Ventnor are 32 points adrift of leaders Rowledge at the top of Southern Premier Division 1 after suffering a five-wicket defeat by Portsmouth, a rare loss on home Steephill soil.
Portsmouth chased down a slightly rain-reduced target of 256 off 48 overs – Ventnor posted 260 in their full allocation – to win with 19 balls to spare.
The island visit came as a relief to overseas all-rounder Minhaj Jalill, who finally found his batting form as Portsmouth pulled off an impressive run chase.
The Sri Lankan had been dismissed for scores of 0, 2, 0 and 18 on his first four Southern Premier League Division 1 outings. But this time he top scored with 68.
Portsmouth’s reply began badly when skipper Ben Duggan, playing against his former club, was out for a second-ball duck. And it was 21-2 when Zack Wells (2-20) claimed the scalp of James Mitchell (15).
Opener Jack Marston (55) and Jalill set about repairing the damage with a third-wicket partnership of 124.
There was still much work to be done at 161-4 with both of those batters back in the pavilion.
But Daniel Wimble and university student Sujeeth Daini promptly produced a match-winning partnership of 83 for the fifth wicket. With Portsmouth behind the run rate, they clubbed 60 off five overs - including 16 off the 40th, 13 off the 38th and 12 each off the 41st and 42nd - to relieve any run chase tension.
Though Wimble fell for a 43-ball 35, Daini was still there at the close - unbeaten on a SPL best 57 off 30 balls with five fours and two sixes.
It was left to Joe Kooner-Evans to bring up victory with a single off the penultimate ball of the 45th over.
Portsmouth chased down a slightly rain-reduced target of 256 off 48 overs – Ventnor posted 260 in their full allocation – to win with 19 balls to spare.
The island visit came as a relief to overseas all-rounder Minhaj Jalill, who finally found his batting form as Portsmouth pulled off an impressive run chase.
The Sri Lankan had been dismissed for scores of 0, 2, 0 and 18 on his first four Southern Premier League Division 1 outings. But this time he top scored with 68.
Portsmouth’s reply began badly when skipper Ben Duggan, playing against his former club, was out for a second-ball duck. And it was 21-2 when Zack Wells (2-20) claimed the scalp of James Mitchell (15).
Opener Jack Marston (55) and Jalill set about repairing the damage with a third-wicket partnership of 124.
There was still much work to be done at 161-4 with both of those batters back in the pavilion.
But Daniel Wimble and university student Sujeeth Daini promptly produced a match-winning partnership of 83 for the fifth wicket. With Portsmouth behind the run rate, they clubbed 60 off five overs - including 16 off the 40th, 13 off the 38th and 12 each off the 41st and 42nd - to relieve any run chase tension.
Though Wimble fell for a 43-ball 35, Daini was still there at the close - unbeaten on a SPL best 57 off 30 balls with five fours and two sixes.
It was left to Joe Kooner-Evans to bring up victory with a single off the penultimate ball of the 45th over.
Ventnor left-hander Dineth Thimodya, above, had earlier taken his Division 1 tally to 446 with 87. He shared an opening stand of 108 with Rob Snell, who bludgeoned 60 before the latter was bowled by Jalill, the fifth bowler Duggan had utilised.
Thimodya struck eight fours and four sixes and was within sight of a third SPL ton of 2022 when his stumps were rearranged by Rakshith Rao (2-50).
Reuben McArdle (3-44) was Portsmouth’s most successful wicket-taker as Ventnor, who had chosen to bat, amassed 260-9 from their 50 overs. McArdle now has 17 Division 1 wickets - only Alton’s Bash Walter and Liam Carty (Calmore) have more (20 apiece).
Thimodya struck eight fours and four sixes and was within sight of a third SPL ton of 2022 when his stumps were rearranged by Rakshith Rao (2-50).
Reuben McArdle (3-44) was Portsmouth’s most successful wicket-taker as Ventnor, who had chosen to bat, amassed 260-9 from their 50 overs. McArdle now has 17 Division 1 wickets - only Alton’s Bash Walter and Liam Carty (Calmore) have more (20 apiece).