Havant foiled by Hampshire Academy’s last-wicket pair after George Metzger falls just short of second Southern Premier League century

No 10 Louis Prichard faced two overs from Richard Hindley, failing to score a run but crucially not being dismissed.

At the other end, coach James Tomlinson - on his first league bat of 2022 - failed to score off the eight deliveries he faced after Ethan Baker had been caught and bowled by Matty Hayward off the fourth ball of the 53rd over.

That meant the Academy closed on 244-9 off 56 overs, finishing with 16 points to Havant’s 11 due their superior scoring rate. The hosts had posted 270-8 off 64 overs.

The Academy reply had began badly, Richard Jerry (2-36) dismissed both openers - Tom Cheater and Charlie Mumford - for ducks.

Jude Wright, a student at Churcher’s College in Petersfield, led the fightback, hitting 12 fours and two sixes in a career best 120 off 123 balls. The former Alton all-rounder’s previous two hundreds had both been for Hampshire youth - one at under-14 level, the other for the under-18s.

Skipper Joe Eckland (43) and Ethan Martin (36) also impressed for the Academy, while teenager Hayward (3-66) was Havant’s leading wicket-taker.

Wicket-keeper George Metzger had earlier come within four runs of making his second SPL century.

Coming in at 94-4, the former Hampshire Academy player shared a fifth wicket stand of 75 with Harry Gadd (26) and a sixth wicket stand of 80 with Hindley (36).

Metzer - whose only other SPL ton was 109 for the Academy against New Milton five years ago - struck 11 fours in his 92-ball innings before he was bowled by Archie Fairfax-Ross.

It was his second highest score for Havant, beaten only by 104 in a pre-season friendly with Chichester last year.