Havant lose again in Southern Premier League – and Hampshire duo help St Cross defeat Burridge

Seam bowler Richard Jerry bagged five wickets - twice taking two in two balls - and Harry Gadd struck his second consecutive SPL half-century.

But a week after losing to Burridge by just three runs, Havant were on the receiving end of another narrow defeat - this time by 12 runs to Bashley in the New Forest.

Rain in the morning meant the game was delayed by an hour and was reduced to 45 overs per side.

Havant skipper Chris Morgan decided to bowl first in damp conditions, and there was an instant reward when Jerry dismissed Josh Digby (0) in the first over.

Jacob Gordon (50) top scored but he was removed when Jerry returned for a second spell, with Ben Francis dismissed next ball.

Skipper Michael Porter (44) helped Bashley reach 185 - Jerry (5-38) wrapping up the innings with the wickets of Ted Bracey and Ben Fletcher in successive deliveries.

Havant's weak area this season has been with the bat and so it proved again.

Openers Charlie Whitfield (5) and Simon Loat (1) fell cheaply, while Morgan (14) didn’t last long at No 3.

Harry Gadd struck 52 off 61 balls before he was caught and bowled by Digby, with Richard Hindley (18) the second highest.

No 10 Julian Atkins and Freddie Gadd gave Havant some hope with Atkins adding to his reputation as one of the biggest hitters in the league with a whopping six in the adjacent garden centre.

But his demise, for 16, meant Havant finished 12 runs short.

Havant bring the curtain down on their weather-disrupted SPL campaign against Bournemouth next weekend.

Burridge came up against a strong St Cross top order that contained three players with county cricket experience this summer.

Hampshire pair Joe Weatherley and Felix Organ were joined by Harry Came, who played for Hampshire in the Bob Willis Trophy last year and has turned out for Derbyshire in the T20 Blast and Royal London Cup in recent weeks.

Weatherley (64) and Came (56) top scored as the Winchester-based club posted 222-7 (Sullivan White 2-25) after they had been inserted.

Burridge’s reply began badly when opener Azimunnoor Chowdhury was dismissed by Michael Booth first ball.

Booth (3-11) and Alex Woolvine (3-37) were to prove the main wicket-takers as Burridge subsided to 108 all out.

No 7 Will Donald, with 40 not out, was one of only three players to reach double figures.

South Wilts were crowned SPL champions for the sixth time since the league became an ECB registered Premier League in 2000.

They also condemned Alton to relegation after a 60-run victory at Jubilee Fields.

Wilts posted 209-8 with No 9 Ben Huntley providing late order impetus with an unbeaten 41 off 37 balls.

Huntley (2-24) then claimed the key wicket of Hampshire’s Fletcha Middleton (14) as Alton could only manage 149 all out.