Hawkley v Petersfield: THE VISITORS batted first on a grey, windy afternoon with a forecast of rain.

The Petersfield openers looked uncomfortable against the pace of Angus Rowan-Hamilton and the lateral movement of John Marden and the scoreboard moved only slowly until Rowan-Hamilton bowled first Stratford-Tuke in the sixth over and then Allison in the tenth, finishing with excellent figures of 2-7.

After a short break while a shower passed through a third wicket fell when Rory Evans, attempting to field a straight drive off his own bowling, deflected the ball into the stumps with non-striker Butcher out of his ground. Petersfield’s Amis played an anchor role while at the other end wickets continued to tumble with two apiece for Evans and Ed Peel.

Hallam Brown caught Amis off his own bowling for 32 whereupon Mai provided some late impetus with an unbeaten 46 as Petersfield finished on 136-9 off a rain-reduced 35 overs.

Hawkley’s innings began slowly and a succession of batsmen made their way back to the pavilion.

By the 12th over the home side had slumped to 27-5 when veteran Kevin Hiscock provided the stability and Liam Lloyd the runs to rebuild the innings, as Petersfield sportingly rotated their bowlers to rekindle the home side’s chances. After Hiscock fell for a tenacious 13 Hawkley’s hopes rested on the youthful shoulders of Lloyd and Evans who responded in fine style to see their side to victory just as the long-threatened rain set in, Lloyd finishing unbeaten on 79.