Harris stars as Gosport Borough romp to victory – Portsmouth & Southsea thrashed by Trojans

Jacob Harris impressed with bat and ball as Gosport Borough defeated Hythe & Dibden in the Southern Premier League Division 3. Picture: Keith Woodland

Harris top scored with the bat and then took three wickets in an 83-run success at Privett Park.

Harris, batting at No 4, struck 12 fours and two sixes in a 65-ball 72 after the hosts had lost two early wickets.

Captain Lee Harrop hit 25 at the top of the order before Mark Toogood added late impetus, coming in at No 7 to belt an unbeaten 39 off 34 balls.

Matt Benfield top scored for Portsmouth & Southsea in their home SPL loss to Trojans. Picture: Keith Woodland

That helped Gosport, who had been asked to bat first, post 197-6 off their 40 overs.

With the ball in his hand, Harris struck early in Hythe’s reply - dismissing opener Tom Gates (10).

Ollie Creal (2-19 off eight overs) took two of the next three wickets to fall, while Hythe skipper Tom Richards was run out by Charlie Creal.

The latter was then instrumental in putting Gosport in full control, taking 3-24 off six overs as the visitors slipped from 72-3 to 85-7.

There was no way back from that and Harris completed his fine afternoon’s work by coming back into the attack and taking the last two wickets to finish with 3-43 from 7.3 overs.

On the fifth Saturday of the 2021 SPL season, Portsmouth & Southsea finally got a match under their belts - but it was one to forget.

After three of their opening four Division 1 games had been called off due to waterlogged pitches - the other one was abandoned after just 12 overs - the sun was beating down against Trojans at Stoneham Lane.

The hosts got off to a dismal start after skipper Ben Saunders had won the toss and opted to bat - Jack Davies caught behind off the first ball of the game.

Matt Benfield (35) and Ollie Kanavan (14) added 36 for the second wicket before they both fell to Syed Mahmood (3-16 off eight overs).

Wicketkeeper Alex Davidson (31) impressed before he was seventh out with the P & S score on 110.

That was the first of three wickets to fall in Syed Agha’s (3-15) opening over - Jake Peach (1) and Jono Willey (0) the others as the hosts slithered to 110-9.

Dean Lee (24 not out) and Keiron Dunstan (4) added 26 for the last wicket as P & S hoisted Trojans’ target to 137.

Willey gave his side an early boost when he dismissed opener Ed Boyd for a single.

But Nigel Le Bas and No 3 Arsalan Yasin (58) took the game out of P & S’ reach.

The score was on 106 when Saunders dismissed Yasin, who had struck eight fours and three sixes in a 53-ball knock.

Le Bas struck Saunders for a match-winning six off the first ball of the 26th over to end unbeaten on 46 as Trojans strolled to victory by eight wickets.