Hillman’s burst sets up local semi-final
There will be a Portsmouth area team in the final of the Southern Premier League’s T20 Plate.
Portsmouth & Southsea host one division higher Waterlooville at St James next Sunday for the right to meet Basingstoke & North Hants or Totton & Eling in the showpiece occasion.
P & S - who lost in the final to Fair Oak last season - reached the last four on Sunday with victory over two tiers higher Andover.
Ville joined them following a superb bowling performance in a 56-run home success against Liphook & Ripsley.
Ville recovered from 24-3 to post 122-9 thanks mainly to middle order runs from skipper Archie Reynolds (29) and his younger brother Sonny (23).
Charles Janczur returned 2-6 off his four overs, including a rare T20 maiden, while Jamie Hall took 2-11.
But Ville’s total was easily a winning one after Sam Hillman and Jon Hudson had blown away Liphook’s top order.
Hillman (3-9) rearranged the stumps of openers George Neave (0) and Janczur (1).
Hudson bowled Harry Munt (8) before Hillman struck again - Hall clean bowled this time - to leave Liphook 13-4.
No more runs had been added when Hudson (2-7 off four overs) trapped Rob Nicklin (2) leg before.
No Liphook player made more than 13 as they limped to 66-9 off their 20 overs at Rowlands Avenue.
Opener Jack Davies (36) led a consistent Portsmouth & Southsea batting effort as they posted 141-6 at Andover.
Dean Lee (30), Tom Benfield
(21) and Ollie Kanavan (20) also contributed.
Andover started well in reply, reaching 78-2 - whereby they then collapsed to 88-6 against Matt Benfield (3-15) and Ben Saunders (2-32).
James Knight struck an undefeated 26 but Andover were restricted to 123-7 to lose by 14 runs.
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