Gardner and Ransley impress as Havant defeat Gosport Borough in Southern Premier League Division 3

Gardner’s 4-26 burst helped restrict Gosport to 187 all out after the visitors had won the toss at Havant Park.

Ransley then top scored with 70 as Havant won by five wickets with two of their 50 overs remaining.

Scott Taylor (47), Denzel James (32) and Mark Toogood (25) had helped Borough reach 99-2.

No 7 Charlie Pennicott (27) held the lower order together as Gardner and his colleagues started to take wickets more regularly.

Havant lost opener Andrew Galliers (4) cheaply, bowled by Muhammad Ali (2-23 off 10 overs).

But Ransley and Simon Loat (45) put on 98 for the third wicket before the latter was also bowled by Ali.

Ransley went on to hit nine fours in his 108-ball innings, with Oliver Jones (19 not out) and Harrison Barnard (13 not out) taking Havant to victory.

It was a successful Saturday for Havant, with the 1st XI and the 3rd XI also winning.

There were centuries for Harry Gadd and Chris Stone in the 1sts’ Southern Premier League fixture at Bournemouth.

Meanwhile, Graham Burns top scored as the 3rds claimed a fifth Hampshire League Division 5 South East win in six matches against United Services Portsmouth 2nds.

Burns (61), Julian Atkins (46) and Steven Matthews (31) were in the runs as Havant posted 210-9 (Rafat Hossain 3-34) in 40 overs after batting first at Hollybank.

In reply, Hossain was the only USP batter to seriously threaten Havant’s chances of winning.

He whacked six sixes and five fours in a quickfire 65 before he was caught and bowled by Martin Hovey (3-32). Matthews received the most punishment, his two overs costing 34 runs.

Helped by 29 extras, USP closed on 173-8 to lose by 37 runs.