Skipper Norris leads by example as Emsworth beat Hayling Island to move into top spot in their Hampshire District League

Batting at No 8, the skipper struck an undefeated 52 off 54 balls to help his side recover from 124-7 to post 202-8 against Hayling Island.

Norris shared an unbroken ninth wicket stand of 59 with No 10 Dan Webb (22 not out).

Lee Gray (29) and Barrie James (26) provided early order runs before Phil Mitchell (5-38 off eight overs) threatened to totally derail the innings.

Hayling didn’t help themselves by bowling 28 wides and five no balls.

Emsworth’s new ball pair of Webb and Rob Norris were quickly among the wickets.

Rob Cells (7) was dismissed by Webb (2-35) before Norris bowled Richard Poole (5).

It was 35-3 when Gary Martin was bowled by Webb for a single.

Greg Chaplin (30 not out) and Freddie Steele (26 off 14 balls) provided late order runs but Hayling - still searching for their first HDL win - were dismissed for 134 to lose by 68 runs.

Mike Offord took 3-36 off eight overs.

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Captain Steven Clements top scored as Portsmouth & Southsea 2nds defeated Kerala by five wickets.

Opening the innings, he was still there at the end unbeaten on 42 with his side 128-5 off 34.4 overs.

Three early wickets fell but wicket-keeper Dean Lee (19) provided good support.

Earlier, a good all-round bowling performance had seen Kerala dismissed for 125 after they had elected to bat first.

Opening pair Muhammad Ali (2-23) and Umar Khyam Malik (2-28) dismissed the top four, before Matt Williams (2-23) and Mani Noor-Spencer (2-31) got amongst the Kerala order.

Six batsmen got into double figures but Baiju Kurian (25) top scored before he was the last wicket to fall - adjudged leg before to the only ball James White delivered!

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Burridge 2nds fell just short in their County D encounter against visiting Bishop’s Waltham.

Asked to chase 193 for victory, the hosts reached 186-5 but lost two wickets late on to finish on 188-7.

Top order pair Will Candy (9) and Nick Damley-Jones - the latter first ball - fell cheaply,but Dan Damley-Jones and Jack Slaughter got the reply back on track.

They added 107 for the fourth wicket before Damley-Jones (54) was bowled by Hayden Pone - and Slaugher (47) was dismissed in identical fashion soon after.

Brad Griffiths hit an unbeaten 23 but Stuart Downs was run out and Saeed Khan fell to the last ball of the innings.

In the same division, Nick Willcock smashed his second league century of 2020 as Old Basing hammered Ropley.

Having previously scored an unbeaten 104 against Burridge 2nds, he belted 127 off 70 balls with 15 fours and six sixes.

Old Basing rattled up 294-3 and routed Ropley for 86 to win by 208 runs.

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Locks Heath are still awaiting their first ‘proper’ Hampshire District League win after losing by three wickets to Folland in County A.

Max Hoile (37), Tom Griffin (27) and skipper Simon Stone (26) helped Locks post 155-8 in 30 overs.

Sam Gardener (2-25) took two early wickets in reply, but visiting captain Steve Taylor (38) anchored Folland’s reply.

No 8 Oli Rankin (28 not out) and Junaid Khan (27) took Hamble to victory.

Locks’ only victory so far was when Old Netley & Highfield couldn’t raise a team to play them.