Portsmouth Community celebrate victory on their long-awaited Hampshire Cricket League debut

The club were formed in the autumn/winter of 2019 by a group of players previously at Railway Triangle CC.

But the pandemic ensured there was no proper league cricket last year, though Community did take part in the Hampshire Cricket Board organised ‘micro bubble’ group competition.

Welcoming Fair Oak 4ths to Cockleshell Gardens for a Division 6 South East fixture, vice captain Dave Going top scored with 60 as Community, who elected to bat first, posted 171-8 off 40 overs.

Opener Jamie Nottage and No 11 Sheikh Ahmed were joint second-highest scorer with 15, while Oak conceded 28 wides in a total of 39 extras.

In reply, Jack Whiteaway and skipper John Creamer shared the bulk of the wickets as Oak were dismissed for 81 in 34 overs.

Whiteaway’s 4-15 haul included mopping up the tail - he also ran out opener Alex Bucknell with a direct hit - while Creamer bagged 3-15.

Ahmed took 2-17 as Community won by 90 runs.

In the same division, Hayling Island 2nds skipper Anthony Watton struck a century in his side’s 73-run victory over Bedhampton 3rds.

Watton might have had second thoughts about choosing to bat first as Hayling nosedived to 39-3.

But he was then joined by Phil Stride (40) who helped him add 138 for the fourth wicket.

Watton was eventually dismissed for 103 - after hitting 10 boundaries - as Hayling posted 189-5 off their 40 overs.

Bedhampton’s reply began badly when skipper Josh Quade was trapped leg before by James Lever without scoring.

Paul O’Leary (27) helped them progress to 70-3 before Chris Wells, the sixth bowled used, ripped out the middle order with a 4-21 burst off six overs.

Bedhampton tumbled to 97-7 and Roland Barnard (3-28) mopped up the tail as Mariners were all out for 116 to lose by 73 runs.