Openers star for Portsmouth ... Gadd in the wickets again
Jack Marston and Ben Duggan shared a century stand as Portsmouth romped to their second successive Southern Premier League Premier/Division 1 East cup group victory.
The pair put on 132 for the first wicket as Portsmouth collected a six-wicket success at Allotment Road.
Needing 201 for victory, Marston struck 72 off 69 balls and Duggan hit 57 off 89 to give Portsmouth a storming start.
Marston, who had only scored 21 runs in his previous four league and T20 Cup innings, hit 11 fours while Duggan, who faced 89 balls, hit five fours and a six.
Will Smitherman (20 not out) ensured Portsmouth won with 13 balls remaining to move up a place to third from bottom.
Sarisbury had posted 200-4 with Rob Franklin (61) hitting his second half-century of the SPL cup campaign.
Captain Ricky Rawlings, who normally opens, batted at No 6 and hit an unbeaten 31 while Chris Sanders struck 20 not out off 12 balls.
Ethan Randell (2-40) was Portsmouth’s most successful bowler.
Portsmouth are home to group leaders St Cross 2nds next weekend.
Teenager Freddie Gadd continued his fine form with the ball as Havant collected a third successive SPL Premier/Division 1 East cup win.
The spinner had bagged 4-14 the previous weekend as Havant defeated Sparsholt to reach the quarter-finals of the T20 Cup.
This time he took 4-15 as Rowledge were unable to pass Havant’s 156-8 total after they had been asked to bat.
Instead, the hosts finished five runs short on 151-5.
Experienced pair Peter Hopson (65) and Richard Hindley (37) were Havant’s main contributors with the bat while teenager Ethan Martin recorded career best figures of 6-29 - having never previously taken more than four wickets in an innings.
Gadd struck early, reducing Rowledge to 9-2, before opener Jontie Sebborn (80) and Ollie Baker (18) added 61 for the third wicket.
Sebborn and David Lloyd (28) put on another 56 for the fourth wicket before Gadd returned to the attack to have Sebborn caught by Alfie Taw.
Four members of Havant’s under-17 side were included in the team – 1st XI debutant Ollie Perkins and Daryn Stares joining Gadd and Taw.
All four will be in action again on today as Havant take on Hook & Newnham Basics in the Hampshire Under-17 Kerry Cup final.
The game was scheduled for last Thursday at Basingstoke’s May’s Bounty but was called off due to a bad weather forecast.
– SIMON CARTER