Ex-Test pair help Andover to SPL victory at Portsmouth
Two former Zimbabwe Test internationals were in the Andover side that consigned Portsmouth to a second successive Southern Premier League defeat.
Wicket-keeper Richmond Mutumbami played six Tests in 2013 and 2014 while Andover skipper John Nyumbu played one Test in 2014.
Mutumbami, who had scored an unbeaten 55 on his Andover SPL debut in a win against Sarisbury, hit 24 off 21 balls as the visitors were bowled out for 217 at St Helens.
Matt Hooper (66) top scored after his opening partner, Glyn Treagus, had been dismissed by Fraser Hay for a duck after Nyumbu had elected to bat first.
Rakshith Rao (3-22 off 10 overs) eventually removed Hooper on his way to Portsmouth’s best bowling figures.
Babu Veetil had impressed with the bat against Sarisbury - hammering 40 off just eight balls.
Here he was dangerous with the ball, dismissing home opener Ben Duggan (13) and No 3 Hay (24 off 14 balls) on his way to 3-31.
Dan Wimble (34) and Jack Marston (33) but Veetil wrapped up the innings with the score on 191 when he clean bowled Rao.
Sarisbury bounced back from losing to Andover to beat Rowledge by 81 runs.
Nathan Feltham’s hardhitting exploits in the middle order were a feature in Sarisbury’s SPL programme in 2022.
It was the same again as he struck five sixes and four fours in a 45-ball 59 batting at No 6.
Chris Sanders was next highest with 40 as Sarisbury finished on 223-7 after being inserted.
Rowledge slumped to 323 in reply with opener Ricky Yates (3) run out by Josh Hill, Max Martin (0) dismissed by Australian Kegan Holzmann, and Ollie Ryman (0) losing his wicket to Jordan Wright.
Australian Connor Cook (52) top scored but brothers Josh Hill (3-13) and Sam Hill (3-34) helped dismiss Rowledge for 142.
Sarisbury host Portsmouth next Saturday.
Following back-to-back promotions, Hambledon are finding life tougher in the second tier of the SPL.
They suffered a second successive loss when they went down by 71 runs to Basingstoke & North Hants at Ridge Meadow.
South African Justin Behrans took 4-40 as the visitors posted 262-8 after being inserted.
Skipper Joe Oates top scored with 75 off 68 balls, putting on 83 for the sixth wicket with Neil Shelar (35).
In reply, Jonty Oliver (50 not out) and Behrans (44) top scored as the Dons were restricted to 191-8.
Best individual performance in the division went to Tom Friend, who has returned to play for Ventnor after a spell with Bashley Rydal.
Friend, who has played one-day cricket for Worcestershire, lashed an undefeated 154 off 94 balls as Ventnor reached their 239 target in only the 30th over. He struck 15 fours and 10 sixes and put on 176 for the first wicket with Sri Lankan Dineth Thimodya, whose 74 occupied 63 balls with seven fours and three sixes.
The pair were obviously in a hurry - scoring 45 off the first four overs at Steephill.