Suicidal runouts help turn National Village Cup tie in Sarisbury’s favour

Sarisbury's Jack Lovett hit a half-century in his side's National Village Cup win over Sparsholt. Picture: Keith Woodland.

But some reckless batting, culminating in three late run outs, led to them being dismissed for 187 - 12 runs short of Sarisbury’s 199-9.

Sparsholt were in the box seat while Michael Haworth (33) and free-hitting Oli Perrin (39) were together at 92-1, and still in charge through Lewis Mitchard (22) and Dave Banks (27).

But breakthroughs by spinner Sam Hill (2-37) and significantly Tom Kitcher (4-47) hauled Sarisbury back into the game.

Two big sixes by Stuart Taylor (24) raised the Sparsholt reply to 171-5 before he became the first of a trio of suicidal run outs – the visitors losing their last five wickets for 16 runs and the game with it.

Earlier, a half-century by Jack Lovett (54) and Sam Floyd (26) took Sarisbury to 86-1, but the innings fell away to 144-6 and later 169-9 before Kitcher (21) and Phil Jewell added 30 crucial runs for the last wicket.

Sarisbury face a trip to Bramshaw’s idyllic New Forest ground in round two this Sunday (1pm).

The scheduled Southern Premier League Cup meeting between the clubs the previous day was abandoned through heavy rain after 11 overs, with Sarisbury 73-1 (Ricky Rawlins 35).

Portsmouth & Southsea 3rds enjoyed a nailbiting win over Gosport Borough 2nds in the opening round of the Hampshire Cricket Board organised mini leagues.

Only two matches were completed, and both of them were quickly moved back 24 hours to last Sunday after heavy rain the previous day.

P & S 3rds claimed a three-run County F victory at Privett Park, while on the adjoining pitch Fareham & Crofton 4ths hammered Gosport 4ths by 215 runs.

Top order trio Sayeed Shahid (56), Krishnan Patel (40) and Bibek Dhakal (34) underpinned P & S’s 196-8 total off their allocated 40 overs.

Jordyn Dore (3-25) was the hosts’ best bowler.

Gosport’s reply began badly when both openers were dismissed without scoring.

Robert Wood was bowled by Pat Silence and Lee Butcher was caught off the bowling of Romit Patel.

No 3 Michael Rees struck 55 before he was bowled by Shan Shajhan (4-32).

No 7 Scott Taylor hit 44 before falling to Karthik Muthuraman and No 9 Joe Williams was out for 36 as Gosport finished on 193-9 (Patel 3-31).

In Regional N, Fareham & Crofton 4ths amassed 268-8 before skittling their hosts for just 53.

Alex Thomas (90) and Ben Thomas (63) added 117 for the second Fareham wicket.

Opener Peter Taylor top scored with 14 as Gosport reached 30-2.

After him, though, their only other batsman in double figures was wicket-keeper Fred Selman (10).

Wickets were shared around, Will Atkinson (2-4) and Andrew Martin (2-2) the most successful and Ben Thomas took the last wicket - Ervin Reji caught and bowled - off his only delivery.