Portsmouth & Southsea stay top of their Southern Premier League Cup group after late Hambledon collapse

A flurry of late wickets saw them beat Hambledon by just four runs at Ridge Meadow to stay top of the Division 2/Division 3 East group.

Hambledon looked on course for victory when, chasing 205, they had reached 193-4.

They had been 93-4 before George Marshall and Will Bond added exactly 100 for the fifth wicket.

But Bond was clean bowled by Keiron Dunstan for 46 and, just two runs later, Jono Willey claimed the key wicket of Marshall (66).

That left Hambledon on 195-6 and that became 198-7 when Jack Pearce (1) was run out by wicket-keeper Alex Davidson.

Only one more run had been added when Willey (2-25 off eight overs) had Oliver Willoughby caught by Matt Benfield for a duck.

Second-bottom Hambledon, for whom No 3 Harry Glanfield hit 41, ended on 200-8 off 40 overs and left to rue a missed opportunity.

Davidson - just 16 years old - had earlier blazed late runs to take the P & S total above 200. Coming in at No 6, he smote seven fours and three sixes in a 45-ball 64 before Glanfield trapped him leg before.

Matt Benfield (38) and Jack Davies (33) had put on 74 for the first wicket before they both fell to Jack Pearce (3-20 off eight overs).

After Ollie Kanavan had gone for a duck, No 4 Chris Bollom hit an unbeaten 47 off 53 balls and, along with Davidson, added 88 for the fifth wicket.