Lee Phillips hits maiden half-century as Rowner 1sts avoid Hampshire League embarrassment against Rowner 2nds

After the 2nds had posted 183-8 after winning the toss and electing to bat, the 1sts were in some trouble when skipper Martin Bowman was fifth out with the score on 96.

Don Rugge (3-38) had earlier removed two of Rowner 1sts’ top three, including opener Matt Williams (36).

But Phillips, coming in at No 6, put on 46 for the sixth wicket with keeper James Osborn (12).

He then added another 34 for the seventh wicket with Cris Kemp (15) to take his side ever closer to victory.

Phillips ended unbeaten on 58 - his highest league score for the club - as the 1sts won by three wickets with 16 balls remaining.

Matthew Darby (90) had dominated the 2nds’ total with George Brann (25) second highest against Bowman (3-21), Matt Stancliffe (2-18) and Williams (2-20).

Adrian Chesney picked a great time to score his maiden league half-century as Fareham & Crofton 3rds kept their cool to pip Steep 2nds by a solitary run.

Walking to the crease with his side 40-4 in a Hampshire League Division 5 South East fixture at Bath Lane, Chesney’s highest score was 31.

This time he struck 56 in leading a Fareham recovery before being dismissed by Jonty Page (6-22 in eight overs).

Chesney added 82 for the sixth wicket with wicket-keeper Nigel Raymond (38) and No 8 Martin Greenwood (27) helped the total reach 208-9 (extras 32).

Steep’s top order impressed in reply with opener Dale Collins hitting 71 before he was leg before to Gary West (2-26).

The other players in the top five all scored in the 20s, but Fareham still won as Steep finished agonisingly adrift on 207-7 as Billy Lewis was caught by Chesney off the last ball of the innings bowled by Usman Younas.

Robbie Stone claimed career best bowling figures and scored the winning run as Hambledon 3rds defeated Challengers Gosport by three wickets at Broadhalfpenny Down.

Stone bagged 5-21 off 7.2 overs as Challengers were dismissed for 102 in 31.2 overs.

Only three visitors hit double figures with No 6 Libin Baby top scoring with 36, including three sixes.

Ben Reilly (3-15 off eight overs) had removed the top three as Challengers dipped to 30-3 after winning the toss and electing to bat.

Hambledon’s victory charge was not without its scares as 68-3 became 68-5 with Satheesh John (2-25) removing skipper Kevin Wingham (8) and Matt Radford (0).

Opener Jamie Lewis had top scored with 24 but Reilly (11) and Stone (10 not out) followed up their wickets with crucial runs as Hambledon extended their 100 per cent start to two games.

Deepu Nair struck his maiden league century as Solent Rangers won a high-scoring encounter with US Portsmouth on the all-artificial surface at HMS Temeraire.

Nair’s previous highest score was 83 in 2017, but he sailed past that with 123 as Rangers coasted to a seven-wicket victory.

Even though they had been asked to chase their hosts’ 240-5 target, the visitors remarkably required only 25.5 overs to get them.

Jayaram Jayarj hit 61 while Ryan Carew was 32 not out.

There were some painful-looking US bowling figures - Iston Williams conceding 29 runs off two overs, Farai Shoko conceding 25 off two, Gulzamir Sadiqqi 33 off three and Tom Harris 42 off four.

Portsmouth skipper Simon Boorah waited a while before introducing himself into the attack against Wickham.

He had already used five other bowlers, but bringing himself on paid instant dividends as he produced a devastating spell.

Boorah ended with figures of 8-5-6-5, including the key wicket of top scorer Nick Stothert (68), as Wickham were restricted to 136-9 (extras 25).

No 3 Matthew Chapman (28) top scored as Portsmouth made tough work of chasing down their target.

Nerves might have been jangling when middle order pair William Lunn (1) and Simon Jones (0) fell in successive deliveries.

But Joseph Stretton (32 not out) and keeper Jack Collett (11 not out) ensured Portsmouth won by four wickets in the 36th over.