Tense finale as Portsmouth and Burridge meet in a competitive game for the first time since 2011

The higher-division visitors triumphed at St Helens when, chasing 190 for victory, they hit the winning runs off the penultimate ball of their 40-over allocation.

Portsmouth had earlier been bowled out for 189 in the Premier/Division 1 East group game, losing their last wicket to the penultimate ball of their innings.

Their day started badly when opener Tom Wallis was dismissed for a duck off Daniel Stancliffe’s fourth delivery.

But fellow opener Ben Duggan and No 5 Will Smitherman both hit 40 - the former off only 44 balls - and Jack Marston hit 26 before he was bowled by visiting skipper Hilio De Abreu.

There were also 27 extras, including 14 wides.

Sullivan White (3-38) was Burridge’s leading bowler,

In reply, opener Joe Collings-Wells hit an 87-ball 80, including 12 fours and a six.

Next highest score was recorded by James Hughes, the former Locks Heath player who was making his competitive debut for Burridge.

He struck 39 but the visitors still had work to do when he was out at 172-6.

Burridge quickly subsided to 179-8 but ninth wicket pair Jack Paskins (7 no out) and Francis Moore (4 not out) kept their nerve.

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Hampshire’s Director of Cricket Giles White was purring with satisfaction after watching teen duo Tom Prest and Fletcha Middleton sweep the Academy to a nine-wicket SPL Cup win over Alton.

Prest hit 86 not out and Middleton an unbeaten 44 as the county youngsters chased down Alton’s 174 with seven overs to spare.

‘Watching those two lads bat was like seeing James Vince and Liam Dawson at that age,’ White beamed.

Dorset teen Prest struck three sixes and eight fours, with Middleton joining him at the crease after

sharing a 77-run start with Hartley Wintney raised Harry Broderick (33).

Broderick had earlier taken 3-28 as Alton dipped to 46-6 before being rescued by a 96-run stand for the seventh wicket from wicket-keeper Mark Heffernan (61) and Jack Myers (39).

A group of Hampshire cricketers were at St Cross’ ground in Winchester to watch their Premier/Division 1 win over Bournemouth.

Due to the fact they are currently training in a ‘bubble’ at Arundel, no Hampshire players can turn out for other Southern Premier League clubs.

Seam bowler Chris Wood, for example, has played for Romsey & OTs in the past and Jimmy Adams, now a coach at The Ageas Bowl, turned out for St Cross in a couple of Premier Division matches last summer.

The guidelines also prevented Scott Currie from captaining the Academy against Alton.

There is also likely to be no 2nd XI cricket played in 2020, meaning Hampshire’s younger players could miss out on 12 months of competitive action.

Wood, meanwhile, only has a white ball contract so cannot expect to play any cricket until the T20 Blast tournament starts at the end of August.

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Martin Lee top scored with 82 as Purbrook lost their opening game in the Division 2 / 3 East group by four wickets to Tichborne Park.

Fellow opener Josh Spiers hit 28 - the second top score - in a first wicket stand of 73.

Purbrook totalled 178 - losing their last wicket in the final over - with Trevor Brooker (3-30) and Seb Newens (3-32) Park’s best bowlers.

Purbrook looked likely winners when Park dipped to 83-5, but Toby Barnett - who was batting at No 3 - struck an unbeaten 59 to guide his side home by four wickets.

Barnett put on 34 for the sixth wicket with Brad Hole (a 23-ball 25) before adding an unbroken 62 for the seventh wicket with Kieran Connell (21 not out).

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Waterlooville openers Jon Hudson and Archie Reynolds shared a century stand in their game against Liphook & Ripsley.

Hudson (57) and Reynolds (47) put on 107 for the first wicket, but Waterlooville were restricted to 187-7 with fourth change bowler Oscar Amos taking 3-37.

In reply, opener Rob Nicklin hit 45 and wicket-keeper Harry Munt - batting at No 3 - was 39 not out as his side won with 13 balls remaining.