Hungerford’s haul in vain as rain has final say in Havant 2nds v Portsmouth 2nds clash

Paul Hungerford claimed three wickets for Portsmouth 2nds against Havant 2nds. Pic Mick Young

Havant 2nds and Portsmouth 2nds were close to getting a result in their Hampshire District League encounter.

Portsmouth were 16-2 after 7.4 overs in reply to their hosts’ 165-7 total when rain stopped play in the County G fixture.

Under the Duckworth Lewis method, 10 overs needed to be bowled to get a result.

Graham Burns had taken 2-2 off 3.4 overs when the teams had to come off.

He had dismissed Matt Chapman - for a golden duck - caught by Simon Loat and then bowled wicket-keeper Jack Collett for 13.

Earlier, Havant won the toss and elected to bat on a bouncy, seamer-friendly wicket.

The opening skirmishes were absorbing as Havant's top order did their utmost to thwart Portsmouth’s new ball pair Reuben McArdle and Joe Eales.

McArdle - who had been dropped to the 2nds - looked dangerous in recording figures of 8-4-23-0.

But it was Eales who dismissed both openers - Julian Atkins (4) and Loat (5) - before Joe Smitherman grabbed the wicket of captain Alex Whitfield (6).

Morgan Cripps (26) helped Oliver Jones lead a recovery before he was caught by Jordan Palmer-Goddard off the bowling of Paul Hungerford.

The same combination saw off Ben Turk (1) with Hungerford (3-49) also capturing the wicket of Jones (56 off 98 balls).

Pete Hayward (28 off 16 balls) provided some late order impetus, while off-spinner Fahad Ahmad conceded only 11 runs off his eight overs.

Emsworth set Portsmouth & Southsea a 200-run victory target before wet weather had the final say in County G of the Hampshire District League.

Ashley Fooks top scored with a 41-ball 45 - including eight fours - as Emsworth were all out for 199 with three balls of their 40 overs remaining.

Openers Ashley Court (33) and Lee Gray (31) before the latter was caught by skipper Steven Clements off the bowling of Matt Williams.

The same combination then saw off Barrie James for a duck, before Fooks and Lewis Roberts (27 off 26 balls) got going.

James White (2-17), Muhammad Ali (2-24), Williams (2-31) and George Wilson (2-34) were all in the wickets before rain prevented P & S replying.

In the same division, Gary Martin hit 60 off 62 balls as Hayling Island posted 186-5 against leaders Kerala.

There were also top order contributions from A Nanton (37), Richard Poole (25) and Mike Hallett (20) while Presh Prasad bagged 2-20 off a tight eight-over spell.

Kerala openers Prajun Kallidil and Prasad had reached 37-0 off seven overs in reply when bad weather won the day.

Kerala stay top, having won both matches they’ve played, while Hayling remain winless.