Petersfield v Old Basing: A SHORT break for rain and the Hampshire Cricket League’s rules on the awarding of bonus points in such a situation scuppered Petersfield’s bid for promotion in heart-breaking fashion.

Petersfield were closing in on opponents Old Basing’s total of 188 when the heavens briefly opened.

The short, sharp shower was enough for the umpires to call the players from the field and Field’s fate was sealed because the rules state that additional bonus points are not available to the team batting second when chasing a revised target in a rain reduced match. Petersfield duly chased down a revised total of 176 with four wickets in hand, but to no avail as maximum bonus points were no longer on the table.

Old Basing had got off to a flyer, scoring at more than seven an over in the early stages. However, spin twins Frank Straw (2-27) and Keith Gumbe (4-36) pulled things back and made inroads on a wicket taking plenty of spin, with Straw removing former England player Shaun Udal.

Skipper Damian Carson also picked up a couple of wickets and there were two stumpings for keeper Alex Thomas to go with a fine diving catch to his right. Turner scored 74 for Old Basing.

Dominic Carson’s 63 led the way in Field’s reply, with useful contributions from Damian Carson, Henry Shore and Thomas. But then the rain came and washed away Petersfield’s promotion dreams. Petersfield finished in fourth spot in County Division 2, missing out on promotion by an agonising 0.07 of a percentage point.