Tailender Jerry hits career best score as Havant’s impressive Southern Premier League recovery falls just short at Burridge

In a game that was a great advert for Southern Premier League cricket, the visitors had looked on course for a heavy defeat after collapsing to 39-5 chasing Burridge’s 232 all out total.

Dan Stancliffe was first to shine for Burridge, clean bowling the previous week’s centurion Ben Walker for a third ball duck. Stancliffe (3-26) then left Havant 21-2 when he trapped George Metzger (7) leg before.

Opener Pete Hopson (12) fell two runs later and it was 37-4 when Brad Griffiths (2-26) caught and bowled Simon Loat (7).

Skipper Chris Morgan came in at No 6 and, four balls later, was walking back to the pavilion after - 39-5 after being caught by home skipper Hilio De Abreu off Griffiths.

However, from that uninspiring position, Havant mounted a spirited fightback.

Harry Gadd (55) and Jeremy Bulled (27) firstly combined in a stand of 65 for the sixth wicket.

Then Jerry, batting at No 9, put on 54 for the eighth wicket with Richard Hindley (27).

Jerry, who had earlier been Havant’s best bowler, followed up his three-wicket haul by passing his previous best score of 38 - for Havant’s 2nds against Gosport three years ago.

He progressed to 49, from 41 balls with six fours and a six, his enterprising groundstrokes meaning Havant were always up with the run rate.

But with 16 required from three overs, Jerry perished to a good catch by Matt Norris on the long on boundary.

That made it 216-9 and one run later Norris pouched another catch to dismiss Alfie Taw.

Burridge had won the toss and taken first use of a slow surface.

A couple of early wickets for Jerry - who dismissed opener Will Donald and No 3 Norris for six apiece - put Burridge on the back foot.

Joe Collings-Wells fought back with a shot-strewn 37 but when he was run out by Gadd with the score on 55, the Burridge innings was interestingly placed.

De Abreu (58) and Chris Blake (75) then entered into what was ultimately a match-winning partnership of 115.

The left hand/right hand combination worked the ball around and punished the bad ball.

The stand was broken by a phenomenal catch by Gadd to dismiss De Abreu.

After De Abreu had skied his shot between mid wicket and long on, Gadd, running at full pace from mid wicket and with the ball coming over his shoulder, dived full length to take a wonder catch.

Some lower assistance was provided for Blake, who the previous week had hit an unbeaten 79 for Burridge 2nds against Portsmouth 2nds in a Hampshire League game, and the hosts finished on 232 (Jerry 3-35 off 10 overs).