Burridge sentenced to third successive top flight defeat

Sam Ruffell continued his fine form as Hampshire Academy inflicted a third successive Southern Premier League defeat on Burridge.

The Academy top the table after their third straight victory, a four-wicket triumph after being asked to chase 263.

Ruffell recently hit two hundreds in a row - 113 for

Lord Wandsworth College and 117 for Hampshire Pathways in an under-18 county match against Wiltshire.

This time he hit 66, with six boundaries, as a very young Academy XI won off the first ball of their last over.

Opener Tom Cheater had top scored with 79, with Ruffell helping him add 125 for the third wicket.

Kent-born Archie Fairfax-Ross, who has been playing for Hampshire in the 2nd XI T20 competition recently, ended unbeaten on 45.

He shared an unbroken stand of 35 with Louis Prichard, the son of former Essex batsman Paul Prichard, who has joined the Hampshire coaching staff this year.

Former Portsmouth

Grammar School pupil Joe Collings-Wells (68) and Azimunnoor Chowdhury (36) had put on 111 for the first Burridge wicket after skipper Hilio De Abreu had elected to bat.

De Abreu top sco red with 70 at No 4, and Dan Stancliffe added 30 off 20 balls late on. But Burridge’s last three wickets all fell with the score on 262 with opening bowler Ethan Martin and Prichard both taking 3-50.

The Academy take on Bashley next weekend, and are likely to have their Millfield School contingent available. That includes Dominic Kelly, who recently became the fifth youngest player of all time to make their Hampshire first class debut.