Burridge clipped two points off Havant’s lead at the top of the ECB Southern Premier League when they successfully overcame gale force winds to beat St Cross Symondians by five wickets at Botley Road.
Stand-in captain Geoff Dods followed up his 3-27 return with the ball to hit a key 42 not out as Burridge overcame a wobble to past the St Cross total of 181.
Burridge go into the last two matches trailing Havant by 20 points and, realistically, need the Hampshire Academy to topple the leaders on the Ageas Bowl Nursery Ground on Saturday if they are to go to the Park on September 3 with any prospect of snatching the title.
With only one win (against relegated Ventnor) in their last ten matches, St Cross were strengthened by the presence of Hampshire’s Joe Weatherley and Adam Rouse, who made a surprise return after suffering a serious hand injury playing for Kent against Glamorgan in Cardiff last month.
The pair perished for eight and 21, respectively, with only Louis Kimber (30) made any lasting impression as St Cross went from 82-3 to 130-4 when Rouse became a third victim of an economical ten-over spell by Dods.
Burridge, who go to Lymington this weekend, were generous in their extras count, conceding 37 in sundries, while St Cross needed a late flurry from Jack Middleton (27) before Sully White (3-28) cleaned up their tail.
Portsmouth Grammar School prospect Alex Willoughby (49) anchored the Burridge reply, batting with maturity and just missed out on a debut half-century.
His dismissal, the first of three wickets for spinner Kimber (3-26), triggered a wobble which saw Burridge drop to 117-5 before Dods (42) and Will Steward (30) added an unbroken 67 to send St Cross slithering to a fifth successive defeat.
Stand-in captain Geoff Dods followed up his 3-27 return with the ball to hit a key 42 not out as Burridge overcame a wobble to past the St Cross total of 181.
Burridge go into the last two matches trailing Havant by 20 points and, realistically, need the Hampshire Academy to topple the leaders on the Ageas Bowl Nursery Ground on Saturday if they are to go to the Park on September 3 with any prospect of snatching the title.
With only one win (against relegated Ventnor) in their last ten matches, St Cross were strengthened by the presence of Hampshire’s Joe Weatherley and Adam Rouse, who made a surprise return after suffering a serious hand injury playing for Kent against Glamorgan in Cardiff last month.
The pair perished for eight and 21, respectively, with only Louis Kimber (30) made any lasting impression as St Cross went from 82-3 to 130-4 when Rouse became a third victim of an economical ten-over spell by Dods.
Burridge, who go to Lymington this weekend, were generous in their extras count, conceding 37 in sundries, while St Cross needed a late flurry from Jack Middleton (27) before Sully White (3-28) cleaned up their tail.
Portsmouth Grammar School prospect Alex Willoughby (49) anchored the Burridge reply, batting with maturity and just missed out on a debut half-century.
His dismissal, the first of three wickets for spinner Kimber (3-26), triggered a wobble which saw Burridge drop to 117-5 before Dods (42) and Will Steward (30) added an unbroken 67 to send St Cross slithering to a fifth successive defeat.