Portsmouth secure Portsea Island derby success – Hampshire League Division 4 South round-up

Portsmouth 3rds bowler Matt Hoddle appeals for a wicket during his side's Hampshire League win against Portsmouth & Southsea 3rds
Picture: Chris Moorhouse — Portsmouth 3rds bowler Matt Hoddle appeals for a wicket during his side's Hampshire League win against Portsmouth & Southsea 3rds Picture: Chris Moorhouse

Asked to chase 185 for victory at Farlington in a Hampshire League Division 4 South fixture, Portsmouth slumped to 22-3 with Talitha Stanley (2-33) taking two of the wickets.

Joseph Stretton (47) and Tom Newman got the innings back on track with a fourth wicket stand of 75.

Newman was then joined by Matt Hoddell, the pair adding an unbroken 88 for the fifth wicket.

Portsmouth 3rds bowler Adam Edwards. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

Both batters finished unbeaten on 47, with the latter hitting five fours in his 32-ball stay.

Hoddell is in his first season with Portsmouth after spending the best part of the last decade playing for Buckinghamshire club Bradenham.

He had earlier taken the last two P & S wickets to fall, ending with 2-24.

Opener Danny Fry-Sperring held the P & S innings together, hitting 59 and looking like carrying his bat until he was eighth out.

Dan Fry-Sperring top scored for Portsmouth & Southsea 3rds. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

Extras (34) were next highest, including 16 byes, as third-placed Portsmouth recorded their fourth win in five contests.

On a neighbouring pitch at Farlington, Solent Rangers were shot out for 100 by Emsworth 2nds - yet still won easily.

Mike Offord (5-27) removed five of the Solent top seven as they just reached three figures.

In reply, Emsworth were routed for 51 to suffer their fifth straight loss and remain bottom of the table.

Dhibin Kuriakose (2-7) removed both openers before Binish Varghese (4-12) and Rithin Panicker (3-11) ran through the rest of the order.

Nimal Valsan and Athul Antony were Kerala 2nds’ star performers as they handed out a 169-run drubbing to Fareham & Crofton 3rds at Rugby Camp.

Valsan - who once hit 213 in a Hampshire League game against Portchester in 2015 - top scored with 83 as Kerala posted 295-7 off their 45 overs.

Opener Rakesh Janardhanan (47) and Harikrishnan Korasseril (39) provided decent support.

Antony, who had never taken more than two wickets in an innings before, then removed three of Fareham’s top five en route to figures of 5-24.

No 7 Pete Briggs hit an unbeaten 50 as the visitors were bowled out for 126.