Josh Hill maintains stunning start to life as Sarisbury Athletic skipper with more runs and another Southern Premier League victory

Josh Hill hit an unbeaten 69 as Sarisbury Athletic defeated St Cross 2nds by six wickets. Picture: Neil Marshall.

Josh Hill continued his superb start to life as Sarisbury Athletic skipper.

In his first game in charge after taking over from Ricky Rawlins, Hill had scored an unbeaten 45 against Basingstoke & North Hants.

That was Sarisbury’s first Southern Premier League Division 1 success of 2021, and they added a second yesterday in beating St Cross 2nds by six wickets.

This time Hill ended 69 not out, smacking four sixes and six fours in a 60-ball innings as Sarisbury eased past their 186 target with six overs remaining.

Rawlins had laid down good foundations by hitting 50 at the top of the order, including nine boundaries, and sharing a 61-stand with fellow opener Will Bolton.

Rob Franklin (22 not out) helped his new captain add an unbroken 68 for the fifth Sarisbury wicket.

St Cross, who elected to bat, had been 76-4 before No 7 Dylan Clarke (53) and No 8 Charlie Preston (37, with three fours and two sixes) top scored as the Winchester club posted 185-6.