Skipper Josh Hill in a hurry as Sarisbury defeat Rowledge to strengthen Southern Premier League promotion bid – but Portsmouth lose at Alton

Skipper Josh Hill was in a hurry as Sarisbury took another step towards reclaiming their Southern Premier League top flight status.
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Hill belted an unbeaten 37 off just 15 balls as Athletic claimed a five-wicket win over Division 1 promotion rivals Rowledge.

Sarisbury are now 29 points clear of Alton at the top of the table, with five weeks remaining.

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On course, therefore, to return to the Premier Division where they previously spent one season, in 2015.

Josh Hill struck three sixes and three fours  off 15 balls as Sarisbury defeated Rowledge.
Picture: Chris MoorhouseJosh Hill struck three sixes and three fours  off 15 balls as Sarisbury defeated Rowledge.
Picture: Chris Moorhouse
Josh Hill struck three sixes and three fours off 15 balls as Sarisbury defeated Rowledge. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

Asked to chase 186 for victory, Sarisbury lost opener Tom Mills for a third-ball duck while Ricky Rawlins (11) and Cameron Grierson (6) also fell cheaply.

But Athletic’s leading runscorer Sam Floyd took his seasonal SPL tally to 539 - only Ventnor pair Martin Blackman and Dinesh Thimodya have scored more - with 55, his fifth half-century of the league campaign (plus a century).

Hill, batting at No 7, and Matt Journeaux (29 not out) - the latter playing only his second 1st XI game for the club since 2019 - added an unbroken 56 for the sixth wicket.

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With Hill belting three sixes and three fours, Sarisbury won with almost 15 overs to spare.

Rob Franklin (3-19), Ronan DeGrussa (2-14) and Jordan Wright (2-47) had reduced visiting Rowledge to 97-6.

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A stand of 43 for the seventh wicket between Zak Le Roux (73) and Will Ryman (21) was the highest of the innings as Rowledge were bowled out for 185 (Journeaux 2-38).

Portsmouth posted 214 at Alton - the highest total by a side batting first in the second tier on the day.

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But it still wasn’t enough, though, as the hosts leapt above Rowledge into second spot with a three-wicket win.

There were just two balls remaining when Bash Walters hit the winning run off the bowling of Joe Kooner-Evans, having struck the preceding delivery to the boundary.

Captain Scott Myes (83) and Daniel Harris (53) had helped Alton reach 188-4.

Portsmouth skipper Ben Duggan had elected to bat, but was one of the wickets to fall as his side plunged to 50-4.

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There followed an 83-run stand for the fifth wicket between Minhaj Jalill (49) and wicket-keeper Sujeeth Daini (41). Zach Gadsby’s 4-37 haul included the wicket of Daini.

Mid-table Portsmouth host Sarisbury at St Helens next weekend.