Harrop: Gosport Borough have used their get out of jail card with narrow win against St Cross

Final wicket pair, 16 year old twins Ollie and Charlie Creal, sneaked Borough across the winning line.

The Gosport captain admitted he was on edge in the closing stages.

He said: ‘We have to say that we used our get out of jail card in our first game.

‘Last season when we were relegated we would have lost it.

‘Ollie and Charlie have done this before to win us a game.

‘They ran quick singles, survived a run-out shout and scored the 20 runs needed to win. It was nervous stuff.’

St Cross batted well and got a good score of more than 200 on a tricky wicket.

Opening bowler Jacob Harris (three wickets for 20 runs) did well while Charlie Pennicott and Charlie Creal showed good control in the middle section.

In reply Borough made life difficult for ourselves by losing wickets in clusters.

Newcomer Viv Richards scored 53 with a composed display to anchor the innings batting at number five.

Simon Creal (29) also batted sensibly but Borough needed the fearlessness of youth at the death.

Harrop added: ‘If we are going to go straight back up then we need a good start.

‘Hopefully we can use this result to kick on. It was a hit and miss performance and we need to be better.’

Bedhampton Mariners made a losing start to life in division one.

They fell to a three-wicket defeat at Easton & Martyr Worthy.

The efforts of Luke Carvey (77) and Sam Medhurst (48) proved in vain as Bishop’s Waltham slipped to a three-wicket defeat at Basingstoke & North Hants III.

United Services Portsmouth started with a confident 54 run at Woodgreen in division three south.

Ant Sheperd (60) and John Brasier (32) helped the visitors reach 234 for eight.

James Marshall (four for 26) and Sephardi Nadathur (three for 32) did the damage as the hosts were bowled out for 180.