lloyd (50) top scored before he was caught by Wimble off the bowling of Billy Eales, who took 2-16 on his maiden SPL appearance of the season.
Lloyd's fifty was tne topic of post-match conversation in the bar. It was his first since 2019 when he went to the bar to order the celebratory jug on three separate occasions.
Eligible for 50s county cricket, Lloyd has been a marvelous servant to Rowledge, where he was a prominent top order batsman in his prime. He's now happy to bat down the order, bowl ten tight overs and help the talented crop of youngsters at Rowledge, where he's held in the highest regard.
Lloyd's fifty was tne topic of post-match conversation in the bar. It was his first since 2019 when he went to the bar to order the celebratory jug on three separate occasions.
Eligible for 50s county cricket, Lloyd has been a marvelous servant to Rowledge, where he was a prominent top order batsman in his prime. He's now happy to bat down the order, bowl ten tight overs and help the talented crop of youngsters at Rowledge, where he's held in the highest regard.