Froxfield v Portsmouth & Southsea II: FROXFIELD were left frustrated on Saturday as they couldn’t make the most of a fine start with the bat and they then made several costly errors in the field as they slipped to defeat against Portsmouth and Southsea.

The visitors won the toss and put the home side into bat, but Ashley Fooks and Toby Barnett followed up a 99-run opening partnership last week with an even better partnership this week.

The score was 176 from 32 overs when Fooks finally fell for 99 when he mistimed a return catch to the bowler.

That should have given Froxfield the perfect platform to make a big total, but a dramatic collapse saw nine wickets fall for 39 runs.

T Barnett fell soon after his fellow opener and the next highest score from a Froxfield batsman was just six runs as they scrambled to 225-9 from their 45 overs.

The hosts made a good start in the field with skipper Jordan Hiscock making a breakthrough in the third over. Hiscock continued to bowl well, beating the bat regularly without reward.

Steve Singleton was his usual economic self, conceding just 17 from his nine overs, but it wasn’t until the 18th over that Froxfield picked up another wicket, Paddy Cowell (1-56) breaking a 45-run partnership.

Josh Haslett (1-53) and Fooks (1-21) also got a scalp apiece, and there were two run outs, but Froxfield were left to rue several dropped catches as Sayeed Shahid (95 not out) guided the away team to victory with four wickets to spare.