Overseas player recommended by Hampshire all-rounder hits winning runs as Havant suffer one-wicket Southern Premier League loss for second time in three weeks

After going down by the narrowest of margins in their curtain-raiser against the Hampshire Academy, they were beaten by the same margin at home against St Cross.

Asked to chase 204 at Havant Park, the visitors were struggling when their fifth wicket went down with the score on 106.

But the Winchester-based side bat deep and No 6 Harry Foyle was to top score with 47.

St Cross were 156-7 when he was dismissed - caught by Ben Walker off Chris Stone - but that only brought in Australian bowler Sam Beer at No 9.

Beer - recommended to St Cross by Hampshire all-rounder Ian Holland - struck four fours in his unbeaten 28. The last of those was the winning boundary, off the second ball of the penultimate over.

St Cross were also indebted to tailend runs from Simon Beeetham (22) and Aiden Hawkesworth (13).

Earlier, Richard Jerry had dismissed opener and captain Tom Foyle for a third ball duck ahead of St Cross dipping to 45-4. He also dismissed opener Ben Foster and No 4 Harry Trussler on his way to 3-42.

Havant skipper Walker had elected to bat first, but both himself and his opening partner Charlie Whitfield were out for four.

The hosts were 49-3 before Harry Gadd - back after a one-week suspension - and Chris Stone added 125 for the fourth wicket.

Gadd struck eight fours in his 56 before he was leg before to Charlie Gwynn, while Stone - after just seven runs in his first two league knocks of the season - top scored with 74 as Havant were restricted to 203-9.

Next up in the league for Havant – third bottom of the embryonic table - is a game against Lymington, who shocked New Forest rivals Totton & Eling.

T & E entered the derby having won their opening two games, but Lymington successfully defended their 167 all out total.

Daniel Cox (4-37), Guy Layman (3-18) and James Hartshorn (3-42) were all among the wickets as T & E crashed to 26-4 and later 52-6.

West Indian Jaidel Richardson (32) and captain Sam Bracey (27) hauled T & E’s innings around.

Brighton Mogochi then followed up his 4-32 haul - nine of the runs he conceded were wides - by top scoring at No 9, whacking an unbeaten 41 off 24 balls.

But T & E were all out for 145 when last man Joe Bracey was bowled by Cox for a duck.

That meant T & E could rue the 20 wides and seven no balls they had conceded earlier on as part of a 35-run haul of extras - Lyminton’s second highest scorer after Josh Royan (46).